Here in Wales we’ve just come out of a 2 week firebreak lockdown, as my friends and family in England were going into another one.
This lockdown has felt different and even though I was in a great mood on Monday, it has definitely gone downhill all week.
We’re flying into Christmas and it feels like there hasn’t been much time to sit down and relax, until we’re actually forced to or just too knackered to do anything else.
Today I went to a retreat with Sky Spa Wellness and finally had time to pause and slow down, so much so that I fell asleep...and woke myself up snoring.
Being made to actually stop, breathe and have my phone away was a reminder of how much I rely on it when I’m bored or tired, or both. It also made me realise how often I think I’m relaxing when actually I’m just distracted and procrastinating by watching all 7 seasons of Gilmore Girls. I asked on Instagram for some procrastination tips this week and the answers were brilliant so I thought I’d share a few if you’re struggling too.
Set a timer and only focus on that task (take a look at the Pomodoro Technique)
Put your phone in a nice box while you’re working
Use an orange oil in your diffuser for concentration
Don’t use your phone for anything, get a timer just for this
Delete the social media apps from your phone
Use Trello to set out a to do list or a schedule
But, I think it’s equally important to notice when there is a reason we’re procrastinating.
Sometimes it’s confidence, anxiety or not having a clue what we’re meant to be doing. Other times it’s a form of perfection. We won’t get started until we’re certain it will be perfect (it never will!) And most often for me it’s because I’m exhausted and need a little break. So if you’re feeling the pressure at the moment and it just seems like you’re never getting anything done, don’t be too hard on yourself. Try the tips if you can, but there’s no pressure here. Sometimes you just need to lay down, put your screens away and relax, snoring optional.