Habits

  • What’s a good evening routine?

    evening routines

    And why its important

    Most of us have a set morning routine. Brush. Shower. Yoga. Join meetings. These rows of actions enable our mind frame to be much more relaxed and start the day on a positive note.

    However, by evening we seem to run out of energy and turn to activities such as binge-watching your favourite show or order some takeout. Rejuvenation after work is necessary but the unhealthy tasks we do in the evening can have a long-term effect on our work and even our sleep.

    In this article, let’s go over a few habits that can definitely make your evening routine a soothing period and get you prepped for the night!

    • Note down your goals and tasks for the next day.

    Doing so allows you to have a clear perspective of your priorities for the next day. It saves you from the morning rush where you scramble to see what the day entails. Make sure the most challenging task is completed first – so that your first bout of energy is allotted to that. This also frees you from worrying about tomorrow when you head out to sleep.

    • Reflect on the day’s achievements and accomplishments.

    Spending a few minutes at the end of the day to reflect can allow you to celebrate the day’s achievements and keep the drive going. You can also do this by keeping a gratitude journal. It’s beneficial to you, preserves your passion and provides encouragement for the upcoming days.

    • Create a time limit for the amount of hours spent on screens.

    Blue lights emitted from screens can dramatically impact the quality of sleep. Cut down on scrolling through social media or watching television. Pick a more recreational activity such as reading books or listening to podcasts – they engage your time much more productively.

    • Practise a bit of light stretching or yoga

    Sitting in front of screens the whole day takes a toll on your body. Light stretching and yoga in the evening not only relieves you of stress, but it also activates your parasympathetic system – which calms down your body and makes it easier to wind down.

    Having an evening routine is equally as important as having a morning routine. It’s an extremely important string of habits to have – it makes your evening much more productive and relaxing. Here’s to hoping for the creation of several more evening routines!

    Also read this article on 5 ways to relax when you are stressed

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  • Bullet Journaling

    bullet journaling

    By Bhumika Ramesh

    Being organized is never easy. We see a ton of resources everywhere – showing us how to organize with planners, diaries and journals. If you feel these methods are a little too hectic, bullet journaling might be the fit for you!

    Well, what is a bullet journal?

    Also known as Bujo, these journals were created as a system to organize by Ryder Carroll – a  product designer based in New York. In his words, it is something that can help you to ‘track the past, organize the present and plan for the future.” 

    It is a sort of notebook used for everything under the sun – writing, drawing, planning, to-do lists, calendars, and notes.

    It’s an extremely flexible way of noting down anything. With no specific prompts or templates, bullet journaling is all about you. It’s a terrific way of customising your tasks at work, school or just your day-to-day life.

    To get started, reflect on the purpose you would be using it for. People use it for various goals – for taking down tasks, planning their days or using it as a tracker for goals. Figure out your challenges and go forward. 

    Gather a simple plain notebook or a dot grid notebook with a few pens. If you’re feeling creative, colours can be added too!

    As you continue to customise your bullet journal, include collections. Every page you use in the journal is given a topic and these topics are called collections.

    The four collections mentioned below are basic collections that are usually present in most bullet journals.

    Index: This section is present at the front of your notebook and functions as a table of contents.

    Future log: This section acts as a long-term planner. You can note down yearly goals, tasks, birthdays, and travel plans.

    Monthly log: This section acts as a spread of how your month would look like – with tasks and monthly appointments. You can also add other sections regarding finance, eating habits, fitness etc.

    Daily log: This section is your daily to-do list. 

    Making use of a tracking system such as symbols that indicate the status of your tasks is extremely beneficial. It is known as rapid logging.

    For example, drawing a circle next to a task and filling it in when it is completed. These, as usual, can be customisable. Do add page numbers if you’re feeling a little meticulous.

    Using a bullet journal can help reduce stress levels and improve your mental health. It acts as an outlet for your creative juices to flow after a busy day.

    Here’s to happy journaling ahead!

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