How To Be Productive (Study Edition)

I am getting closer and closer to my AS exams, so I've been studying harder each day. Last week I had mock exams which are FINALLY over, so I actually had time to write a blog post this weekend. I thought it would be helpful if I gave you some tips on how to be productive when it comes to studying and the exam season.

Now let me just put out there that I'm not productive all the time. I procrastinate like every other human being from time to time, however I would definitely say that once my head is in the books, I know how to use my time effectively.

1) Lists: 

I make lists for everything, especially when it comes to the education side of my life. I find that I am more likely to complete a certain task or piece of work early on when it's written down and available for me to see. You can write it in a planner or piece of paper, which is what I prefer, or you can write lists on your phone notes or on an app. The fun part of writing lists is definitely being able to tick it once it has been completed! I always feel so proud of myself when I see a bunch of check marks in my planner.

I prefer writing my lists in pretty notebooks or planners just because I'm such a stationery junkie and I get excited writing in nice books. 

Another tip I have is to prioritise your tasks. This will just ensure that the most important things definitely get done, so if you do loose motivation to do anymore work, at least the essentials are finished. For example I'll put a red dot next to homework that teachers have set and that have deadlines but put a black dot next to extra revision that I've set for myself, this way if I get tired after completing the red dot tasks, I don't feel as guilty for not doing every task. Did that make sense? I hope so. 

2) Healthy snacks and water: 

As tempting as it is to eat a bunch of junk food (trust me I understand), attempt to eat healthy food/snacks. You could have a fruit salad, a smoothie, a low fat yogurt, whatever you want. The reason for this is because anything with a lot of sugar or salt will make you feel more drowsy and tired after a certain amount of time, which means you won't be as productive as you can be. I tend not to eat too much when studying as I like to see food as a treat, but of course if you've got to eat, you've got to eat. 

I would say to drink water and stay hydrated when studying. Drinking water is important anyway, however when studying it keeps the blood circulating around the brain and keeps you alert. This is obviously a huge advantage when it comes to studying for a fairly long period of time. 

3) Get rid of Distractions

Distractions are the worst thing for interupting productivity...obviously. So what's the solution? GET RID OF THEM! Mobile phones, TV, siblings, the lot. Anything that distracts you needs to go. Leave it where you can't access it or go somewhere super quiet. I like to sometimes go to the library to study or most the time I have a specific spot in my room that I like to sit and study in. If your atmosphere is calm and peaceful, you'll have a good train of thought and you'll get more work done.

4) Take Breaks

Ok, i'm not the best person to talk about this because I don't do it enough...but I do know it's helpful. I guess really this one is for me to take on. Taking breaks allows your brain to regenerate and make you feel a little less stressed. Take breaks and then get back to work. I'm rubbish at this so I need to practise what I preach. I forget most the time because I just want to get it done and studying in itself is a distraction for me. If you're not already good at this, we're on this road together! I'll let you know how things go for me from now.

5) Find Motivation

My final tip for productvivity is to find motivation. There is no way you're going to follow any of these tips unless you're actually motivated to work. Find your motivation and roll with it! Whether it be a future ambition like your career, short term goals like going to an upcoming party or being money motivated. Find whatever inspires you to work hard and always remember that whenever you're finding yourself feeling unmotivated!

I hope these tips helped!

Thanks for reading,

Have a great day x 

One Year On...

Exactly a year ago today, I made the decision to make my first ever blog post. A year ago... crazy, right?

It feels like yesterday when I first had the idea to create a blog and I can't believe that it's been a year since I made that goal a reality.

Blogging has changed my life in so many ways. Maybe not in the ways you'd think either. When I first started blogging, my intention was for it to be just a creative outlet and place for me to plant my thoughts. But you know what? It's become so much more than that. Now, I don't have hundreds of followers or a fancy design yet but I try to post with the best quality content. I always aim for it to help at least one person. If I can help out a single reader then that is worth just as much as having hundreds of followers.

This blog has helped me over the past year. It has gotten me through my GCSE exams, allowed me to spill out my feelings and I guess it has fed my alter ego. This blog shows the best version of myself. My positive, enthusiastic, inspired self. Obviously  i'm not those three things 24/7. I'm human so it's not possible, however this blog constantly inspires me to be. I guess it's sort of like a Hannah Montana type situation, except instead of Miley looking towards Hannah, in situations when i'm feeling uninspired or hopeless, I can kind of ask myself, what would Chelle Belle do? How would Chelle Belle go about this situation? Having this blog has helped me to grow so much and really map out how I want my future to look. It has helped me to discover myself even more than I ever thought I would.

Another thing that I really appreciate about my blog is that when things go wrong or I learn from a new mistake, I can help other people to avoid the same mistakes I made or give people the option to take a different approach. It's nice to have somewhere to share my life experiences and thoughts. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was in primary school and I suppose my advice posts are kind of practise. Helping young people to deal with problems and make the most out of their opportunities.

The thing that I have loved the most about blogging has been the support and feedback that I have gotten. I don't get too many comments but I get a fair few private messages and emails from people telling me how much my posts have helped them through situations or made them think in a different light. It's so rewarding when people appreciate your work and who you really are. I'm nothing but myself when I write and I'm so glad that people notice it. When I published my first post I was kind of nervous. I didn't know how people would take it. I knew that YouTube was widely popular and that vlogging was something people did but I'd never heard of many bloggers before. When I first started I genuinely had no clue what bloggers were the most popular or who really did it, so I was nervous for the reactions of people, especially at school. I wasn't afraid but anxious about what people at school may have thought of it or that they wouldn't care and nobody would read them. I actually didn't think many people would read it but I was so surprised when people at school told me they enjoyed reading it and that they actually wanted me to write another post sooner! I was actually extremely happy that so many people had read my post and people were actually talking about it (positively) with other people. I still find it crazy that even now that I have left school , so many people I went to school with say they regularly read them. All I can really say is thank you! I don't really know what else to say! Thank you for supporting me, thank you for encouraging me, thank you. I'm not someone who cares about having a large following but when I see my blog grow, it motivates me to keep writing and reminds me that there are people my posts could potentially help or make smile.

So, one year on. In a year, I have had some of the best experiences, learnt a lot of lessons, made a lot of memories and it's all here for me to see years from now. I can't wait for the future. I can't wait to share my most favourite memories and opportunities with you all. It has truly been the best year and there shall be many more.

Happy 1st Birthday Chelle Belle x

A Little Break

Hey Guys, I just wanted to make a little notice to apologise for the lack of posts lately and to say that there will be irregular posts on my blog for the next couple of months as my AS exams start in May and I really want to dedicate my time and focus on studying for them until they're over and done. My final exam will be in June, however as you will know if you've done A-levels or are doing them, they're definitely not the type of exams you can wait a month before to study for and most definitely can not just wing them, so I will be diverting my focus onto my studies for a while. I won't be stopping posting and writing for all those months, I will just be posting less. I will most likely post when I have free time and when I have ideas I'm super excited and enthusiastic about. I would really like to do the summer challenge again this year and attempt to post everyday (attempt being key) to make up for lost time.

Thank you for all your continuous support!

Thanks for reading,

Have a great day x