Daily Check-in: Sept 6th, 2024 ☕️

Do you have any study tips for people who find it hard to concentrate for long periods of time, or just struggle to even sit down and focus?

Hi! I'm so sorry for the late answer, I've been busy with classwork, curating my schedule for the next few weeks, and just life in general.

I myself struggle to sit down and focus and have trouble concentrating for long periods of time. Everyone works differently and some things may not be helpful to everyone, just a disclaimer!

Something I do that really helps me is to have a set "ritual" I do every time I need to or at least know I need to do school work or productive things that I personally want to do.

My current "ritual" includes the following, in order:

Make a cup of my preferred drink (currently iced coffee with one sweet n low and French vanilla creamer) + grab a glass or bottle of water

Set out all my necessary materiales (studying ex: textbooks, stationary, technology, planner, etc)

Take a deep breath

Write out a todo list that is managable for what I want/need to accomplish

Flick on my desk lamp

Begin the first step for the first talk (open textbook, go to website, write out note title, etc)

My brain got into the habit of "lamp flicks on, sip of coffee, time to work" and it became very automated.

Lately, I've tried to spread out my necessary tasks out throughout a week (within necessary due dates) with daily planning for flexibility of my schedule and whatever things pop up. I believe being flexible with scheduling tasks helps a lot because sometimes I have more energy on some days than others, and other times, I need to allocate energy to other priorities.

For concentrating for long periods of time, I try to figure out my limits, and do whatever I can to work with myself and not against myself. I have severe unmedicated ADHD (as well as other things mentally) and I've learned to listen to my brain and body as best I can.

I can not concentrate if my phone is not near me or within eyesight when I study. I will be too preoccupied thinking about my phone and any missed notifications if I can't see my phone. Answering texts and calls while doing homework does not interfere with my productivity as it takes me a few seconds to type out a message and hit send or answer a call and listen/explain that I'm busy. (it's usually my dad who calls me, and I have no problem stopping my work to talk to my dad).

I need caffiene to give me that push to start. Once I taste my coffee, I know it's time to crack down on my assignments and start focusing on my work.

Background noise!! Very rarely can I listen to music when working at home, so I usually have a comfort show or some youtube video playing in the background while I do work. When I'm on campus, I listen to a specific playlist while doing schoolwork, usually more mellow music like Lana Del Ray, The Neighborhood, Chase Atlantic, MARINA, Mitski, Arctic Monkeys, Mother Mother, Cigarettes After Sex, beebadoobee, Taylor Swift etc. I normally listen to K-pop, but my favorite songs are too upbeat for getting work done.

I try not to watch the clock or set a timer because I never really know how long some assignments will take and if I'm watching the time pass I tend to get anxious and then my mind will wander from the task at hand.

Water!! I have to remind myself all the time, but having water at my desk or study area keeps me hydrated, which keeps me focused and awake.

I try not to eat big meals right before I do work. If I do eat something substantial before I need to work, I always wait 30 to 60 minutes so I can perk back up and properly focus on my work.

Never push past my physical energy limits. If I'm falling asleep at my desk, if I'm yawning uncontrollably, if my body feels heavy with fatigue, I will not push myself past exhaustion as that is no longer healthily productive.

Sleep is a priority!! If I'm sleepy and tired and groggy, I can't work properly. When I'm low on sleep, I also tend to over do the caffiene and overeat, which makes me both uncontrollably anxious and shaky while also making me more lethargic, thus inhibiting my work ability.

Listening to my body and learning how I work best has been the most helpful in my concentration and productivity abilities. I know when I'm feeling off, how to determine what I need in order to feel more regulated and functional. Good, healthy habits and a little self intuition go a long way for me.

I hope this was helpful in some way. I didn't want to give generic or basic tips because this is not a one size fits all topic. I'm open to any other questions!!

Til next time, lovelies!! 🩷

Daily Check-in: September 27th, 2024

these last few days have been interesting to say the least, and the days before hat were also crazy as heck. but today's Friday, I did some stuff, and I'm happy with how today went.

What I Accomplished 🦇

30min trial italki Japanese lesson (loved the teacher so much I booked another lesson right after for the 18th of October)

studied Japanese for 56min today

made japanese flashcards based on the vocabulary from Genki I Chapter 1

studied for the TEAS Exam for 41min (mainly science and english/language stuff)

washed dishes

got a tattoo!!!! my 4th one and I love it

talked to my dad a couple times

ordered pizza + foods and ate wonderfully

Random Stuff For Today 🌿

I dyed my hair red yesterday but the red mainly took to the parts that were already purple BUT my hair looks super cool now

the tattoo hurt a little bit but the artist was totally awesome and I definitely want to go to him for my next tattoo if this one heals well

I ordered way too much today but I have so many leftover for this week that I'm cool with it

I seriously wish I had all the money to purchase like, an italki package of lessons cause ahhh I love my kanguage lessons so much

pretty chill day honestly

Stuff For Tomorrow, Septmeber 28th🍒

Work 8am to possibly 930pm

so not much time for much else honestly!

that's all for now! til next time lovelies 🩷

Spanish Langblr Side Blog <3

Hello lovelies!

I want to get some more practice in my Spanish studying, specifically my writing and reading skills. I want to start posting some writing in Spanish on Tumblr but I'm a bit wary of doing so on my main profile because I feel like it's going to throw off the vibe and aesthetic of my blog. That being said, I am going to create a Spanish side blog! I hope you guys will give me a follow over there and help me out with my sentence structure, vocabulary, grammar, and just how I'm doing in Spanish overall!

Username: @ros3ybabespanish

follow the side blog if you love language learning content <3

I need to really learn and implement all of this!!!

Basic Financial Rules To Live By 💰✨

Create a plan that shows how much money you get and how much you spend. This helps you see where your money goes.

Set aside a part of your money as savings. Try to save at least 10-20% of what you earn.

Be careful with borrowing money, especially if you have to pay back a lot of extra money (interest).

Save some money for unexpected things like medical bills or losing your job. Aim to have enough to cover your living costs for a few months.

Put your saved money into different things that can make it grow, like stocks or real estate. Be patient, as it takes time.

Don't spend more money than you make. Stick to buying what you really need, not just what you want.

Decide what you want to do with your money, both in the short term (like a vacation) and long term (like retirement).

Set up automatic transfers to your savings and bills so you don't forget to save or pay your bills on time.

Make saving money a top priority before spending on other things.

Regularly look at your money situation, adjust your plan as needed, and see how your investments are doing.

Pay your bills on time and use credit wisely (like credit cards) to keep a good credit score, which can help you get better deals on loans.

Save money for when you're older and don't work anymore. Use retirement accounts to help with this.

Think before you buy things. Don't buy something just because you want it; think if it's necessary.

Keep learning about how money works and how to make smart money choices.

Only use your emergency fund for real unexpected problems, not for things you just want to buy.

hello lovelies <3

I have been MIA for a while now, and that’s because life has been absolutely bonkers lately. Here’s a quick breakdown:

> my financial habits have been terrible, I’ve been able to afford rent but haven’t been saving or paying off debts at all and it’s driving me crazy but I’m trying to teach myself better habits

> because of my lack of financial skills, I will NOT be taking classes next semester. I owe about 1,800$ USD to my university and won’t be able to register anyways with that high of a balance

> someone who I thought was a good friend turned out to not be and I’m dealing with the aftermath of a hurtful friendship breakup

> because of said friendship breakup, a few people at work have been borderline bullying me for no reason and it’s made me cry and have lots of anxiety at work, has also affected several work friendships in a negative way so I’m pretty much done trying to be friends with people at work

> my roommates and I resigned our lease so I’ll be living with them for this year and next thankfully! I love my rooommates, they are truly good people

> I still haven’t seen my boyfriend in person since January 1st but we’re trying to find time and the finances to get me out to cali to see him hopefully in December

> I started working out again and upped my medication by 2mg and the difference has been immense, I feel so much better, more clear, more like myself and overall just happier and more content

> I’ve stalled in studying Japanese, haven’t put much of any effort towards it lately but want to restart asap as I have a Japanese lesson in 2ish weeks

so, that’s the breakdown. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but believe me, it’s been insane. October has been a crazy month. I’m hoping to get back to it soon and overall start living my life to the fullest again. Will be making an updated post of goals to accomplish by the end of the year so stay tuned for that!

til next time lovelies 🩷

Daily Check-in: Dec 17th, 2024 🎀

Today was a lot better of a day! Very satisfied with how today went, hoping tomorrow goes just as well!

🩷 What I Accomplished

various japanese studies for 79minutes total

30min walk 2x, once before the gym and once after

40min back and biceps workout at the gym

emailed therapist to reschedule therapy session

talked to boyfriend on the phone twice

washed dishes

checked grades (my GPA only went down 0.1 ish points so I'm happy about that but know I need to do better next semester!)

saved photos for my vision board (will be making a physical one this year)

morning journaled

did my night skincare routine

didn't over eat like days prior (very proud of this)

took a 2 hour nap that I didn't know I needed

💕 Stuff For Tomorrow (Dec 18th)

breakfast with my dad

hopefully a leg day at the gym + walking, if not, youtube pilates and some walking on the treadmill at the apartment fitness room

study japanese (hopefully can study 2 or more hours)

wash my dang makeup brushes

work more in artist of life workbook

call physical therapy to cancel

call state huma service department to discuss possible benefits + phone interview

wash dishes

wipe out fridge

vacuum bedroom

sweep bathroom

morning + night journal

morning + night skincare

maybe meditate

Here's to a hopefully good Wednesday!

til next time lovelies 🩷

Daily Check-in: April 4, 2024 🎀

What a good day! I swear I hadn't had a day so good in so long, but this day was absolutely amazing!

🩷 What I Accomplished Today:

reviewed chapters 8 and 9 of Spanish on Busuu

Studied my Spanish flashcards 1x all the way through

listened to three podcast episodes in spanish

read a chapter of Deep Work, the last chapter of Atomic Habits, and a section from 101 Essays to Change The Way You Think

discovered and listened to "A Better You" podcast by Fernanada Raamirez

Went to my make up chemistry lab

took a make up psyc quiz

met with my psych doctor

had a therapy session

had a meeting with the director of the Dietetic program for my university

filled out an application to become an SI instructor (just not to turn it in to the head SI guy now)

Caught up on my chemistry notes

opened a savings account for my university

searched for nearby places to rent/live (I'm moving out soon, sometime this year)

🩷 What Went Good Today:

Got encouraged to add a 2nd major in Finance

Created a list/schedule of classes for next semester that I'm really excited about

learned about other on-campus job opportunities in case SI doesn't work out

felt confident about my psyc quiz after I took it

the director of the Dietetic program was the absolute sweetest and most helpful, and I am so glad I met with her because she answered all of my questions and gave me some great encouragement

finished my chem lab very quickly

didn't need extra money to open a savings account so a savings account got opened

🩷 What Could Have Gone Better:

I felt like I bugged my dad a lot, but I was just so excited to tell him how good everything was going

Need to re evaluate how much I can realistically save per paycheck at the moment for my housing situation AND the college savings account

got a bit emotional with my boyfriend over some past stuff

did not eat the best or the healthiest

psych doc ordered an EKG because she is concerned that I may have an arrhythmia (had an EKG done in the past for the same reason, but was told it was because of my exercise habits at the time ~4 years ago) and having an arrhythmia will limit the mental health medication I am able to take

Overall, not a bad day whatsoever! I was in a really good mood all day because of how awesome everything was and I'm super grateful that I was able to have such a good day!

til next time lovelies 🩷

Daily Check-in: May 21, 2024 🎀

Tuesday started out good but by noon it went downhill so so fast. I struggled so hard with some mental and physical health issues, tons of anxiety, and basically stayed in bed for the entire afternoon/evening. But I still got some stuff done in the morning, so here's a mini update on that stuff.

🩷 What I Accomplished:

took an hour walk outside

walked over 8.4k steps for the whole day

attempted a morning pilates core workput video (twas not the easiest despite being labeled beginner)

morning journal

practiced makeup despite not owning setting spray or may eye brow products and overall missing some things that would've been helpful (need new concelaor for sure)

drank over 65oz of water

talked with my boyfriend

set up a dinner with my dad for Thursday instead of brunch on Friday <3 so excited, I love my dad

💞 Good Things That Happened

got the day off work

took a nice nap

had a comforting, cool shower

began watching Gilmore girls (3 episodes in and I already love it)

ordered pasta sauce for Wednesday

looked at possible nail designs if I do get my nails done

💗 Stuff For Wednesday

morning routine!!

morning workout + skincare (didn't realize my face is slightly sunburnt more then I thought, so that's fun to deal with....not)

work a ~5 hour shift (I'm actually scheduled today)

read some more

study Spanish (I seriously need to get back to this I have an italki lesson in a week!!!)

video call with my boyfriend tonight

decide if my friend and I are going to get our nails done

make list of things to buy with paycheck for Colorado trip

make small grocery list

perhaps drop shoes I sold off at the post office to ship to buyer

I had a rough day. I'm not going to tall about why or what happened, but I seriously am so thankful for the people around me that support me and encourage me, even at my low moments. my dad and my boyfriend are definitely my biggest supports and I love them both so so much. I am so grateful for everything I have, and for the ability to have good days even after having bad ones.

💕 Song of the Day: (G)I-DLE - Queencard

perfect song for summer, feel good girly vibes, one of my all-time favorites <3

til next time lovelies 🩷

Day 12 - 90 Day Challenge 🎀

So, I'm going to be honest. Yesterday was a terribly rough day for me emotionally. I isolated myself in my room (my roommates had people over for a late Thanksgiving dinner), ordered way too much McDonald's (that I didn't even finish), and cried for a good 2 hours (me and my boyfriend were going through it). But, I figured it would still be a decent idea to post an update to my challenge and keep trying.

🏋‍♀️ Physical Health

walked to work, walked home from work

walked over 10,000+ steps total

🧠 Mental Health

nothing that I can remember

❤️ Emotional Health

cried, a lot, to release some pent up emotions

talked to my dad about how i was feeling (he always calls at the perfect time, he has a 6th sense for when I'm upset)

📚 Intellectual Health

again, nothing that I can remember. that just means I need to get on my grind later with that (6 page) assignment that's due today

🏘 Adulting

showered after work

worked a 6 hour shift

deposited money into my bank account

recieved and put away some new gym clothes I got in the mail (so happy, everything I bought was so cute and just extremely perfect <3 amazon gym clothes for the win)

🥰 Self Love/Care

did my morning skincare

didn't force myself to do homework knowing how emotional I was

planned my workouts for this week (I'm going to start running again, but slowly building my way up because I am a bit on the heavy side so I don't want to overdo it and risk injury. I also still love lifting weights, which I'm going to keep doing 3 days a week <3)

It's rough dealing with life with mental illness, but I just remind myself that bad days don't make this a bad life. It's all about perspective for me. The more I look on the bright side, the longer I can stay in the light <3

til next time lovelies 🩷

Daily Check-in - July 23, 2023 🎀

Today was an interesting day, and it's not over yet! Though I do need to go to bed a bit early, since I'm waking up at 4:00am during the weekdays. I'm very satisfied with the things I did today, and I still have plans to do some more of my daily habits.

🩷 What I Ate Today:

Breakfast - Iced Coffee, One gala apple (chopped), One banana (chopped), One serving of peanut butter

Lunch - Salad, topped with Tuna (mixed with avocado oil mayo), small pieces of sharp cheddar cheese, and shredded carrots, and one bolillo roll

Dinner - One bowl of spaghetti with marinara sauce, a bit of parmesean cheese, and one bolillo roll with butter

Snack - One bowl of watermelon

Other - Two cups of iced coffee with French vanilla creamer

Water ~ 24oz I need to utilize my new water bottle and drink more water on the weekends

🩷 Workout - Stretching

I love this nightly stretch routine, especially because I can do it in bed right before I go to sleep! It really relaxes the body and helps me sleep better!

🩷 Habits I Accomplished Today

Made my bed this morning

Did my skincare

Guided journal morning and night

Stretch 5 - 10+ min before bed

Read 30+ min OR 10+ pages of a book

🩷 Song of the Day: I AM - IVE

🩷 Current Read: Atomic Habits by James Clear

Day One has been a success, in my opinion. I look forward to waking up early and working out tomorrow morning, and the Greek yogurt bowl for breakfast I'm going to have! It's the little things that make the journey beautiful!

Love you all!! 🩷