Hello, World!

With our days spent largely at home for most of us right now, it seems that we are all experiencing several stages during the lockdown. It’s been a funny couple of weeks so far. I experienced ups and downs, and hopefully found the way out. I would like to share with you my journey and maybe, to help you improve the quality of life in quarantine. 

From lazy days in the bed to finally completing that 1000 piece puzzle, Ooh-la-la!

It began with extreme productivity and decluttering every single inch of our kingdom. Do you remember the Limitless pill scene? What a hilarious copy of myself, muahaha! I was facing my inner insecurities, trying to make everything right like it was before, when was the world more and less normal. The price for a clean home was my me time, joy, and I just wanted a break. Well, as it turned out, this was the beginning of phase number two. It was the moment of change. Oversleeping, procrastination, and playing The Sims 4 over and over again. Days and nights were mixed up, and I was lazy like a pro. Surprisingly, I was enjoying it! The smell of spring in the air, the perfume of flowers, and, of course, my allergy. Sneezing, coughing, runny nose, what an excellent time of the year! As you might guess, I had to isolate myself in the bedroom to keep safe my nose. 

Who would like to look like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? 
Ten points to Gryffindor!


Hopefully, this phase was just temporary. I was rising from procrastination to progress and the peak. Luckily, I understood that the crucial part of coming back is effective planning and a positive mindset. As you might know, different people do procrastinate for different reasons. Quite often it has its perks and its drawbacks. Procrastination is like a drug, once you start doing it, you will find yourself doing it again and again, and finally, it will become an escape plan yet mess your dreams, a dream at a time. That's the reason why is time management a great strategy against procrastination. It will help you to find the balance between what do you want, and what's right. 

"It is our choices ... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." — Albus Dumbledore

How to start? Firstly, it's essential to make a list of things you need to do. A great type of to-do list is the Eisenhower Matrix. You can simply manage your tasks based on four possibilities. The first of them is do, urgent, and important. You can imagine these tasks like a red flag, you need to deal with them immediately, like taking your medication at a specific time of a day. Secondly, decide, tasks are important, but not urgent, you can schedule them to do later, for example finishing the essay you need to send till the end of the week or going for a jog. Thirdly, delegate, urgent, but not important. This group of tasks is great because you can delegate it to someone else. Booking flight tickets? Organizing a wedding? Hey, honey, there is work waiting for you, hee-hee! Last but not least, neither urgent nor important, delete. Welcome to the group of procrastination! These tasks should be eliminated. I have prepared for you this Eisenhower Matrix. Feel free to steal it, print it, and use it! :). 


On the other hand, a positive mindset in the long term is something else. I cannot do the work for you but I would like to give you some tricks and tips which can be helpful. First and foremost, keep in touch with your friends and family. Social distancing is extremely important during these difficult times, but we can find ways how to care about our mental health, and online communication is one of them. Download WhatsApp, use Messanger or FaceTime with your beloved ones. Every single call can help you as well as the other side. What is more, never underestimate the power of endorphins! Try a couple yoga with your prince, experience the living hell with Jillian Michaels, or test your physical condition with crazy high-intensity interval training. Ladies, I can highly recommend this Tabata, it's killer but those men, damm! haha
Take this situation as a great opportunity for you. Try those grannies recipes, that are waiting for you in the drawer, make a bucket list of things you would love to accomplish and places you desire to visit. Learn chess and Go, and be the star of the party after quarantine. Try programming, playing on the instrument, or even knitting!  You can use this time to make great and big things. Don't forget to believe that there will be the end. The world might be different but after some time, we will have back our normal lives.

"Fawkes is a phoenix, Harry. Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes." — Albus Dumbledore

Stay safe

♡