If there comes a time where I don’t start a blog post talking about how I’m so sorry I haven’t posted in forever because of how busy I am…honestly although that’s the goal, I think we should all be a little worried. I thrive off of staying occupied and involved 24/7 and this summer is no exception! I am having a blast and a half at my digital marketing and advancement internship at my high school this summer, getting my own cubicle, camera, and Instagram login (the whole 9 yards and I am totally geeking out, lol.) In addition to that, I am nannying here and there, an!d working at my restaurant job during nights and weekends. Oh, and keeping up with all Panhellenic needs via email 24/7. Needless to say, I am also finding time to sleep and eat somewhere in there!!! I’ve quickly developed a few habits that are allowing me to get everything I need to do while still not losing my mind! Although, that admittedly has happened a few times due to an unexpected dead camera battery or a 2-year old that is so overdue for a nap!
LEAVE WORK AT WORK!!!! With two of my jobs being highly social media and online communication based, this one can sometimes be tough. However, I have come to realize that minus a few small tasks here and there, there really is nothing that was assigned Friday at 10pm that can’t wait until Monday morning at 8am when I return to my cubicle to accomplish. Learning to let go of my to-do list can be hard when in the digital age we live in, things can be requested of you at a moment’s notice via text and I can get notified that I need to edit something at 6pm on a Saturday night, but it’s wild how the world keeps spinning if instead, I stick to my weekend plans if the task means going out of my way to go back into a “work” mindset. I’ve learned I get so much more done during the workday if I know that’s the only time I am allowing myself to do so! This habit works best if you make sure you inform those you work with that this is your schedule as well. Most people are happy to respect it, as long as you make them aware it’s still on your to-do list and you are hearing their request!
Morning “Fuel Up”!!!! I used to be a HUGE morning person in high school. Like, up a good hour before I needed to leave for morning dance team practice, full hot breakfast cooked, coffee drank and lunch packed all before 6am kind of morning person. No clue what college did to my body or mindset but needless to say, this is for sure not still the case. Mornings are quite the struggle for me, but going through a work week that involves me being up and ready to function before 8am means finding solutions to that. Drinking water BEFORE my coffee is a huge one that I have been in the habit of for years now, but recently I have switched from the water from my refrigerator to room temp water. Sounds silly, but I heard it somewhere and decided to give it a try! When your water isn’t freezing cold, as refreshing as it can be on summer days like this, waking it up with room temp water allows it to absorb quickly into your body and fuel you up faster!
Plot Your Time For EVERYTHING!!!! Keeping this one short and sweet: if you want to do it. put it on your calendar. give it a time slot. whether it’s a nap. a shower. your workday. plan. plan. plan.
Figure Out What Works!!!!! Do you work well under high management or high freedom? Do you prefer requests texted or emailed to you? Do you work best all at once or with breaks? Find out what works best for YOU and make sure those around you are aware as well! The best way to get things done is to get them done YOUR way!
Learn Something New / Keep Up!!! I will go in spurts of being really on top of this and then die down when I get super busy. It’s SO important to keep updated on news not only within your field or specialty but with the world as well! My favorite way to quickly do so is using The Skimm email subscription! The news is delivered to me in a fun and quite often, funny, way every morning so I never feel out of the loop! Another way I love to keep myself learning is through things like blogging or my internship! I am constantly having to use new programs, applications, and adjusting to new processes. Google and YouTube may be my best friends, but nothing feels better than finally getting an HTML code to work or finding that crop button on InDesign you had to spend 20 minutes searching for. (Guilty.) Keeping yourself open to learning new things and not saying no to a project just because you don’t understand quite how to accomplish it can leave you feeling in a creative rut! Plus, I’m a week away from 20 and it’s never too early to start keeping my brain young…right? 😉
Have Fun!!!!! Cheesy, I know, but true! Whether it’s an internship or a day job or a babysitting gig, having fun makes time fly by! Make sure to take some time to laugh throughout the day. This may involve a quick call or text to your funny friend because let me tell you, I’ve learned this summer that there is absolutely nothing funny about Excel spreadsheets!
Hope whatever your summer stress is caused from that this may help you stay sane! Until next time! xoxo, Ally
Xo&Co. 