Image from Dazed and Confused
Happy Friday, Candylips!
It occured to me this morning when I was on my way to the gym that my days have mostly been following a pattern for the last few weeks. This notion thrilled and excited me, because as a general rule, I am not exactly a stickler for routine. I am spontaneous, combustible, erratic- and generally, I like it that way! It makes my life colourful and interesting and unexpected, which mostly suits me just fine.
However, when you're trying really hard to get the most out of your days and nothing seems to be going quite the way you imagined (think job loss, zero cash, very few job interviews and generally struggling to get up in the morning), getting into a routine could be exactly what you need to help get you out of a rut and focussed on the big picture once more.
Somehow, I have found myself quite comfortably in a cycle of activity and productivity that, in all honesty, has had very little to do with any effort on my part. It really began just as a way to fill my days after my job was made redundant, and I'd suffered a pretty big blow personally at the end of last year. I knew that if I didn't keep myself busy, I would find myself sinking back into the not-very-nice place that I was in earlier last year- and believe me, friends, I have NO intention of every getting back there again!
The things that I began doing just to fill in time have become absolutely necessary in the successful functioning of my day. What's more, this inane sort of routine that I have always tried so desperately to avoid has actually acted as a sort of kickstart for my future. Having so much time to write and focus on my blog and my portfolio has really made me think about what it is that I want to achieve, and what I want to give back to the world. I even have time to make myself go to the gym, which I have been doing three or four times per week. (Yay!)
A typical day for me used to be... well... not really very typical at all. I just had certain things that I knew I HAD to do every week, such as go to work, go to the gym, cook, study, see friends, drink alcohol and sleep. There was never structure, there was no drive. No discipline. And really, without discipline, it's almost impossible to achieve anything.
Now, a typical day for me goes like this:
1. Wake up 7.45am, dress in gym gear
2. Gulp down a coffee and eat something small to kickstart my metabolism
3. Go to the gym. Do half an hour of running intervals and half an hour of resistance training
4. Get home, fix small snack, switch on computer
5. Shower, fix hair and makeup properly, get dressed
6. Put washing on, stack dishwasher, cuddle Luxe or the puppies
7. Check emails, manage Facebook pages and social media
8. Work on blog entries, articles and job applications
9. Make lunch
10. Blog entries, articles and job applications, manage Facebook pages and social media
11. Run to shops, see friends, see boyfriend, etc.
12. Eat dinner, watch TV, make phone calls, organise outfit for next day
Somehow, my life has consolidated down into these twelve easy steps! It's amazing!
Okay, okay, so not every single day pans out this way. Obviously things happen that are outside our control, and that is fine. But, honestly, for the most part, the outline listed above is pretty accurate. And weirdly- I feel great! I'm focussed, I'm doing something that I love, I have time to do all the things I need to do, I don't feel like I'm wasting time sitting around trying to plan my future. Mostly, I think this is because my future is planning itself.
Without dwelling on impossibilities, wishing my life away or waiting around for things to change, I have altered my attitude. It's already starting to manifest as positivity in my life. The proof is in the proverbial pudding!
I'm not saying you need to lose your job, or have a friend kick you out of their life, or have a soul destroying breakup for this to work. Just try properly allocating time to do the things that you want to do- every day. It will make you feel amazing.
Give it a try. You CAN do it!
Love and lollipops,
MJ x
