All we have is now.

Bringing Productive Back:

As hectic as my schedule is, I have the tendency to be a bit… well, indolent. TiVo-ing seven different shows provides a great excuse to lay around for 3+ hours a day. Tumblr is a viable second option. My chock-full refrigerator comes in a close third. Now, I’m not saying I’m a useless slob; I maintain straight A’s in school and a sustainable living space, but I’m not always up-and-running to go above and beyond. Fortunately, this Spring semester has been a nice kick in the rear and really allowed me to see the beauty of staying productive. 

Although I’m at school roughly 6-7 hours a day Monday-Thursday, I make sure to wake up early enough to tidy up my room*, eat a nice breakfast and look presentable. Sure, I’d love to crawl out of bed fifteen minutes before class, throw my hair in a messy bun and put on some yoga pants for the day, but that’s not the real world. As a soon-to-be business professional, I have to become accustomed to looking fabulous each and every day. And to be honest, once you’ve been at school for three hours and are fully awake, you start to wish you were in day-clothes as opposed to pajamas. A nice hair style and some make-up really does wonders for your confidence also.

Now, after striving for the whole-nine-yards for four days in a row, you’d think I’d over-indulge during my weekends. Nope! On my should-be leisure days, I go double-time on my cleaning, get a more-than-sufficient amount of studying done, Zumba-Zumba!, and spend some bonding time with my boyfriend. Sure, I could be watching one of my favorite shows for an hour of my day, but instead, I choose to get in a great workout.

*Personally, I find staying productive easiest when it comes with instant rewards. As I mentioned earlier, instead of rushing out of the house before school/work, make your bed. Once you come home, the aesthetic appeal ALONE is a reward. Not to mention, there’s no better feeling than falling into a nicely made bed. Rather than getting take out, make dinner at home. The difference is truly surprising. Most importantly, looking back on the day & listing the dozen things you accomplished is much more rewarding than being able to retell the happenings on this week’s Teen Mom 2.

Of course, I’m not perfect. I still have my no-makeup days & miss a workout here and there — but putting yourself on a regiment of any kind is 100% worthwhile in my book. It leaves you feeling confident, accomplished and ready to take on just about anything.