As you are all driving, flying and Ubering home this winter break, I know you have one thing in mind: relaxation. However, in my past experiences of trying to relax for an entire month, I've found myself coming into spring semester with a whole lot to do and little time to do it.
A few of these things might happen to entail working out, figuring out what the heck I'm taking spring semester regarding classes, buying books for said classes, and organizing the email compilation that I've convinced myself is off limits until at least Jan. 10.
Does this mean I'm going to sit at my laptop every day this winter break and plan out every hour of my day to be super productive, and make a ton of to-do lists? No! However, it does mean that I will set little goals of things that need to be done so that I'm not completely stressed out by the time if comes to go back to school.
1. Make a list.
OK, I know I just joked about this, but it is honestly the best way to get all of the jumbled mess in your brain onto paper. Just write (or type) out all of the things that need to get done by the time you're going back to school so that it's all there in black and white. Then, once you have the list, you can see that needs to be done now and what can wait. Organize it out into little steps so you aren't so overwhelmed!
2. Set small goals.
Try setting weekly goals. I know this may interrupt your Netflix binging but you'll be glad you submitted that internship application now instead of waiting until January when your spring semester schedule is unleashing its business on you.
3. Ask for help.
If there's one thing I'm learning, it's that I can't do everything by myself. My mom and my friends have helped me with so much whether that means giving me study breaks, helping me craft the perfect final paragraph for a job application or tracking down that jacket I've been on the hunt for all break. No one said shopping can't be on your to-do list!
4. Give yourself a schedule or a routine.
I know I know – winter break is when you're supposed to sleep in until noon and stay up till 3 a.m. doing nothing, but watching Netflix and eating delicious food. I'm here to bust your bubble a bit and tell you that if that's what you are planning on doing then you might as well not have a to-do list at all.
I'm not arguing that winter break can't be filled with all of those things, but I think you'll find that getting up in the morning, still working out regularly, and catching up on school work that you know will be due when you return will pay off a lot.
5. Make some New Year's resolutions.
I know what you're thinking – those are so overrated. The name itself may be overrated, but it's never too late, or early in this case, to start thinking about what habits you want to kick and which ones you want to pick up.
6. Clean your room.
If your room looks anything like mine, it looks like a small train came through and crushed everything to pieces. There is still stuff from high school just lingering around that never got put away anywhere. Try organizing your room/closet!
7. Two words: thank you notes.
I don't think I'll ever hear the end of the nagging from my mom about how I need to remember to send out thank you notes. Be it Christmas thank you's, or from your birthday a couple weeks ago, send those bad boys out! It always feels good to cross something off the list, no matter how long it's been on there.
8. Get ahead on annoying work.
You know those simple yet annoying tasks on your to-do list that you look at and pretend you don't see? Me, too. Let's try to get ahead this year! Once those annoying, yet simple tasks are done, you'll feel all weight lifted off your shoulders!
9. Volunteer.
As soon as Thanksgiving hits we enter this period of time where it's all about the giving. Go to your local soup kitchen, Salvation Army, shelter, or care center and donate your time this holiday season. You leave feeling better and you never know who you might affect with your smile and kind spirit.
10. Start a blog.
Writing may just be a way for you to get the mess of thoughts in your brain onto paper (or screen, I guess) so why not try setting up a blog! It can be a private blog or a public blog, it's all up to you!
11. Set personal goals for yourself in the next year.
Somehow, winter break turns into focusing on how the next year is going to be better and different. If you're someone who gets overwhelmed by thinking about how you're going to change things for the upcoming year, look at the calendar and plan out when you want to have things accomplished by! Try setting little goals of having XYZ done by February, and XYZ done by May.
12. Focus on the now.
Yes, long term and short term goals are great, but don't lose sight of where and what you're doing right now. You're at home with family, hopefully eating some delicious food, sharing stories of the past year and from when you were younger. Don't take that time for granted; it's not bad to focus on the little things, too!
