aanode

[aanode]

please keep in mind that learning is always a process. learning to draw, dance, play an instrument, but also learning to say no, learning to start conversations, learning to be more comfortable in your own skin. it’s great setting goals for yourself, as long as you allow yourself to get there gradually instead of immediately wanting to be the best at it (and setting unrealistic standards for yourself because of it). change is rarely a single moment during which everything suddenly shifts, but rather a period of time in which you learn and adjust and improve. you’ll get there, but you must give yourself time to do so.

[aanode]

Experiencing burnout in an area you love doesn’t mean you are no longer passionate about that thing, or are any less good at it. It’s often an indication that there are other parts of your life that need your care. A garden looks most beautiful when every flower is watered, and you deserve to nourish yourself in the same way. You will flourish again.

[aanode]

things to do alone

read that novel you’ve always wanted to start reading

watch a movie, and i don’t mean watch a movie on netflix, actually go to the cinema on your own. thank me later

start a blog

take a walk

browse bookstores, even if you’re not going to buy anything (if you’ll be able to resist the temptation of buying a book). just surround yourself with literature

brew yourself some tea or coffee, whichever you prefer

listen to classical music and absorb it, don’t do anything else, just sit there and listen to it

pick up a magazine, ditch online magazines for a while, go for the print

go to a museum

explore cooking or baking

watch the sunset

take a long, warm bath

[aanode]

The hand and the frog :)

[aanode]

37/100 days of productivity

spent today reviewing little women for my final assignment which is due tomorrow! i absolutely adore this story and the readings i’ve been doing on LMA are so fascinating!  i hope you’re enjoying what you’re studying today ✧･ﾟ

[aanode]

How fucking annoying is it when you feel so restless with creative energy but you can’t decide what to do with it and when you finally try to create something it comes out shit so you just give up and sit there being all creatively annoyed and jittery.

[aanode]

important important important!!

[aanode]

[aanode]

Stay Energized in the Winter!

I live in Ithaca now, and at this time of year, the sun’s up for like 8-9 hours a day, and it’s cold and dark, and you often find yourself not wanting to do anything. However, I still need to keep up with my studies, and I’m sure some of you are faced with a similar problem. So, I’ve gathered some of the things I do to help me stay energized throughout a winter day.

Understand your energy levels and work with them

I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect yourself to be able to do as much work or be as energized in the colder months as you do in warmer months.

For example, maybe in the summer/fall, you could survive with 5 hours of sleep and more intense work sessions, but in the winter, you might need more breaks and more sleep, and trying to resist that might result in the further deterioration of your energy levels. If you don’t already, try taking a midday break.

You shouldn’t feel guilty for having to recharge. You’ll be more productive afterwards.

Get enough sunlight

Exposure to sunlight boosts your mood by increasing your body’s serotonin levels - one of the happy hormones. It makes you more alert, energized, and prevents you from getting Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

My advice is to spend as much daylight time doing things so you can do them the most productively. Even if you’re more inclined to do things later in the day, at least push forward some of the things on your daily routine, or rearrange them in such a way that you get as much sunlight possible.

This semester - unfittingly called the ‘spring’ semester - I tried to schedule my classes as early as possible, even though I generally get sluggish in the afternoon and then work better in the evening. This is because I want to have time to do my work - or at least be out - while the sun’s still up.

Exercise where you can

It’s so hard to exercise outdoors in this weather, but I still see people going for jogs around campus, or hitting the gym. Personally, I just do some stretching and light exercise in my room.

Alternatively, if you take the bus, get off a stop early then walk the rest of the way (unless there’s terrible weather like a snowstorm or something where being outside is harmful). The key thing is that you get yourself moving, especially in the morning - you’ll be more productive and happier throughout the day.

Shower

I know the winter’s cold and you don’t feel like you have to take a shower, especially since it can make your skin dry. However, it’s a great energy booster, especially in the morning. Showering in the morning improves your blood flow and alertness, and reduces your stress levels throughout the day. If you don’t have time in the morning, shower in the evening, so you’ll have more energy after the sun goes down..

Make plans or have something to look forward to

Nothing is more draining than knowing that you have nothing to do, nothing to look forward to. You’ll probably just end up in your bed watching Netflix all day, which, let’s face it, might be fun at first but turns out to be a hell of an energy drainer. Go out to eat, study with someone, or at least watch something together.

Indulge yourself

Curl up with a good book. Watch your favorite show. Play some tunes while you sketch your favorite characters or OCs. It’s the winter, you deserve a little break to recover. If you don’t relax every now and then, you won’t be able to work as intensely and focus as hard as you want or need to.

Also, although it’s great to eat healthy, but a cup of hot cocoa or a muffin once in a while is fine and makes you happier in that moment.

Work on an indoor hobby

You’re going to spend a lot of time indoors, might as well use that time usefully (aside from schoolwork or other obligations). I like doing creative things like digital art, journaling, or bullet journaling while listening to a podcast, or reading - these types of activities are the most energizing for me.

You don’t need to do the things I listed - the point is, you should use your time indoors wisely, since during other parts of the year, you’ll probably be out a lot more.

Listen to the right music

I don’t know what y’all listen to but music is an awesome energy booster if you can align it with how you’re feeling. You know how sometimes you listen to a certain type of music and your mind just feels like it’s hovering there, like it’s slightly repelled by the music but you also don’t really hate it, and you just end up feeling unfulfilled afterwards? (That was a trash explanation but I hope you understand what I mean.) Yeah don’t do that.

During the day, listen to music that keeps you awake and energized - it could be hard hitting rock or dance-y pop or maybe even something mellow. Whatever it is, don’t try to counter it. I like to listen to roaring guitars in the morning, and slow jazz in the evening, and that works for me.

Get enough sleep (‘enough’ might be more than you usually get)

During the winter, you can take advantage of the cold and cozy weather to get more sleep. I know it’s tempting to keep working until you finish all your tasks, but if it means sacrificing your sleep, you’ll only end up depriving yourself of your already low levels of energy. Also, make sure you get good quality sleep so that you’ll be as energized as possible the next morning.

However, don’t get too much sleep. This morning, I came into math class, and my friend was like ‘you look really tired today, is something wrong?’ and no, there was nothing wrong. It’s just that this morning, I chose to sleep in until 8 when I usually wake up at 7, meaning I slept more than I should have. Too much sleep just makes you feel groggy once you wake up.

During the day, take a power nap if you have to, but don’t extend it for too long that your sleep inertia kicks in and you can’t get up anymore.

Focus on your food

I think the food we eat - and how we eat it - is a huge factor in maintaining our energy levels during these cold, dark months. So here’s an entire section about food-related strategies to combat the winter blues.

1. Eat well

Winter might tempt you to eat bulky food and sweets, but they’re not that beneficial to your productivity and energy levels. Sugary foods actually cause you to be sleepy during the day and reduce the quality of your sleep at night. Instead, opt to eat foods that contain

Vitamin C - like in fruits and vegetables - to boost your energy levels; and

Vitamin B12 - like fish, milk, and eggs - to reduce fatigue

2. Have good eating habits (don’t skip breakfast!)

In college especially, a lot of people skip breakfast - and sometimes even lunch - only to overeat during dinnertime. However, having a good breakfast - especially one with protein, fiber, and whole grains - will increase your ability to focus and boost your productivity throughout the day. Maybe you’re the type of person who tends to skip breakfast - the winter’s a great time to pick up the habit of having a morning meal. Recently, I’ve been having peanut butter and acai overnight oats - nutritious and convenient.

3. Have caffeine at the right time (if you consume any)

Studies show that the most effective time to have caffeine is between 9:30 to 11:30 am. Even if you have breakfast before that, I recommend waiting a little while before you sip your cup of coffee or whatever source of caffeine you take. You can always bring a cup to class or wherever you’re headed to at that time.

In the evening, I recommend having a cup of tea. Some teas contain enough caffeine to keep you alert but not prevent you from sleeping at night. My favorite is green tea, but other teas like oolong or black tea work just as well.

4. Snack (a little)

But not too much. A single square of chocolate or a couple crackers are great mood boosters, and it even improves cognitive functioning. You could even have a cup of tea along with your snack, which is doubly energizing.

That’s all I have for you now. Feel free to drop an ask or message me if you have any questions, and I hope the rest of the winter goes great for you!

p.s. wml bc I heard the winters here last till April

[aanode]

aw thanks so much for tagging me @spharus !! I can tell you've been listening to my playlist hehe :) I'm glad you're enjoying it!

1. HOME;RUN - SEVENTEEN

2. blueberry eyes (feat. SUGA of BTS) - MAX, SUGA

3. beverly hills boyfriend - claire rosinkranz

4. 17 - pink sweat$

5. cheesin' - still woozy, claud, melanie faye, hxns

6. worse - new hope club

7. sriracha - marteen

8. positions - ariana grande

andddddd I'll go ahead and say that the other 5 are the rest of seventeen's new album :) (semi;colon!)

music tag!! 🎶

rules: list thirteen songs you’ve been listening to lately

tagged by @cherish-bujo, thank you lovely!! :)

#1: 100 degrees - rich brian

#2: i like u - niki

#3: pessimist - lithe

#4: in the night - parisse

#5: singularity - bts

im gonna go ahead and tag @aanode @rinkoskikuchi @bbstudies and @hamamelidaceae! :)

[aanode]

homemade cinnamon bun & planner sketch!

[aanode]

things you will experience if you keep doing your best

actually looking forward to things and having enough energy to do everything you want to do 

the fresh feeling after cleaning everything and throwing away things that were piling up since forever, including mentally

realising that you haven’t thought about someone for three days straight when you’ve been sad about them for a long time

making a new friend who genuinely likes talking to you after feeling like you don’t belong anywhere or you’re better off alone

making more time for people that really matter to you and actually love you unconditionally instead of endlessly wondering why some people left you or didn’t reciprocate

not placing your entire sense of worth on someone else because you feel happy and whole by yourself 

an outward change in appearance, almost a kind of glow because you’re radiating warmth and strength from inside

good grades, making huge improvements and achieving whatever goals you have in mind

feeling calmer and not relying on external validation because you see your own worth, trust yourself fully and can accept imperfection, laugh at your own embarrassing moments, encourage yourself when you’re down and quickly forgive your own mistakes 

gaining enough respect for yourself to treat yourself gently and not tolerating anyone who treats you badly

realising that you feel lighter inside and nothing is as much as a chore as it used to be

feeling yourself become less unaffected by small things that used to ruin your day

realising that you can make any changes in your life if you stopped discouraging yourself so much

realising you don’t need many superficial distractions anymore because you actually feel okay

[aanode]

new supplies!!

[aanode]

07.09.20 / happy monday! i’m thinking of throwing away my artwork that i’ve had on my wall for the longest time but i’m not sure what to replace it with. anyway, i’m off to read for the rest of the afternoon. take care! i hope you have a lovely week ahead ♡

[aanode]

an author i love just tweeted about how “big joy and small joy are the same” and how she was just as content the other night eating chocolate and cuddling her dog as she was on her Big Trip to new york and honestly. i think that’s it. this morning i was listening to an audiobook while baking shortbread in my joggers and i realised i really didn’t care what Big Things happened in my future as long as i could keep baking and reading at the weekend and maybe that is the kind of bar we have to set to guard ourselves against disappointment. just appreciate and cherish the mundane stuff and see everything else as a bonus.

[aanode]

pomodoro technique 101

Hi it’s werelivingarts, I return to school already and I can feel that homework start running in…

Pomodoro technique is such a popular and efficient way to organize and manage your time, no matter if you are studying or working. Keep in mind that this is not ‘ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL’, this may not a suitable method for people who have ADHD.

Hoping that the graphics can provide you some helpful hacks! 😉❤️

You don’t have to see the whole staircase, you just have to take the first step. – Martin Luther King Jr. 

[aanode]

currently looking up "how to care for a sunflower"! ft. an ice cold glass of gingerale