KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON

It's December tomorrow and I'm sure we're all in for a stressful month, particularly with all the things we have to do that I highlighted in my previous blog post (sorry!). How many of those 30 things have you done so far?! I've done about 8 out of 30... not too bad right? I'm actually far more organised with Christmas present and card buying than I think I've ever been before *pats self on the back*.

I have three university assignments all due in around the same time in January - a film script, a documentary and 2,500 word essay. Just typing that out made me feel all anxious and panicky. Not cool. In an attempt to remind myself to keep calm and just get on with it, I'm going to blog some ways to make life a little easier. Hopefully they will help you all with the upcoming crazy Christmas month too!

* Drink hot chocolates. Soothing, calming and er... chocolatey. Always a winner.

* Plan, plan and plan some more. You can never do too much planning.

* Write lists. I'm a list lover - can you tell?! They're just such great things to make. Every time you think of something to do, write it down on your list. Maybe make multiple lists e.g 'things to buy', 'things to do', 'people to give Christmas cards to'. That way, you'll never forget anything and it's just so satisfying being able to tick things off.

* "Little by little, day by day". A nice little quote for you there. Important to remember though - you don't have to do everything all at once. Aim to do just a few things each day and that way hopefully you won't get too overwhelmed.

* Prioritise. Do the stuff that needs doing first, so you don't miss any deadlines or birthdays or whatever it is.

* Listen to music, either take some time out to just lie down and listen (it's great for the soul) or have some music on when you're doing your tasks. My current favourite albums that are keeping me relaxed and happy are:
   Sparrow in the Birch - The Crofts Family (Christmas Album)
   The Holiday (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Hans Zimmer

* Keep a diary. Similarly to writing lists, writing upcoming events, Christmas do's, appointments, arrangements with friends and all that jazz in a diary, with times and places, keeps you super organised. Doing this will probably make you shudder with realisation about how much you actually have to do but try and let it remind you about all of the exciting things you have coming up instead :)

* Reward yourself. Whether that's a glass of wine or a long soak in the bath, make sure you reward yourself for making it to the end of the day! Fellow students, make watching I'm A Celebrity a reward for working hard, or a snack a reward for finishing a piece of work.

* Get plenty of sleep. I know it's hard when your mind is buzzing with all those things on your to-do list, but getting enough sleep will make you feel so much better and so much more productive.

* Breathe. It's a subconscious human necessity, I know, but try making it a conscious one.

Ahhhhh. I feel a little better now after writing that and I hope you do after reading it. It's going to be a busy month but if you do a few (or hopefully all) of these things, it should be a breeze. Well maybe not a breeze, but less stressful anyway! And remember, these apply to any time of the day, month, year. Try and incorporate them into every day life :-)

Keep calm and carry on people. You can do it.

Namaste and enjoy tucking into your advent calendars tomorrow! x