I think my off switch is faulty. The problem is my life has no real routine. I am a full time student during term time, I am the treasurer of two university societies, I'm on the Victoria's Secret PINK campus rep street team. My brain is constantly trying to juggle 1000 different commitments, and even when I am not working through coursework, revising for exams or organising and attending events for my other responsibilities, my brain is constantly working at 100mph thinking up new blog post ideas, photographing products, editing photos, writing content. I wake up at 5A.M. every morning no matter what time I get into bed the night before. There is very little time in my day that I can commit to nothing but myself and my own wellbeing.
Recently, I have made a conscious effort to put aside at least one hour every day for myself... An hour where I try not to think about the long list of things I need to achieve that day, I try not to touch my phone, I try to switch off and not worry about anything at all. Below are a few of the little things I do to switch off, I hope they work as well for you as they do for me;
1. Take time away from technology - find something you can do where you literally have no temptation to touch your phone, tablet, laptop etc. For me, I like to go and sit in the sauna at the gym. I lock my phone away in my locker and become completely disconnected- no one can contact me even if they want to. Sitting there gives me time to think and collect my thoughts. In fact the majority of my blog post ideas are thought up either in the sauna or in the bath (another fantastic place to disconnect from technology for a while).
2. Make your bed somewhere you want to spend time - I love sleep. The best part of my day is when I crawl into bed at night time... Unfortunately, me and my bed seem to have a love-hate relationship. I love being there, but my body doesn't really like sleeping there. Or anywhere. Sometimes I wonder how I manage to actually function everyday off the lack of sleep I seem to acquire. However, if you make your bed as comfortable as it can possibly be, even when sleep is a struggle, at least your body can enjoy some form of relaxation. For me, this comes in the form of fairy lights, candles and scent diffusers. I always have a book and my diary in my bedside table, and try to reach for these at 2A.M. when sleep has escaped me.
3. Make your mind clock off at the same time as your body - Whenever I am finished working for the day I get straight into my dressing gown or pyjamas, to try and teach my brain to make the mental association that now it is officially 'down time'. Putting loose and comfortable clothes on can go a long way to helping your mind feel much more relaxed, as feeling physically comfortable and at ease will help your mind to feel the same.
