Sali Hughes spoke on the power of taking a few days out, which has inspired this post. Whether it be taking a morning off, or dedicating a whole Sunday to be 'physically and mentally unchallenged', it can be incredibly restorative. I am only a first year student but struggling with the workload kicks in more regularly than I expected. So after a productive week, I tend to take Sundays off, to remind myself that I am alive, and capable of more than simply typing essay after essay.
With that said, I began finding this time not all that useful, as I simply wasn't prepared. I spent it feeling guilty with each Netflix episode, worrying about tasks that were building up and generally being negative. So I decided that if I'm going to procrastinate, it's going to need to be done properly.
What does that involve, exactly? Well, the first step is to completely de-clutter my desk. Allowing me to work on a clean slate at the start of a new week. If I feel energetic (a rarity indeed) I hoover my dorm room and do all my washing. If only the boys I live with had such motivation!
I don't know about you but for me, the weekend is for indulgent breakfasts. A preferred change from the rushed smoothies and pre-morning lecture banana. The ultimate treat for me is taking time to prepare my favourite food at a slow pace. I'd probably opt for hot chocolate with smoked salmon, some french toast with syrup or a huge bowl of fruit.
The most helpful advice I would give is to write a to-do list for the week ahead, organising tasks and events from your calendar to make daily plans that are clear. This means you can slob it out for the rest of Sunday without panicking about deadlines or forgetting anything. This often makes me more productive throughout the week as each task I tick off the list, makes me more deserving of the chilled Sunday. That's what I tell myself anyway!
One of my favourite things to do is meal planning, which has helped my budgeting immensely. I check the cupboards and freezer to check what the situation is, which tends to be a lonely can of chickpeas and some sad greens at the back of the fridge. But hey- that's student life I guess. Then I browse Pinterest and Youtube for recipe inspiration, before making the meal plans for each day. As I only cook for one, there's usually a lot of leftovers which I either pop in the freezer or try to recreate into something interesting. Once this plan is made, I can create a sensible shopping list which can be stuck to, no extra thought required.
Once all the preparation for the week is done, you can start relaxing. I opt for baking, reading and binge watching programs I've missed during the week. I'd definitely choose a huge bubble bath but as as you know, my student halls don't have such luxuries! Also Sundays are perfect for skincare pampering, so I'd definitely recommend popping on a face mask. Let me know what you get up to when treating yourself to down time, I could always use more inspiration.
Illustration: Valérie Boivin
What does that involve, exactly? Well, the first step is to completely de-clutter my desk. Allowing me to work on a clean slate at the start of a new week. If I feel energetic (a rarity indeed) I hoover my dorm room and do all my washing. If only the boys I live with had such motivation!
I don't know about you but for me, the weekend is for indulgent breakfasts. A preferred change from the rushed smoothies and pre-morning lecture banana. The ultimate treat for me is taking time to prepare my favourite food at a slow pace. I'd probably opt for hot chocolate with smoked salmon, some french toast with syrup or a huge bowl of fruit.
The most helpful advice I would give is to write a to-do list for the week ahead, organising tasks and events from your calendar to make daily plans that are clear. This means you can slob it out for the rest of Sunday without panicking about deadlines or forgetting anything. This often makes me more productive throughout the week as each task I tick off the list, makes me more deserving of the chilled Sunday. That's what I tell myself anyway!
One of my favourite things to do is meal planning, which has helped my budgeting immensely. I check the cupboards and freezer to check what the situation is, which tends to be a lonely can of chickpeas and some sad greens at the back of the fridge. But hey- that's student life I guess. Then I browse Pinterest and Youtube for recipe inspiration, before making the meal plans for each day. As I only cook for one, there's usually a lot of leftovers which I either pop in the freezer or try to recreate into something interesting. Once this plan is made, I can create a sensible shopping list which can be stuck to, no extra thought required.
Once all the preparation for the week is done, you can start relaxing. I opt for baking, reading and binge watching programs I've missed during the week. I'd definitely choose a huge bubble bath but as as you know, my student halls don't have such luxuries! Also Sundays are perfect for skincare pampering, so I'd definitely recommend popping on a face mask. Let me know what you get up to when treating yourself to down time, I could always use more inspiration.
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