A balanced lifestyle is just like a diet. As much as we would all like that balance to be perfect, its hard to work to perfect and can feel impossible to achieve.
But there is hope, just like a diet! It just takes a little give and take, and nit-picking to find what works for you.
Here’s how you can create the ultimate balance without making drastic changes!
Switch off your phone
Where necessary of course. You may be lucky and have a separate personal and work phone. But, like me, you may not have that luxury. Had a long week at work and not feeling being pestered by your colleagues? Switch it off. If you can’t do that physically, mentally switch off. You are entitled to a break.
This doesn’t just apply to work life. Switch your phone off in the evenings to let your mind relax. Whilst scrolling through social media may not seem to take too much concentration, it can certainly keep you awake. Switch of devices a couple of hours before bed to get a better nights sleep.
Social media doesn’t count
Most of us would be reluctant to admit that time with our friends on a personal, one to one level has probably dropped. It may be due to busy lifestyles, work schedules or it just isn’t viable.
It’s worth considering if social media is taking its toll. It’s so easy to keep up to date with what each other is doing, without even asking. Stepping back from social media, not sharing everything, and reaching out to friends will result in more social interactions face to face. We are social beings, and interacting in real time can make a huge impact and difference to you balanced lifestyle.
It can be so hard to keep spirits up when things have gone a little south. Relationship turned sour, work getting stressful, coursework piling up. What ever the situation, it can really take its toll.
When unemployed after finishing university, I found it really hard to keep optimistic when searching for my graduate job. Everyone around me seemed to be going in the right direction whilst I was standing still. I had ambitions I’d have liked to get going with, yet I felt stuck with no means to get there. It can be so disheartening and a real struggle to be motivated when everything around you seems, well, crap.
Sound familiar? There is a way around this feeling, and I think I have found it, perfectly. Keep optimistic – It may be hard but remember this isn’t going to last forever. Bad week at work, rough patch in your relationship, too much coursework….it won’t last forever I promise.
Plan something ahead – I always find its the best distraction as well as motivator. If you and your partner are having a tough time, plan a meal out or a trip to keep you both optimistic. If work is being difficult, plan something exciting on your day off, it will be a sure fire way to get you through any tough patch.
Keep doing what you love – When you’re in a tough spot, whatever the situation is, most of us wallow in self pity and hide under a duvet. Whilst most of us love our bed, not many of us like wallowing, so keep doing what you love! Catch up with friends, go for a walk or even watch your favorite film / tv show. Its bound to get your spirits up.
It can only get better – If you think this is the worst of the worst, than it can only get better right?
Confide in someone – Many of us go through tough things on our own and find it hard to confide and seek advice in someone else. Reach out and share your struggles. You never know someone may be going through the same thing and will be able to support you and give you advice. It always a good idea to find a listening ear, even if it is to offload some of your worries.
So, next time you’re struggling to keep your spirits up, whatever the situation, I hope some of these tips will lift you a little, and at least remind yourself it won’t last forever!
Do you find yourself struggling to keep spirits up?
Anyone who knows me knows I am terrible and budgeting myself. Awful at it! Since being at uni, I only thought I could get better at it, but it turns out, I have got a whole lot worse. So since turning unemployed and lacking a income, I had decided budgeting is probably the best idea, and it turns out, its working pretty well!
So, here is my tips for those of you, who like me, think it probably would be a good idea!
Limit yourself : I am terrible at limiting myself when it comes to going shopping. To limit yourself better, take out cash and leave your card at home! Then you have no choice but to stick to your limit.
Spend at the start of the month : I tend to spend at the start of the month, and others at the end. I see it as a reward for all the hard work the previous weeks. All new clothes in store, new fashion and style. Spend at the start of the month and wear throughout. By the time you’ve reached getting bored of an item, you’ll be back to the start of a new month and a new style – score!!
On-line banking: Can’t stress how much easier it is when you have on-line banking and an app on your phone. Keep tabs on what your spending straight away, and transfer money over to savings when needed – easy!
Prioritise : what do you really want! Prioritise what you’d prefer to spend your money on and what you need to. If those boots can wait but the coat can’t you know what you’ll be buying this month and next.
Set aside for the amenities : Know your outgoings and ensure you have it set aside. Be reasonable on what you have to spend for yourself this month and don’t stretch yourself thin. Bare in mind when your MOT is due and if anything else unexpected is on its way.
And finally :
Shop on the cheap: Aldi and lidl are my place to go for food and on the cheap. Fresh food cheap and no-branded but as good as the rest are cheaper too. If you need a new outfit, but can’t afford Topshops prices, always check Primark! Savers is also a great pit stop for cheaper cosmetics and beauty products!
So if you struggle with budgeting yourself, or think its high time to start, these little tips are sure to get you onto the road of recovery and saving.
If you have any tips of your own I’d love to know so comment below.
My mum always always always says how confident I am.Taking selfies all the time, outgoing and talkative to anyone, comfortable in awkward situations, happy to talk to a group of people and overall confident in myself.
I now realise how lucky I am to be this confident.
Through the years I have become more and more aware of others insecurities, and whilst I haven’t had quiet as many as some, I have had my fair share.
So, whilst I am lucky to be as confident as I am, I am unlucky in my insecurities but I think I have found a way that’s made me this confident in myself and I thought I’d share.
Don’t give a s**t about anyone
A pretty simple one and a rule I have been living by since school. It’s a hard one to get used to, but your worst enemy isn’t worrying about what everyone else thinks, says, likes or even hates about you. Who cares? You shouldn’t!
Maybe if they were someone worthwhile, like David Beckham orrrrr even Kim Kardashian, they might be worthy to have an opinion. (Even then I’m not sure I’d care)
Take care of yourself
Another pretty simple rule and one everyone should be taking a little more seriously – including myself!
Taking care of yourself will give you an ultimate confidence boost and do wonders for everything else. Feeling confident comes from feeling good, healthy and fit, and nothing does that better than eating clean, exercise regularly and sleeping well.
Don’t be afraid to treat yourself once in a while
My mum probably won’t agree with me on this one, since I tend to spend way more money than I actually have, but it’s something that can really come under all three rules. Spend money and treat yourself. You want that topshop dress and you’ve just been paid, go get it. You want another MAC lipstick, why not. You deserve it, you earned the money, you want to treat yourself – do it!!
Stop comparing!
Its a common thing in our social media world to compare ourselves to everyone out there. Just scrolling through instagram can get yourself looking at fellow ladies thinking various things -‘why don’t I have lips like that’, ‘I wish I had a flat tummy like her’, ‘she has a better style than me’ or even ‘I’ll never be as good looking as her’.
It can be tough to be a young women in this social media world were ‘beautiful’ women can be found and followed. The key thing to remember, is confidence is beauty itself. Those women we compare ourselves to have their own flaws and insecurities, but have overcome and chipped away at them, to be the ‘beautiful’ women you compare yourself too.
Take their confidence, and fuel it for your own. Want a flatter tummy, work out and get it! Want Kylie Jenner lips, learn some make-up secrets to achieve it.
Learn to love your flaws
I often pointed out my flaws and worried about them. Unfortunatly, that didn’t change them. My bum wasn’t ‘perky’ enough so instead of comparing and worrying, I excersised and started to love what I have. I will never have the perfect skin nor complexion, so I started to look for make-up and skin care to help me achieve what I wanted. Your flaws are what you make them, so why not work on them and work around them, don’t let them define you!!
Remember: You’re not the only one with insecurities and lack of confidence.
Remain: Positive.
Do you have any tips for people lacking confidence? Maybe you struggle with your own confidence -I’d love to know what you think of my tips so why not comment below.
Its a big problem a lot of us face, and I am a main culprit of snacking on absolutely everything I can get my hands on. Whilst I am on this clean eating malarkey (which is proving a lot more difficult than I ever anticipated) I have been trying some sneaky, all be it rather cleaver tricks to stop myself snacking!
So, stick around and make notes on how you can stop yourself from snacking.
You eat when you’re bored – don’t be bored
When I’m bored, I find myself wanting food, so instead of curing my sweet tooth I tend to cure my boredom. Find a new Netflix binge, read your magazine you’ve only glanced at, maybe even a book or if you’re feeling really motivated, hit the gym, go for a walk or even a run.
Stop taking snacks out with you
I do this a lot, including a whole double pack of Maryland cookies to work. I would like to say I shared, but of course I didn’t! You can be your own worse enemy, so do yourself a favor and leave the half day snacks at home, where they belong, they’ll only tempt you!
Don’t take money out, unless you need it
Another thing I am terrible at is buying food because I fancy it, rather than need it. Time after time I buy a pastry at the train station on the way home from work, despite being full from lunch, and then proceeding onto a full meal when I get home!! Leaving money at home when you know you don’t need it is the best solution to those coffee runs, or chocolate craves.
Have 3 meals – that’s it.
I don’t think this is a regular occurrence in my lifetime, but sticking to your 3 meals is a obvious, but fairly tricky ideal. Eat 3 substantial meals through the day, and you can cut snacking. Make a meal plan and look forward to a meal rather than a snack! If it helps, make a healthy breakfast the night before, as well as a packed lunch, so you know you won’t be tempted with a meal deal!
Brush your teeth before bed
This is a regular routine for me anyway, but brushing my teeth a little earlier stops me from even thinking about having a quick snack before bed. Once their brushed, I can’t really be asked to do them again!!
If you have to snack, for goddness sake let it be healthy!
There are soooo many better alternatives that can hit that hunger spot. Carrot sticks and hummus is a personal favorite, or toast and peanut butter and banana- mmmm . Fruit are a perfect sugar rush, without the horrific calories and cereal is another favorite to keep me going that has less fat.
Remember : It’s not going to be easy, and you will have off days. Heck I’m eating now after brushing my teeth – opps, but you’ll get there!!
Remain : Focused and determined. Remember why you’re doing it and your goal and im sure you’ll be out of snacking in no time.
Or maybe you have some tips that work for you when you fancy a little something in between meals. I’d love to know, so comment below!
Some would say I am the ultimate multi-tasking queen. Everything I do revolves around making the best of my time. In the bath, I am answering emails, whilst eating dinner I am checking over finances, watching TV and I am catching up on social media.
Some would say I am the ultimate multi-tasking queen. Everything I do revolves around making the best of my time. In the bath, I am answering emails, whilst eating dinner I am checking over finances, watching TV and I am catching up on social media.
In this current fast paced world, it seems like everyone has the mindset of fitting the most in their day.
So when it comes to a work out, I hate the idea of just working out. Now, I’m probably going to get a load of fitness nerds tell me I’m not applying enough effort into my fitness routine, but the truth is, I only want to work out when I can multi-task too!
So with this in mind, and in my sure style, I’ve compiled a list of things I tend to get ‘done’ whilst working my booty!
Catching up on my latest Netflix binge
Its fairly obvious isn’t it? Ipad resting on the treadmill, headphones in an Orphan Black distracting me from running – perfect!
Play some of my favourite ipad games, including SimCity
I love games, so whenever I can I am tapping away perfecting my city or creating more ‘abodes’ on Godus. Again, its the prefect distraction.
Blog blog blog
I always have ideas floating around of new post ideas ect, and sometimes when I’m peddling away, its the perfect time to draft a couple. If not, I’m catching up on some of my favourites to gather inspiration.
Edit my pictures
Its either my latest selfie, landscape of blog picture I’m editing away, sometimes I just don’t have time to do it anywhere else.
Listen to my favourite book
I LOVE reading, but sometimes I’m lazy and I want it read to me, so of course audible books are perfect when holding a book is just not viable, or your eyes are just lazy, like mine!
There are soooo many things you can do whilst working out, and I find it pretty distracting from something I can find rather tedious at the best of the times!
Relationships and friendships are hardddddddddd. Its even harder balancing the books and keeping your friends and other half happy. There is nothing worse then being branded with the: ‘you’re always with your boyfriend’, and its even worse when your boyfriend ‘never sees you’ because you’re always with your girls.
I’d be lying if I said its easy to strike the right balance, but once you do, everything works wonders.
Its easy to forget about yourself when you are so busy worrying about everyone else, so take some time, whether that be running a bath, reading a book, catching up on your latest tv series or even having a nap. Keeping up to date with you is vital to maintain other healthy relationships.
Secondly : make date nights
I swear by date nights. They are a great way to make a night for just you and your man. Go to your favorite restaurant, see the film you’ve been dying to see or to keep it within budget, cook a romantic meal and snuggle on the sofa. Keep phones at bay and make time for just each other.
Thirdly : girlie evenings on the regular
Just like date nights, make a evening for just you and your girls. Gossip, catch up and do all things girly. Nights out and drinks can make a perfect getaway for you and your girls. and keep phones and boyfriends out of it.
Fourthly : don’t be afraid to mix friends and boyfriend
Some couples will go out together and some don’t. Every couple is different and would rather not mix friends and boyfriend. But don’t be afraid to mix your two circles. If you want to feel more comfortable with your relationships, mix and mingle your friends, boyfriend and his friends. It can be a easy way to kill two birds with one stone, and make your friends more understanding and accepting of your relationship.
Remember: If he’s kicking off when you spend time with friends, make him realize this is time for him to spend time with his fiends and family. If your boyfriend is spending too much time with his friends and not you, the balance isn’t there – maybe he doesn’t have his priorities right? I believe your true friends aren’t the ones you have to see every day, and will still maintain a good friend. If yours demand too much time and don’t support your relationship – maybe they’re not true friends.
Remain: Truthful. Tell your other half and friends you are trying and they should be supportive and helpful in helping you strike the best balance for them as well as yourself.
Its not unusual to hear of someone getting dumped. Someone in the relationship ends it, and sometimes its not you. It hurts yes, and even though you feel like your the only one going through it, you’re not. I’ve been there, and it sucked.
Whilst this isn’t my usual topic, I’ve often been asked how I dealt with it, so I thought, why not blog about it. I am a example of how being dumped isn’t the end of the world, and can infact make you a hell of a lot stronger.
So if you recently went through a break-up and wondering how on earth you’ll get over it, trust me, you can!
Realise its probably for the best
When its not your decision, its hard to see why it would be for the best. But see the true reasons the relationship didn’t work, and you’ll probably end up kicking yourself you didn’t end it.
Its not the end of the world
It may feel like it, and it will for a couple of weeks, but the end of this relationship is not the end of the world. Remember you had a life before them, and you will after. Take this time to find yourself again and focus on what matters, you!
You’re not going to be 40 and single!
Someone said to me, whilst I was crying my eyes out, no-one ever is single at 20 and stays single for the rest of their adult life. And its true. If you found someone before, you’ll find someone again, and chances are they’ll be a whole lot better than the last! Stop panicking you’ll never find anyone else, and focus on having
Learn to see the positives
It may have come to a end, but it doesn’t mean you now have to hate that person, and if you’re the grown up you want to be, learn to see the positives of the relationship. Take the negatives and learn from them like any other. Remember the good times, but also the bad and realise what you want from your next relationship.D
Don’t contact them
They’ll probably say they still want friendship, and to keep in contact, and even maybe hook up from time to time for ‘old times sake’. But I can’t stress enough, cut all contact!! Truth is, hardly anyone stays friends with their ex, and when they do, its probably because it didn’t end as messy. Cut all ties, delete their number, block them on facebook, unfollow on twitter and delete snap chat. You don’t need any contact with them, nor their friends. Better still, its nice knowing you have no idea what their doing, and they don’t know either.
Go and have fun, but DON’T DO ONE NIGHT STANDS!
Get your glad rags on and go out with friend by all means. Get some attention that you’ve had to warn off for god knows how long and feel good about yourself. BUT, If you heard that one night stands are the best way to get over your ex, you probably heard it from a guy, who has never had a decent relationship and has no idea what love even is. Its not the answer. It makes you feel good for a split second, but waking up to a stranger is far from the feel good factor you need.
Surround yourself with friends and family and learn what you enjoy best.
Being in a relationship for a long time can cast shadows over what you enjoy. You’ve spent most of your time with one person, you haven’t had time for yourself doing what you enjoy for a long time. Take this time to re-establish your hobbies, find new enjoyment and surround yourself with friends and family. Those are the relationships that don’t change.
Remember you are loveable….
You might have been dumped, but hopefully the steps above have not only told you of some dos and donts, but that you are loveable and there is a better future. There is someone out there for you, and the last just wasn’t it and above all, a learning curve. You have to kiss some frogs before you meet your prince.
P.S – watch new girl if you haven’t, a good feel good series to make you realise the end of a relationship can be the start of something better.
So if you’ve been dumped, or just coming to the end of a relationship and are struggling to deal with it, I hope these points have been a little help to make you feel better.
Remember you’re not alone and there are friends and family that will support you.
Don’t forget who you are and you’ll be happier than ever in no time.
Waking up is a hard task, some would argue (including myself) it’s the hardest task of the day. The bed is warm, you’re all cosy, you have your nest egg. The only thing calling you out is the full fact you need to go to work to earn that money, or this place won’t exsist anymore.
Horrible isn’t it!!
Needless to say, it maybe the hardest task, but It can be made a little bit easier with some of these small tips, sure to make you’re morning routine. Leave you’re phone alone before going to bed
Its been proven that being heavily active on your phone whilst in bed, it makes it harder to drift off into a natural sleep. Steer clear of the mobile devices and bright screens before bed time and stick to dim lighting and books. Sure to enable you drift off peacefully.
Go to bed at a reasonable time
This is a mumsy line, but truth be told, going to bed a reasonable time does help sleeping as well as waking up that little easier. Get your recommended 7 hours of sleep can really make a world of difference.
Multiple alarms
Have a couple go off before you have to get up. Before you know it, you’re more prepared and awake to get up than ever before – well kinda!
A little bit of music
There is nothing better than some dance music in the morning to get you up and going for your day. Personal favorite of mine are Disclosure Flume.
Breakfast
I do preach it alot, but honestly breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast oats, cereal or even toast will do the job and give you that extra spring in your step.
Do you have any tips and tricks to make sure you’ve woken up refreshed and ready to start your day? Start some natter below!
Its hard to change a routine you’ve been used to since well, forever. And its usually not until its essential that you have to change it, when you realize its a lot harder than you think – Doh!
So after some super early starts of 5:30am compared to the uni wake up of midday, and only returning home at a later 7pm, my body clock took a little battering, but thanks to a couple of these tips, its been made a little easier.
I hope they help!
Get your 6hours sleep!!
I cannot stress this enough, but getting your recommended amount of sleep is essential! Especially when having a full day of work ahead of you. Not ideal to be knackered and working!!
Exercise
You may feel tired, but doing a work out or some exercise can help you sleep better and in the long run, give you more energy. Hit the gym or walk your dog to get those muscles working and energy burning.
Breakfast
Its the most important meal of the day, and when on the run, its easy to forget your early feed, but it can be made easy with over night oats to grab in the morning and go. Guaranteed to keep you full till lunch time, it can really help with the change of your routine.
Some people shower in the evening, and some shower the night before. Its all down to personal preference, but when your faced with a early start, nothing is more off-putting than the thought of a shower and blow dry before even contemplating your OTTD! Shower the night before, and follow some wet hair hacks to create beach waves ready when you wake up. You’d probably need more time choosing your outfit anyway, right?
Eat well
I’ve mentioned breakfast, but ensuring you eat healthy every meal, you’re guaranteed to feel better for it, including more energy levels and concentration. There are plenty of easy quick meals for one that are packed with healthy goodness, so don’t worry about them taking too much time.
Follow these simple rules whilst in your new routine, or even a couple of weeks before hand, and you’d be settled into your new hours in no time. You may even feel better than before, days defiantly feel longer for it!
Let me know what you think, and if you have any tips of your own.
