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Posted in lifestyle, mental health, Mindfulness, Planning and journaling, reflective journalling, wellbeing, wellness

Monday Matters: 4 Ways to Destress after a Busy Day

Posted on by Laura
Photo from Unsplash

Most of us lead very busy lives and it can be incredibly difficult to switch off and relax in the evening in preparation for a good night’s sleep. Today, I’m sharing four excellent ways to wind down after a stressful or busy day. The following activities are great for your mental health and wellbeing and I’m going to be offering lots of different options to choose from depending on your preferences.

Do a journalling activity

After a busy or particularly stressful day, it can often be super difficult to calm our mind. Your head can be full of all kinds of clutter in the form of thoughts (both positive and negative), ideas or feelings. Maybe you’re busy analysing or deconstructing everything that has happened and going through things that were said. Perhaps you’re worrying about your mounting to do list and what didn’t get crossed off today because of x,y and z which took priority. Or, you might be looking towards tomorrow, thinking about the events in your diary or how you can be super productive and get more done whilst making it a calmer, less stress inducing day. If any of the above apply, you might be wondering if you will ever be able to switch off and sleep tonight. This is where getting your thoughts and feelings out of your head and onto paper can be super helpful. Just ten minutes of free flow or structured journal writing can make all the difference.

I learnt the following method for putting the day to rest when I was teaching, when every day was a busy day and I was really struggling to relax and sleep.

Putting the day to rest activity

  • Set aside 20 minutes in the early evening (I used to do this at 7.30pm)
  • Sit down somewhere quiet
  • Think about your day today and how it has gone, what you did and how you feel about it
  • Write it down in bullet points or free writing if you prefer
  • Write down anything you didn’t get done off your to-do list
  • Think about tomorrow – do you have any particular events coming up? what are looking forward to? are there any worries you have about what’s happening?
  • Write down a loose or structured plan for your day depending on your own needs (you can always modify this as you learn what works best for you.
  • When it comes to later evening and bedtime, if thoughts about today or tomorrow pop into your head, remind yourself that you’ve already evaluated your day and planned for tomorrow, so you don’t need to think about it any more.
  • If new thoughts come into your head at bedtime, jot them down on a piece of paper or on a notepad.

Other types of prompt based journalling might also work for you and there are some lovely ones on the market which can be used before bed. I’m a big fan of The Five Minute Journal but there are plenty of much cheaper options if this doesn’t fit with your budget. How much you want to write is up to you but it’s good to develop a consistent practice which becomes a positive habit to end your work time or day with.

Try a Mindful or Meditative Practice

Any type of activity that requires a high level of concentration and uses different senses is great for helping you to forget about the busyness of your day. Here’s some ideas for mindful and meditative activities which you might like to try:

  • Meditation – this can simply be sitting quietly and focusing on your breathing or using a guided practice. I recently found this account on YouTube that has some lovely ones with different foci that you mind find helpful. When choosing a guided session, it’s important to find someone who’s voice you find soothing and relaxing so you might like to try out a few to establish your preferences.
  • Crafting – there are so many different crafting options such as papercrafting, watercolour painting, knitting, sewing, crochet, model making and so on – why not give a few beginner projects a go to see which you prefer.
  • Some kind of puzzle e.g. a jigsaw, wordsearch, crossword etc. – great for keeping your mind active
  • Games – this could be something on your computer that you play by yourself such as Angry Birds, Candy Crush, Word Cookies or Patience, or one you play with others such as Boggle, Yahtzee, Gin Rummy, Scrabble or Jenga.
  • Enjoy a scented bubble bath and use your senses to fully appreciate the experience.
  • Cook a meal from scratch – measure out your ingredients with care, fully engaged with chopping / dicing / peeling etc, smell the different flavours as the dish cooks, taste the mixture to check the seasoning and so on. Mindfully enjoy the results at your dining table. Share your experience with others.
  • Watch something engaging on TV – comedy, drama, nature, historical interest or reality. Whatever you enjoy, give it your full attention and leave your phone or tablet in another room so you don’t get distracted. If you’re anything like me at this time of year, you’ll want to get your PJs on and snuggle under a warm blanket with your feet up for this one!

Read a book or magazine

Spending time reading a novel, information book, or favourite magazine is a great way to unwind and get yourself all relaxed and ready for bed. I love Psychologies magazine, as it’s full of positive ideas, and I can learn new ways of managing mental health and wellbeing at the same time.

Some people argue that you shouldn’t read in bed, but I find reading a few chapters of my Kindle novel (or for about 30 minutes) helps me to drift off really quickly. Try reading just before bed and reading in bed to see which works best for you.

Spend quality time with a loved one

Arranging an after work activity to do with a co-worker, friend, family member or partner can also help us destress. This could involve going out for an after-work drink, doing an evening class, watching a film at the cinema, seeing a comedy show or visiting a new or favourite restaurant. Alternatively, you might plan something fun to do together at home such as making popcorn to eat whilst watching a film, playing a board game or learning something new such as massage or reflexology.

Spending time with a pet is also great way to destress and calm the mind. This could include something you know they enjoy such as throwing a ball for your dog to catch at your local park (depending on the time of year), stroking your cat as they sit curled up on your knee, or watching your hamster as they zip around the house in their exercise ball.

Final words…

So there you have it, four ways to take yourself out of work/busy mode and into a relaxed state for the evening. I hope today’s post has given you food for thought and you’ll try one or two of the activities listed to see how they help. If you have any other preferences for your wind down routine, let me know in the comments.

Posted in art, bullet journal, Bullet journaling, creativity, lifestyle, Planning and journaling, watercolour painting

Setting up my Bullet Journal for January 2024: Watercolour winter scene and snowflakes theme

Posted on by Laura

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you’re all having a good 2024 so far. I’m very late sharing my bullet journal spreads for this month for several reasons – one, we were away for Christmas and so I didn’t get out my paints until NYE, and two, the print and cut hack for making stickers using the Cricut Joy doesn’t work anymore and so I’ve resorted to purchasing the Cricut Xtra which is due to arrive today, the 4th January, with a view to creating some text stickers for my spreads.

Anyway, I hope you like the theme and the watercolour bits and pieces which I had great fun creating. On to the pages…

Front cover

Having chosen the theme, I did a bit of Googling, looking for winter scene watercolour painting and I found this gorgeous design on a blog post from way back in 2014. This inspired my front cover but I changed the colours up a bit. The trees were painted first using Intense Green (AKA phthalo green) mixed with a small amount of Payne’s Grey and Vandyke brown and a tiny bit of grey. When that was completely dry, I created the snowy ground using very watered down grey. Then, after drying, I mixed a range of blues for the sky. Whilst still wet, I used coarse salt sprinkles to create the snowy effect. Finally, I used white gouache for the snow on the trees and then paint flicks to give the idea of falling snow.

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

The original watercolour was then scanned in using my printer and I pasted it into an MS Publisher A5 page and added the January 2024 title. The colours never look the same as the original, but I’m still happy with how it turned out.

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

The calendar

My husband and I had a go at creating a blue background with salt sprinkles on New Years Eve! We enjoyed experimenting, and it was a great, relaxing activity to do in the evening and helped us to stay awake to see in the new year. Again, the piece was scanned in and this time, it was used to cover the whole page. I then cut out the calendar shape using some dot grid paper which I then positioned in a location on the pages which was close to where it would have been if I could see the dot grid. The titles were created using Cricut Design Space and printed when my machine eventually arrived!

When I’d finished it, I felt like something was missing so I used Design Space again to make lots of snowflake stickers in different sizes. I’ve done a snowflake theme in January previously, but this one looks very different so I don’t feel like I’m repeating designs.

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

Finances spread

My finances record is still working really well so I’ve kept to the same layout but changed the decor to go with my theme for January. I love the little watercolour scene I found on Design Space to make into a sticker!

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

TV watched record

I create one of these every quarter or so to record the series that I’ve watched on TV. This time, I’ve added a date column so I can see, at a glance, when we started watching each series. There’s already some great stuff on TV for January and we’re loving the black comedy / drama of season 2 of The Tourist. The genres are taken from IMDB.

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

Weekly Plans

I went for another Dutch door layout this month and used a second print out of my watercolour background to create page borders to either side. I couldn’t resist adding some more snowflake stickers.

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

Veganuary meal planning

My husband and I have been doing Veganuary, where you go vegan for the month of January for quite a few years now. We try to create a meal plan each week as this helps when we go shopping. We also try to do more homemade meals which are packed with nutritious veggies.

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

Final words…

I hope you’ve enjoyed looking at my spreads for this month. At the moment, January is proving to be more wet than snowy and our little garden is looking a bit soggy and flooded. I must say, I love pretty winter scenes with snow and sparkling frost but it’s not so much fun trying to drive in such conditions so I have mixed feelings about the weather at this time of year.

Wishing you a fantastic 2024,

Posted in fitness, goal setting, lifestyle, mindset, Planning and journaling, wellbeing

Monday Matters: 4 tips for getting started on your fitness journey and staying motivated

Posted on by Laura
Image from Pixabay

Many of us, as part of our new year’s resolutions each year, set goals to get fit. We start off with good intentions, joining the gym or attending exercise classes but oftentimes, our motivation isn’t maintained and by February, our workouts have dwindled and other priorities have come to the fore. As someone who has been a member of a local gym for over a year and a half, with a routine that includes at least seven workouts per week, I thought I’d share a small number of tips to help you get started with your fitness journey and maintain the motivation to keep going. So, let’s get started…

Set clear goals

Some people set the vague goal ‘get fit’ without considering what that statement means to them, how they’re going to do it and why. A much better approach is to use the S.M.A.R.T. goals system. I wrote a really comprehensive blog post on this quite a while ago which includes some useful questions to consider to get you thinking about why the goal is important, what your life will look like when you reach your goal and how you will go about working towards it. I also provide an example, which, whilst not fitness related, should help you with goal setting and goal getting.

Using your bullet journal or a dedicated notebook for the particular goal or goal getting in general can provide a useful record of your intentions, how far you’ve come so far or a space to record your experiences, successes and difficulties along the way. It can also help with accountability.

Creating a vision board which focuses on your fitness goals and includes motivational images and positive phrases or quotes can also help towards manifesting the fitness lifestyle you desire. This can be created digitally and used as your screensaver on your computer or can be paper-based and maybe created using images and words cut out of health, fitness and wellbeing magazines.

Consider any clothing and equipment required

If you’re serious about increasing your fitness levels, purchasing some dedicated workout gear and some basic equipment can really help in terms of motivation. I got a number of outfits for my gym sessions and my weekend walks and I spent quite a while choosing items in my favourite colours which fit beautifully and make me feel confident and well supported. This included sports bras for my aerobic sessions, moisture wicking tops which don’t expose my skin during downward facing dog and leggings which are fitted but not too tight as to feel uncomfortable or roll down during my exercise routines. I also got several pairs of hiking shoes for winter walks and lots of layers for warmth whilst out in the countryside. I didn’t get everything straightaway but have built up my collection based on my changing needs as I try and love different forms of exercise.

As I practise Iyengar yoga, I’ve invested in a mat, blocks, bricks and a belt for my practice. I also use some of this equipment in my Pilates and legs, bums and tums classes too so figured it was a good investment. Although the gym provides bits and pieces for the sessions, I find having my own things beneficial and it also means, if I miss a class, I can find a workout on YouTube to do some exercise at home.

Create an active lifestyle

If getting fit and staying fit are important to you, you’ll need to create an active lifestyle where exercise becomes a key part of your daily routine and something which you enjoy and thrive on. Yes, there will be days when you don’t feel like it and have to push yourself to get your exercise gear on and do a session, or times when you recognise the need to have a rest if you feel under the weather or think you might have over-exerted yourself, but on the whole, you’ll feel motivated and ready to go. A huge part of this involves choosing forms of exercise that you love and make you feel good. For example, when I started exercising, I would go to the gym at least 3 times a week to work on the cardio machines and the resistance training machines. My routine gave me a good full body workout, but I much preferred the social element of going to classes, getting chatting to various others who enjoyed exercise and fitness and developing friendships over the weeks. I now go to at least one class everyday and use the gym occasionally. I still do activities which work my whole body and I have maintained my motivation for different forms of exercise over several years now.

Sometimes, on busy days, when I’m working at the university or I have other plans, I have to cancel one or more of my classes. However, I will always make time to fit in exercise, even if it’s just 20 minutes of stretching at home or a face paced walk in nature or around the block.

Having a back-up plan for when you haven’t got time to do an hour long class or your usual hour and a half in the gym can really help and writing it down in the aforementioned notebook or journal can keep you consistent. This could include having a bank of videos saved on YouTube that you dip into or a selection of infographics showing stretch routines on Pinterest. You might also schedule in an early morning walk as part of your routine for that day or plan a long hike for the weekend when you don’t have so many other commitments.

Cultivate a positive mindset

A positive mindset can help you celebrate your progress and achievements, assess and overcome any setbacks and maintain motivation. Rather than focusing on what you didn’t achieve in a given week, celebrate the workouts you did do and how you felt afterwards. Look for signs of improved strength, flexibility and stamina and write down these wins in your notebook or journal. Draw up a list of rewards such as new fitness gear, a fun activity that you haven’t done for ages or have been meaning to try e.g. canoeing, surfing, bowling, kite flying, frisbee etc. or a pretty decorative item for your home.

“Studies have shown that if you have a ‘growth mindset’ – the belief that your abilities and skills can be improved – then you will have more effective workouts.

Put simply – it’s positive thinking. Believe you can, and you will.” (Why your mindset matters article on Metro.co.uk.)

Final words…

I hope you’ve found today’s blog post beneficial and it has given you some beginner friendly ideas for starting out on your fitness journey and keeping up the good work. When you begin, you might like to try out lots of different exercise options and then modify your routine based on your preferences. I’ve found I love dance based aerobic classes like zumba and clubbercise, but also enjoy more mindful practices like yoga and Pilates too. In the future, I would like to include more targeted upper body exercises to increase my strength in this area, but for now, I’m happy with the way things are progressing in terms of my general fitness and core strength.

Let me know in the comments if you plan on working on fitness and exercise related goals for 2024 and what you’ve taken away from today’s article to help you on your journey. Alongside your plans, you might like to consider dietary tweaks too in a way which compliments your fitness lifestyle and ensures better physical and mental health overall, for now and in the future.

Posted in crafting, creativity, lifestyle, Mindfulness

Monday Matters: 5 mindful creative activities to try this winter

Posted on by Laura

Those of you who have been following my blog for a while will know that I love doing a range of creative arts and crafts and find them really beneficial for my mental health due to the mindfulness aspect of the activities. So, today, I’m sharing 5 quick and easy ways to get creative during the winter season. Let me know which one you fancy giving a try.

Mini cross stitch

Doing a large cross stitch can be a very time-consuming activity and generally takes months to complete. However, if you’re new to counted cross stitch or want something that you can make in a short time frame, I recommend the mini kits that you can pick up in places like Hobbycraft. This winter fox design, which is just 3×3 inches, is perfect for the season. They also offer plenty of other more Christmassy ones too. If you’re a complete beginner, I highly recommend Mouseloft kits as they’re great quality and have a decent set of instructions on how to get started.

Just getting started…

Festive biscuits

Homemade biscuits are fun to do and make your kitchen smell delicious. I’m planning on creating some snowflake and Christmassy shapes using cookie cutters and I’ll be personalising them with icing patterns, edible bits and pieces such as metallic balls and tiny shapes like holly and stars. If you want to make the activity even easier and would like to avoid having to purchase lots of different ingredients, there are plenty of kits on offer in the supermarkets or places like Lakeland. I’ve also seen DIY gingerbread houses whilst out shopping too.

Dried orange slices

I’ve seen dried orange slices in various festive decorations for sale in garden centres and you can buy packets of pre-made ones in craft shops but I think it would be much more fun and rewarding to make your own. I’m going to put mine with all of the pine cones I’ve collected and add fragrance to create my own winter pot pourri. There are lots of tutorials on You Tube and various ideas on how to display your dried oranges such as hanging them from your Christmas tree branches, stringing them as a simple garland attaching to a branch of fir or, making pot pourri. These instructions show how to dehydrate them and string them but there are many more helpful videos around.

Holly felt garland

I found a lovely online tutorial for making a holly garland out of felt which doesn’t involve any sewing and simply uses a hot glue gun to attach the pieces. As well as the glue, you need two shades of green felt (preferably as A4 sheets), plus some red pompoms. Again, you can buy pre-made but some I’ve seen to purchase online are in the region of £30-£50! If you create your own, you can enjoy the benefits of mindful activity as you cut and glue, plus you can see the fruits of your hard work for the whole of the winter period, not just for Christmas.

Paper snowflakes

I used to make these as a child and I also taught the kids in my classes when I was teaching. This YouTube tutorial from Martha Stewart, shows a version where you fold a square diagonally twice and then fold into thirds for a six pointed snowflake. Once you get the hang of them you can make more intricate designs and even use sparkly paper or add glitter to the edges after you open out your flake.

Final words…

I hope these ideas for crafting projects have inspired you and you’ll give at least one of them a go over the winter period. I’ve already started my fox cross stitch (which I purchased last year and didn’t get around to due to December Daily taking up so much of my time) and I have two cute Christmas Mouseloft designs on display in my living room already. My oranges are purchased too and I can’t wait to give the pot pourri a go when I’ve found a suitable fragrance for it. I’ll be sure to let you know how it turns out if it’s a success.

Happy crafting!