Tag Archives: Love & Lifestyle

SUMMER LOVING

16 Oct

CATCH CABIN FEVER THIS SUMMER!

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Not everyone can afford a lake house, but most people would love to own one. The idea of spending lazy summer days by the water, hanging out with friends and family and simply relaxing sounds great, doesn’t it?

If you’d like to live this dream, it’s not impossible; you don’t even need to win the lottery. There are plenty of options out there for you to enjoy the summer wherever you feel the most comfortable, and all within the walls of your own property.

EcoPods

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Photo Credit Podspace

If you’re looking to make the most of summer, you don’t even need to leave the house. An EcoPod is the perfect way to bring the vacation to you. Tranquil, luxurious, environmentally friendly and practical, the EcoPod is a fantastic addition to any household.

Pod-space.co.uk can create the pod to fit your requirements exactly, so whether it’s a studio, bar, guest area or simply somewhere to go and relax, you can create the pod of your dreams all in the comfort of your own home.

Tiny Cabins

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The Kanga Bay Forest Service Cabin Photo Credit Roger Golub

While a cabin based in the woods sounds kind of creepy, there are some fantastically twee smaller cabins you simply couldn’t resist staying in. Companies such as Kanga Room Systems offer incredibly small cabins of 14 feet by 14 feet, so you can literally spend all summer by the lake without worrying where you’ll sleep.

Meanwhile, Cabin Fever offer some similar cabins at a slightly larger size if going that small really wouldn’t work for you. Both types offer luxury additions to the cabins so you’ll never have to skimp on comfort.

Tree tents

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Tensile structure at Epcot Photo Credit elfsternberg

This is camping taken to the next level! Tree tents combine the joy of a tree house with the eco-friendly nature of camping by creating a hybrid which stays semi-permanently above ground. You can even have a wood-burning stove installed for a really interesting experience!

For something a little more basic, Tensile’s Stingray offers a cross between a free-swinging hammock with a protected tent so you can really get back in touch with nature!

House boat rental

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Real House Boat at the Gates CO-OP Photo Credit Steve Siri

Rather than renting a house, you could consider renting a vessel which is directly on the lake – a house boat! These are the perfect places to stay if you’re looking to get as much as possible from a vacation as you never need to travel to the water since you’re already there!

There are lots of sites such as houseboating.org which will help you find the house boat perfect for you, whether you’re looking to fish, swim or simply enjoy the view.

Signnn

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The advantages of Active Procrastination

12 Aug

ACTIVE PROCRASTINATION FOR SUCCESS & HAPPINESS

Pappi

Procrastination is something we all do and often those who procrastinate too much are thought to lack the drive to get things done. This however, isn’t necessarily true.  Procrastination needn’t be a bad thing and those who actively procrastinate can use it to their advantage and become quiet successful. So what I am saying is that, that half an hour you spend playing BingoGodz in-between editing essays or researching an assignment needn’t be a bad thing or stop you from getting things done and may in fact help keep you on track and limit stress. Serial procrastinators like myself, can utilize their desire to procrastinate to not only complete the tasks they need to but do so whilst managing stress and task-related anxiety.

Don’t believe me? Well, hear me out:

** THE ADVANTAGES OF PROCRASTINATION **

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Finding the motivation to achieve your goals

1. PROCRASTINATION ALLOWS YOU TO GIVE YOUR MIND A BREAK

Nobody works well when angry, frustrated or bored out of his or her mind. Procrastination allows one to set a task aside and have a carefree break. My Mother always says ” Walk away and come back to it with a clear head” and guess what? This totally works for me. As an Active Procrastinator I have no trouble leaving a task à moitié fait in lieu of playing a few Internet games or responding to emails. This is because I know when I do come back to such task my mind will be clear, I will be less frustrated and able to focus. Plus the added buzz of accomplishing whatever else I set off to do, no matter how small it may have been gives me that little bit more of a push to get working on the task at hand to regain that satisfaction.

2. PROCRASTINATION ALLOWS MORE IDEAS TO FLOW

Generally, as I procrastinate and put more and more things ahead of actually completing an important task I spend a hell of a lot more time thinking about such task and the diminishing time I have to complete it. I may not want to write that essay and won’t, but Instead I will spend hours developing ideas, researching and thinking outside the box without putting fingertips to keyboard or even opening a Word doc. Basically I will find anything else other than actually writing the darn thing to do. These ideas and research are often the basis of a great final result and something I would have never thought of if completing such task was my number one priority and sole focus.

3. THE TASKS YOU COMPLETE WHILST PUTTING OFF OTHERS BECOME YOUR BEST WORK

Some of my best work is work I have completed in lieu of not doing something else. Ask any procrastinator and they will tell you that a lot of time and dedication goes into a task that is being undertaken as a way of avoiding another.

4.  ACTIVE PROCRASTINATORS WORK BETTER UNDER PRESSURE

Not everyone produces his or her best work across a long time period.  In fact, some people are more successful when they are given a tight time constraint and a strict deadline. For those who know that this is how they operate, sometimes becoming an active procrastinator is the key to success and results.

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So there you have it 4 general reasons why Active Procrastination can be beneficial to success and happiness. Don’t get me wrong Passive Procrastination which often leads to afternoons of nothingness is far different to Active Procrastination but if you are able to channel your Procrastination Actively you are well on your way to becoming what I like to call a Productive Procrastinator.  What do you think? Are you a serial procrastinator who uses this trait to your benefit? And if so, how?

Signnn

Want to learn more?

Learn more about Structured Procrastination here.

Professor Frank Partnoy tells us why procrastination is good for us in this interview.

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Love & Lifestyle

3 Jul

FINDING THE MOTIVATION TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS

Finding the motivation to achieve your goals

Staying motivated is one of the biggest challenges I face on a daily basis. My To-Do list is usually packed with a whole bunch of tasks that need completing. However, sometimes no matter how great my list is I find myself lounging on the coach, scoffing down Oreos and eagerly watching the latest episode of TrueBlood. Ultimately getting nothing done. When it comes to becoming motivated and staying that way I am one of those people who has to actively make an effort. I have to force myself to be productive otherwise I get lazy. This is why as the years have passed I have developed a few tips and tricks to keeping myself motivated and ultimately achieving what I want to. Don’t get me wrong I don’t always abide by my own rules/guidelines and have spent many a night studying until the am because procrastination go the better of me (Damn Reddit!) but these tricks do help me out 90% of the time and help me achieve what I want to.

* MAKES GOALS

Why do you want to become motivated? What do you want to achieve? Whether it’s dropping a dress size, getting a degree or saving for a new car you need to determine what you want to achieve. Everyone has goals no matter how small they are and determining what they are is the first step to achieving them. So write a list, get researching do what ever you have to do to determine what it is you want to achieve in the short and long term.

Finding the Motivation to achieve your goals

* REALISTICALLY DETERMINE HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS 

So now that you know what you want to achieve you need to determine how you can do so. I like to start off by creating a mind map. A list or Pinterest Board works too. But the key is to find what works for YOU! When it comes to tackling your goals it’s best to take baby steps and be realistic, especially when it comes to timeframes. Yes, loosing 30kg is doable, but giving yourself 3 months to do and scheduling in 5 hours of exercise a day isn’t realistic (or healthy for that matter).  It’s best to start off small and build yourself up. Remember it takes 21-30 days to break a habit and adapt a new routine. So don’t rush yourself. If you are reasonable with your goals and timeframes you are less likely to fail. And even if you do fail, who cares?! Try again and again. As C.S Lewis said ” Failures are the finger posts on the road to achievement”.

* REINFORCE YOUR GOALS

It’s easy to become distracted and forget about what you want to achieve or put your goals on the back burner of everyday life. This is why it is important to reinforce your goals. Whether it be by following a fit-spiration page on Instagram to help keep you motivated to exercise or  someone on Twitter who’s in your dream career just to remind you that all that study will be worth it. I personally like to surround myself with the work of designers I love. Not only do I find looking at their works inspiring but they remind me of what I want to achieve. Plus how cool it is to think that maybe one day something I have created is hanging on someone else’s wall inspiring them. Find what stimulates you and inspires (cheesy I know!).

Finding the motivation to achieve your goals

* ENLIST THE HELP OF FRIENDS/FAMILY 

The support of your friends and family is one of your greatest assets. Friends and family have the ability to help you out when you need it and give that little bit of encouragement you may need to keep going. If you share alike goals with a friend of family member it’s a great idea to work together to achieve them. Whether that means exercising together, study dates or allowing yourself to be be called out when you find yourself in a motivation slump scrolling for hours on Facebook.

* SCHEDULE IN DOWN TIME

I have mentioned this before, but the importance of taking care of yourself is of the paramount to success. In order to be productive and motivated you need to make sure you are taking care of yourself not just physically but mentally as well. This means allowing yourself time to relax. Taking the time to relax will help relieve stress and allow yourself to live in the moment for a little bit and appreciate day to day life, not just what the future brings. So no matter how goal orientated you become, take the time to relax and indulge in a little me time. Trust me it’s well worth it. I also find allowing myself time to relax helps eliminate bouts of procrastination or me from drifting off when things start to get a tad tedious, like staring at code.

Do you have any tips and tricks to staying motivated? If so feel free to share them in the comments sections, I’d love the hear them!

Signnn

If you liked this article you may enjoy my “Guide to Balancing Work, Study & Play“.

Image Sources: 1 & 3.

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Balancing Work Study & Play

3 Jun

A GUIDE FOR STUDENTS

Backpack

Many of you have probably heard a phrase similar to the following “As a Uni student you want 3 things; good grades, money and a social life, but unfortunately you can only choose 2″. Well as a full time Uni Student with a full time job and a fairly active social life I am here to tell you that finding balance between all 3 can be done. Yep that’s right, there’s no need to settle for just two! I however, would be lying if I said it’s an easy task. Chances are at times you will feel tired and overextended but with enough planning and dedication finding balance can be achieved quiet effectively and with minimal stress. So how do I go about juggling my everyday life whilst staying sane? Well, here are a few tips and tricks that work for me and may work for you too. Feel free to share any of your own in the comments section I’d love to hear them!

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TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF PHYSICALLY & EMOTIONALLY:

In order to run at your full potential you need to take care of yourself. This is of the upmost importance. After all how can you expect your body/mind to do what you want it to do if you don’t take care of it? Because of this you need to make sure you get enough sleep, eat well, exercise regularly and drink plenty of water. Stay away from sugary snacks and energy drinks. Ultimately these so-called “pick me ups” only lead to a sugar high than crash, which is a definite no-no when you need to stay alert and productive throughout the entire day. Keeping a busy schedule can be tough on your body both physically and mentally but when you combine this pressure along with the lack of exercise and a poor diet chances are your immune system is going to take a beating and you’ll wind up sick. Just think about how many people do you see in finals sniffling, coughing and sneezing!

MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF EACH DAY:

This goes hand in hand with maintaining a healthy, relatively stress-free state of mind. In order to keep everyday stresses at bay and be at your full potential you need to make time for yourself to relax. Even if it’s only for 20 minutes, be sure to do it! Each morning when I wake up I spend 20 minutes drinking my coffee and reading a magazine or the paper. A nice bubble bath or a run with my dog also does the trick. It really surprising how a little “Me-Time” can change your entire attitude and give you a clearer (and often calmer) perspective. Which ultimately aids in productivity.

Sleep

BE ORGANISED IN THE MORNING. EVEN IF THAT MEANS HALF AN HOUR LESS SLEEP:

Starting your day off rushing around makes for a stressful day. Plus chances are if your are rushing about you are going to forget about something important. One trick I learnt from my Mum is to set my clock forward 10-15 minutes and organise myself around that time (not the actual time). Running that little bit ahead of schedule will allow you to account for any unforeseen circumstances, such as having to drive back home to grab something you forgot, that annoying traffic on the highway and that extra few minutes you needed to touch up your hair or make up (superficial I know!). Also, if like myself you struggle with motivation in the morning you may benefit from organising yourself the night before. I like to iron my clothing, pack my bag, find my keys and lay out everything I need for the following day the night before. This way when I wake up all I have to worry about is having a shower, getting dressed and heading out. Easy. Plus nothing ruins a morning more than having to turn the house upside-down searching for keys, USB’s or a credit cards. We have all been there!

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BECOME A PRO AT SCHEDULING: 

If you have a lot to do and want to ensure it all gets done you will need a schedule of some sort. My favourite way to keep track of my Uni schedule is with my iPhone with an App called Pocket Schedule. You can download the Free version or purchase the Full version for just 99 cents. Taptodo however is what I use as my all round planner. Taptodo is linked to your Google account and allows you to create an interactive to-do list that is not only linked to your Google Account but to your email as well. I normally use these 2 apps in combination with my trusty scribble pad/journal, but what works for you may be entirely different than what does for me. It’s trial and error really. I was going to go into more detail about the do’s and dont’s of creating a schedule but my Hawaiian Penpal and fellow Blogger; Jess from Jess Classy  beat me to it! You can her lovely guide here. It’s definitely worth a read if you find scheduling a little daunting.

IF POSSIBLE, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE:

As much as I’d like to say otherwise there’s only a limited amount of hours in a day, which means only so much can be done. No matter how organised you are. This is when multitasking comes in handy. If I have a whole bunch of stuff on my plate I like to combinine tasks or “kill two birds with one stone”.  This may mean combining coffee with a friend with a beach walk (Exercise + Social) or reading over my notes on the train on the way home form work/Uni. If you get creative with your scheduling you may find that you do in fact have more time than you originally thought.

Coffee

LEARN TO PRIORITISE &  SAY “NO” WHEN YOU NEED TO:

This was probably the hardest lessen I had to learn. As sad as it may be, when you have a lot on your plate you are not going to be able to please everyone. If disappointing a friend by not attending her party means passing an exam or getting that extra shift to pay for your rego then don’t feel guilty. It’s all about priorities and chances are if you explain to your friend why you aren’t attending and organise an alternative she’ll forgive you.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP & KNOW YOUR LIMITS:

If you are finding your busy schedule to be too much there’s no shame in asking for help or slowing down. Most Universities have services or people you can speak to  who will help you out when it comes to managing your studies or dealing with stress.  I will admit to being more than slightly adverse when it comes to asking for help but having utilised such services (after a lot of nagging from a friend!) I was able to rearrange my classes to fit in perfectly with my working schedule and undertake a class online to save time. So I will assure you that if you are struggling with keeping up with your studies or fitting everything in visiting Uni Services it’s worth swallowing your pride for. Remember your physical and mental health is far more important than anything else and there’s no shame in slowing down or asking for help.

Image Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

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Love & Lifestyle

26 May

HOW I WAS BLOWING OVER $11,000 A YEAR & YOU MAY BE TOO!

B42RKY

As a single student, working full time and living with roommates I will admit that when it comes to money the only time I really stress is when my savings are looking low and my car decides stop working. Having said this my third roommate has decided to move interstate with her boyfriend. Now not only are my other roommate and I going to miss her like crazy we are left with the decision as to whether or not to find someone to take her spot or tighten our belts. As all our friends are either not in a financial position to move out of home or are already in a place they love, we are looking at the possibility of a stranger moving in with us. Having had some really bad experiences living with people we didn’t know we are strongly leaning towards turning the third bedroom into a home gym and  splitting the rent 50/50. This will require some planning and cut backs on our part. Yep that means some dreaded budgeting. Wanting to take things seriously I started evaluating my spending and I was very surprised. After double checking the figures I was shocked to learn that my everyday activities were costing me a whole lot of cash. In fact I was spending over 11 THOUSAND dollars a year without even realising. I never really thought I lived extravagantly until I really looked into my spending. It was a real eye opener. If you have never evaluated your spending I really suggest you do so. You may be left suprised like I was. So how was I burning 11 thousand dollars of my cash each year you may ask? Well, here’s the breakdown:

Cafe

Cafe Coffee: Getting up at 5am everyday and not being in bed until after 11pm most days, often leaves me tired and heading to my local coffee shop for a pick me up. I didn’t think there was anything wrong with this until I worked out how much my coffee addiction was actually costing me. On average I  buy 1.5 cups of coffee a day. Each cup costs me $5, taking into account that my 10th is free (I’m a really loyal customer, as you can tell haha) I am spending an average of $48 a week just on coffee. That’s almost two and a half grand a year. Which is insane and could pay for an annual trip to Thailand!

My solution: Take a flask of  home-brewed coffee with me each day and learn to love the free instant at work.

Eggs Benny

Brunch dates and bought work lunches: It’s tempting to meet the girls for brunch and indulge in a $20 (vegetarian) eggs benny or hit the sushi bar for lunch every second day but when you work it these “little” indulgences are super expensive and end up costing me around $80 a week or $4,160 a year!

My Solution: Opt for the raisin bread ($4.00) at brunch and start taking lunch to work. Easy.

coktails

Friday Night Cocktails: Since I started my job Friday Night Cocktails have always been a weekly occurrence. As I usually spend the weekend working (I work one weekend on, one off) or catching up on study I only have one cocktail, two at the most which doesn’t seem like a huge expense.  However, with each cocktail at $15 a pop and a taxi ride home (I never drink and drive, even if I think I’m under) Friday night drinks were costing me around $50 a week or $2,600 a year.

My Solution: I really didn’t want to give up my Friday nights, so instead I talked to a workmate (also a friend) about my new budget and we decided to alternate weeks as designated driver. This will ultimately save us both on taxi fare as well as drink costs every second week. Win-Win.

online shopping

Online Shopping: I am an online shopping addict and my purchases are so regular that both my courier and mailman know my name by heart and often joke “Oh looks like ASOS had a sale again!” while delivering my latest silver plastic clad package. Upon looking through my debit card history I worked out through the past 6 months my online spending averaged $60.00 a week, which works out to be around $3,120 a year! If I am completely honest with myself about 50% of my purchases I either end up hating, don’t fit right or I forget about them and end up finding them months later at the back of my cupboard with tagged still attached.

My Solution: Follow my own advice and cut costs where I can when it comes to online shopping. But more importantly stop any impulse buys and limit myself to just $100 a month on online purchases. My wardrobe is seriously bursting as is and I don’t need anything else.

So there you have it “little” ways I was blowing over 11 grand a year with frivolous spending and you could be too! Do you have any tips and tricks for budgeting or saving cash? Becky xo

Image Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

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