Life isn’t easy. We all know that by now. And if we haven’t experienced it ourselves, we have this wonderful quote from Wesley from The Princess Bride, “Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.” Truer words, my friends. But, that said, there are a few things that can make life just slightly easier to handle. Here are four tried and tested ones.
1. Use a Planner
This is a lifesaver right here. Having a planner of some type has been indispensable in my life, especially my academic life, for about four years now. I have used many different types, from bullet lists to desk calendars to actual planners. All have been super useful. Spending just five to ten minutes at the beginning of every week writing down everything that I need to get done has significantly upped my productivity. However, planners don’t have to just be all work and no fun. I also write down movie releases that I want to see, as well as birthdays, days off, and any planned day trips or girls’ nights. That way, at the end of a month or so, I can see if I have been staying on top of my class work as well as staying on top of my social life.
2. Have a Regular Bedtime
This one…this one sucks at first. I can’t lie to you, it really, really does. Especially as a night owl, I constantly struggle with this tip. In fact, my “regular” bedtime this last week or so has been anywhere from 2ish to 4 in the morning, so, yeah, I’m still working on it. But, the times that I have actually had a good bedtime and stuck to it, my life definitely improved. Not only was I more rested, which meant I was more productive and more emotionally balanced, but I was also better able to regulate my weight. Not getting enough sleep can make it harder to lose weight, and that is not even taking into account all the late night snacks that are likely to creep into your diet when you regularly stay up past 12.
3. Making (and Sticking to!) a Budget
Especially considering we’re coming on the Christmas season, a budget is a lifesaver! I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not all that good at saving my money. I’m a firm believer in enjoying life, which, unfortunately for me, often means spending all my money at every local ethnic restaurant ever. Even more unfortunately though, that often means I am broke, all the time. And, surprising no one, being broke is stressful. So, making at least a rudimentary budget can be super de-stressing, despite how much less fun it may seem to limit your spending. You can either use a notebook or a budgeting app, or you can even find some other way that works best for you. Trust me, there is something really, really calming about knowing that you have enough money to get your necessities.