As July ticks over, the second half of the 2019 year officially begins!
For some, this can be a bit of a what the heck moment where it seems the year has flashed before their eyes. For others, it might be the complete opposite (which we all know is the case when Summer holidays are booked!).
Other than taking a lazy Sunday to completely reset and prepare for "part two" of the year, there are a few different things you can do to ensure that the next 6 months are productive ones!
Taking the time to go through some mindfulness exercises will slow you down enough to clearly see which direction you'd like to continue 2019 in. All the goals, aspirations, and good intentions that you set at the beginning of the year deserve to be followed through! Use this time to re-establish and re-evaluate these, ensuring that you are productively tackling all that you've set your mind to.
Below are a few simple tips to help you stay on track for the rest of the year:
1. Write it out and weigh it up!
Grab a notepad and jot down practically everything that is taking up your time right now. Work commitments, exercise, social life, down time activities... if its involved in your life right now, write it down.
It may seem weird and somewhat unstructured at first, but by writing out everything that your valuable time is spent on, you will be able to assess the productivity of your life. Looking back at your calendar will give you an indication of what to put down if you're stuck, it will also allow you to have a look at how your time is distributed (roughly).
Once you've got your long list, the next step can be continued on paper, or simply done in your head. Look at each activity, e.g. Reading at night or scrolling through Facebook in your lunch breaks, and take a moment to evaluate if that activity is serving you well. Is it in some one helping you achieve your goals? Or, is it simply eating up hours of your precious time?
If you're honest with yourself, you'll be surprised at how many things you can probably change.
When I did this a few weeks back, I realised that I hadn't been doing enough personal journalling (something that had previously been part of my nighttime routine). It must have been months that I hadn't picked up my pen and paper, and my creative inspiration was struggling as a consequence. It wasn't until I remembered why I had initially stopped (which was only because I had run out of pages in my old journal!), that I was then able to get back to doing this one simple thing I loved. Sure enough, my creativity and inspiration was sparked again in the areas it was lacking (for a prime example; this blog!!).
It's not until you step back and look at your life that you finally notice where you need to improve. When you get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the year, some of the many things balancing on those life scales of yours tend to slip! Make it easier for yourself and lessen the load, there will always be something that you can eliminate, and equally something you can add, to make your life better.
2. Mix up your routine
Getting into a healthy routine is awesome. It can set you up for productivity and help you stay on top of all you have to do in a day!
The thing about routines, however, is that sometimes we can forget can get so used to them that they lose their efficacy! If you're morning routine consists of you on auto pilot, moving in a zombie-like manner to get out of bed and ready for the day- chances are, you need to mix things up.
Whether it's going for a walk in the morning, trying a new skin care product, or listening to a pod cast instead of music while you get ready, it's important to try something new every now and then! Morning routines in particular are vital for setting your headspace for the day. Feeling inspired for doesn't always come naturally each morning, this I'm sure we can all agree with (particularly during winter months!!). It's up to you to consistently surround yourself with actions, people, and things that encourage you to get out there and smash your goals for the day.
So for the second half of this year, I challenge you to try something new in your daily routine. Assess what your routines look like now, and mix it up until you find something new you enjoy! You'll be surprised at the difference such a little adjustment can make.
3. Try some night-time journalling
Now before you freak out, no I'm not talking about the "Dear Diary" type of journalling where you recount your entire day on paper! The night-time journalling I'm referring to is about creating a space for all your daily thoughts and worries to live.
Whether you are someone that is reflective by nature, or, you've never picked up a journal and pen in your life, doing this will help bring clarity to your day.
On any given day, there are a thousand and one things that you have to think about, attend to, and deal with. All of these happenings can take more of a toll on your emotional state than you may realise.
Have you ever finally gotten into bed after a long day, only to still feel inundated with pent-up emotions?
This can happen all too often if we are not dealing with our stressors as they come. Pushing issues aside so that you can get through the day will only suppress them until a later time when your mind is free. This is why laying in the quiet of your bed is the perfect time for your thoughts to run wild! Your brain takes this moment or serenity to bring up all the problems that you didn't have time to deal with in the day, making sleep next to impossible some evenings.
This is where the journal comes in. The reason you find yourself thinking about the same thing over and over again at night, is because you know you can't do anything about it until the next day! Writing whatever the thought or emotion is down on paper, will allow you to deal with the matter in your head and quiet all those noisy thoughts you couldn't get rid of.
As the middle of the year generally brings with it a lot of daily chaos, this method of calming your mind will help you stay fresh and tackle your problems from a clearer, enlightened perspective.
So if you've been feeling a little less motivated recently after falling into the inevitable cycle of the year, I hope that some of these tips will help you find your motivation again! After all, it's important to remember that every single day brings with it the opportunity to achieve something great... you should never want to settle on just going through the motion of life. Always be working towards something that in10 years you'll look back and be proud of!
