lifestyle || a collection of quotes & reminders: on breaks, productivity, goal setting, simplicity, expectations, and doing
I started a new series on my Instagram page last month to share bite-sized life lessons. Here is a compilation of the thoughts I’ve written down so far…
on breaks
The key to being motivated and productive? Knowing when not to be.
The past four months have been fantastic in teaching me this. Not having in-person commitments has made my schedule so much more accommodating of times when I need a complete and utter shut-down break, and I’ve been so much happier and healthier for it. I like to take off an entire day every now and again, to sleep and just go with my creative flow. The next day I’m ALWAYS more eager to get back into the swing of my usual, productive schedule of commitments and projects.
on productivity
What would you do if you could have one extra hour every single day?
It’s an interesting one!
One of my favourite podcasts by @adrienne_ldn asks that question of its guests at the end of every episode. And the truth is, we have that hour. 🤭 In the little moments between tasks, in the average 4 hours we all spend scrolling our phones each day, in the sluggish days we have because we chose to sacrifice sleep, and in the inefficient ways we go about miniscule daily tasks.
If you’re trying to make time – and struggling – for something like picking up writing, starting a blog, starting to cook more meals at home, exercising more, or learning some new skill, then don’t wait for a perfect chunk of time to do it. Most of all, don’t wait for the right conditions or the right tools.
If you want something – desperately, passionately WANT something – then make time for it. Start with 5 minutes. Start with using the odds and ends of time.
on goal-setting
Ok … I’m all about constant self-reflection and self-improvement but the number one thing to remember when setting goals – productivity, health, fitness, habits – is to appreciate that your current position IS A PART OF THE PROCESS.
Don’t use guilt to motivate yourself. It’s not a long-term solution for change. And it’s particularly dangerous when your goal is body image related. Motivate yourself with the desire to BE BETTER because who you are NOW deserves it. Check out my 2nd ever Snapshot video on YouTube to hear more about this concept!
on simplicity
… and maybe sleep.
I love this quote because it’s cute and romantic. It’s also quite the spot-on prescription. But most of all, it captures an attitude of simplicity.
I sometimes find myself spiraling into an overthinking loop. It’s a part of who I am and how I think, and journaling/bullet journaling has helped me a lot with managing it. Writing out lists of what to remember, what I’m worrying or thinking about, and then organizing it so I can tackle the “root causes” is a structured way to approach everyday anxieties. But I’ve also found that, sometimes, even this structured approach can begin to loop in on itself.
This quote is just a little reminder to keep things simple.
on expectations
Reality is what you’re LIVING, not what you are PLANNING for. Take this as your daily reminder to EXPECT LESS of yourself. Your biggest accomplishments aren’t a combination of your most productive hours put together, but a blend of the ordinary – slow mornings, mistakes, simple days and all – that make up the person you’re becoming.
on doing
Cultivating dreams, planning your goals, and setting up routines is important. But what’s most important is the DOING part. Quick-fix solutions are everywhere, and I think our generation has been raised on immediacy. But mastery takes time, and NOTHING can replace the power of consistent effort applied over a long period of time.
To be a writer, WRITE.
To be a runner, RUN.
To be a reader, READ.
To be a coder, CODE.
To be an artist, MAKE ART.
You’re guaranteed to fail along the way. But by DOING you’re one huge step closer to BEING.
Which one spoke to you the most? Tell me in the comments!
Read more of these reminders on my Instagram page.
