Hello loves,

If you read my post last Thursday, you'll know I've been in somewhat of a rut the last couple of weeks. If you've not read my post from last week, you can do so here. So, it's Monday now and I feel much more on top of things, so I thought I'd share my little tips on how to get yourself out of a rut and find your fire again.

1) CLEAN YOUR SPACE
If you're anything like me, you find it incredibly hard to stay on top of the cleaning! If your space (e.g your room, office or whole house) is a mess, it really helps to give it a good clean! I know it may seem like an overwhelming task but just take it one room at a time and you'll be done before you know it. A clear space really helps to achieve a clear mind! This is something I'm really trying to improve on, and now I've finally got a clean room, I'm aiming to keep it that way! It also helps to make your bed every morning. You'll be surprised how much cleaner your room looks!

2) LIST EVERYTHING
It really helped me to break everything I had to do down into as many small tasks as possible. I briefly touched on this last week but I'll explain some more now. Writing every small task down may make your list longer, but you'll constantly be crossing things off, making you more motivated to keep going, and consequently increasing your productivity. It also helps if you're particulary struggling with a task, such as an essay, to break it down so you can overcome it one baby step at a time and it doesn't seem like an unachievable task!

3) BREAK THE ROUTINE
Routine can be such a comforting thing that most of us fall victim too, but sticking in a routine for too long can really make you feel trapped. Do something a bit different such as a weekend away or a night out with the girls - get yourself out that house and have some fun, (most) work can wait till Monday! You'll come back on Monday feeling much more refreshed - especially if you're coming back to a clean space!

4) FORGET THE SMALL THINGS FOR NOW
If one of things you've got on your to do list is 'hoover under the bed', FORGET IT. Do the visible things, and the big tasks first. You can shorten your to do list down no end by scrapping all the silly tasks. Don't forget them forever, you can return to them when you're feeling more on top of things.

5) DON'T PRESSURE YOURSELF
There is one thing that all us humans need to realise, no-one has their shit together! Everyone at some point feels like they're in a rut and thats okay! Theres no need to feel bad for it, we've all been there. It's also okay to not come out of your rut straight away, sometimes we need time to take a breath and recuperate. Stay in bed, eat some ice cream, binge on Netflix, work out whatever it is you're going through, but set a day that will be the turning point. It can start with something as easy as getting out of bed earlier, making your bed and having your breakfast. It's all about baby steps!

6) REWARD YOURSELF
If you've been feeling really down, reward yourself everyday! Okay so you didn't get all the laundry done today like you planned, but you got up, made the bed, did the dishes and cooked dinner, good job! Now go make yourself a Gin & Tonic! Criticising yourself because you didn't achieve a million things in one day is only going to put you back in a slump. Reward yourself for the little things, and every day you'll feel better and get a little bit more productive, promise!

You've got this!

Laura xoxo