Like anything in life, feeling prepared, with the right mindset is half the battle
Exam season is looming, especially for those taking A level and GCSE mock exams. A stressful time for students and parents alike, especially during a pandemic when school life over the last 20 months has been so disjointed.. It really hasn’t been easy for parents and teachers as we try to help them navigate this time in their lives,
Many students feel the pressure really is on to hit those grades. In this blog, I’m sharing a guide to help you make a plan, ensuring the students in your home feel prepared and balanced as much as they can be.
Enjoy the big outdoors, have a break from the book and get some fresh air, even if it’s only for 20 minutes.
Did you know that your diet and lifestyle can affect exam performance?
I believe the right nutrition and exercise plan can energise your mind and body to get you through revision time and sharpen your memory, improve concentration and boost confidence. However, the wrong dietary and lifestyle choices can potentially put you at a disadvantage.
Time to relax with a good novel is always a good idea.
Diet will have a huge effect on your body and mind, choose the wrong meals and you can become sluggish and tired, but if you give your brain the right fuel, you will be able to think quicker, have a better memory and have improved concentration.
The key to boosting your energy and keeping your concentration levels up are nutritious foods, water and oxygen.
Here are my top tips for success during exam season:
Stay Away From Caffeine
Drinking energy drinks like Red Bull or high amounts of tea and coffee will give you a short burst of energy but will burn out and give you a sugar crash.
Try not to rely on the caffeine fix to get you through the regions and exams. Switch to a warming hot chocolate instead!
Keep Your Body Hydrated
Herbal drinks and water hydrate your brain and encourages it to function at an optimum level, delivering nutrients to the brain and eliminating toxins.
Being hydrating is essential for concentration, clarity of thinking and mental alertness.
Avoid Snacking On Junk Food and Ordering Takeaways
A lot of students can fall prey to this mistake because they are so busy revising they run out of time to buy and prepare food in advance, unlersas of course they are living at home!
Many students tend to study in their rooms, however if you are able to separate the study zone and the relaxing and sleep zone, the quality of the nights sleep is vastly improved.
Exercise
Often when we feel stressed or overwhelmed, we feel we just don’t have the time to exercise. Having worked with clients, who felt the same for almost a decade, they all felt a huge benefit for taking some time out of their busy lives to get some training in. What’s more, they felt more productive too with improved memory! Win!
Exercise can help boost energy levels, clear the mind and relieve stress. Just 20 minutes of fresh air and exercise a day will boost your mood and concentration too.
A walk around the block can really make the world of difference – to all of us; parents and students alike. A walk and talk is always a good idea!
Breathe..
I can totally appreciate that this time of our Teens lives can feel like it’s THE most stressful time for them. The last 20 months of extremely disturbed schooling due to the pandeamic, has been stressful for everyone..
Go easy…
That’s both parents and students!
Exam stress can be shown in many different emotions and behaviours.
Take time to talk; share how you are feeling… talking, tears and sharing emotions, nerves, worry, make all the difference. Please don’t keep the worry to yourself students!
Good luck and try not to stress too much. It will be OK…
I really hope this guide helps you and your students alike to navigate the exam season.
Christmas is a special time of year for many. With 10 weeks to go, let me help you create a special, yet stressfree Christmas.
Every year we are determined not to become overwhelmed with the stress and worry. In this weeks blog; I’m sharing some of the things I do to try and keep Christmas stressfree and to a minimum when it come to preparation. Using these thoughts and ideas will mean that come Christmas, you’ll feel calm and ready to enjoy the celebrations.
What can you do now to limit the overwhelm that undoubtedly comes with the festivities?
Let’s be honest, most guest rooms can double up as a dumping ground especially when you are not expecting guests! Since an emabrrassing episode several years ago, we had a dinner party one year and one couple couldn’t get a taxi home.
“Stay!” we said, “no problem “we said! Then I remembered that the guest room was “almost guest room ready” except the bed was covered in clothes ready for the charity shop! I still cringe when I think about it now! Let’s but that episode to bed so to speak! I’ll add it wasn’t Christmas but it’s always good to be prepared!
Love this idea for a special touch instead of flowers for your guest room Christmas Table Top Tree
A guest room is a relaxing place for your guests not just to sleep but to enjoy space away from the household to relax and chill.
For the ultimate stressfree Christmas for your guests; include a basket of goodies that you know they’ll enjoy. I love to add something from Hotel Chocolate, a candle and a magazine or two.
A throw on the bed is always a good idea. How beautiful is this Dusty Pink Linen Bed Throw from Chalk Pink Linen Company?
In the bathroom include some toiletries, fluffy towels
Fresh flowers are always a nice touch so put a note in your diary to organise these for a few days before they arrive. Alternatively cut some from your garden and add a little festive sparkle.
I don’t mean get the decorations out right now but packing them away earlier this year seems like a life time ago. Can you remember what you have? How many broken items were there that you thought “I’ll fix” but never got there! It really is worth taking the trip to the store cupboard or attic to double check.
How do you fancy Christmas in a Box?? Take the stress away by having your table decorations delivered to you wherever you may be.
Perhaps you’re going planning a trip away this year?
Maybe you’re visiting relatives and would like to help remove the stress for them..?
Wherever you plan to spend Christmas – The Table Stylist have all your answers!
Christmas in a box, comes in two different styles; the Winter Wonderland and The Nutcracker. Both collections are the perfect gift idea for yourself or anyone who enjoys hosting dinner parties and special occasions.
The Winter Wonderland is my personal favourite. Picture the scene:
Transform your table top into a Christmas winter wonderland with a forest of snow dappled trees set against a white cotton runner & glittering fallen stars & faux snow.
Transform your table top into a Christmas winter wonderland with a forest of snow dappled trees set against a white cotton runner & glittering fallen stars & faux snow.
The glow of candle light creates a soft warming atmosphere. White frill cotton napkins are tied with dark green velvet bows, sprigs of fir and white berries while seagrass placemats provide a simple and elegant backdrop for your china.
Finally, for an extra special touch The Table Stylist have included fully recyclable crackers which come with jokes and hats and can be assembled with your own custom treats. You can rent or buy the whole collection or add to your collection each year. What a wonderful tradition to pass fown to your family?
Make it a special, stylish Christmas to remember. The Table Stylist have given me a special 15% discount for you on any of their items on their website; Simple add “CLAIRE15” at the checkout
Nothing says stressfree Christmas like Mary Berry’s Christmas Collection It combines time-honoured festive favourites with a variey of exciting dishes to spice up the season. By taking the traditional Christmas fare and giving it a twist, Mary adds sparkle to every celebration.
Simple yet reliable recipes and Mary’s handy hints will take the pressure off entertaining, whether it’s for the big day itself, a Boxing Day crowd or an intimate New Year family gathering.
With an invaluable Christmas Day countdown, sample menus, shopping lists and ever-popular tips on preparing ahead and freezing, this is the must-have companion to the festive season.
I’ve always been a huge fan of Mary Berry and her Christmas book is THE book I have always gone to. I’ve even gift it as birthday gift!
Consider also your freezer space.. I’ll be covering that more in a future blog, I’m just giving you a little hint!
A stressfree Christmas is all about preparation. 10 weeks is actually quite a lot of time. Bit by bit, taking stock of what you can do now and over the coming weeks, rather than tackling everything in the very last week, really does help.
Let me know which top tip you like best and remember to take a look at The Table Stylist with your 15% discount. before you know it, you will have already ticked one thing off your stress free Christmas list!
This blog is all about you! Let’s explore how to make your dreams come true by answering some simple questions.
Let’s discover what’s holding you back and how you can make that first move to unlocking the life you want.
If not now, then when? Grab a cuppa, your journal and a comfy spot – let’s go in!
If you were to write a list right now about what you would like your life to look like, what would be on it?
Take 5 minutes (or as long as you wish) to write down in your journal or notebook, everything you’d LOVE to be doing.
Don’t over think it.
Consider it almost like a wish list. You don’t need to think how it will happen, just simply what you would like your life to look like..
Sounds simple doesn’t it?
‘Rather than stifling enterprise, the pandemic has led to entrepreneurs creating new businesses in response to the crisis’
Dylan Jones-Evans, Business Live
These last 20 months have thrown our worlds upside down and inside out. The way we live, work and travel have all changed.
Face to face interviews for jobs became a 10 minute video submission to the panel sharing what you could bring to the company.
We worked from home, our childrens classrooms became the dining room table and we spent more time than ever online, connecting, communicating and evolving.
More than ever, we have become a world where we have had to adapt and craete a new way of living.
For many people I’ve had spoken to, it has bought a conversation of what has worked well for them during these strange times.
People have shared with me that they’ve felt that working from home has been better for them as the commuting times are non existant, therefore improving their quality of life. For some, it’s given them the nudge they needed to create their dream business or structure their home life balance a little better.
With this in mind what’s on your wishlist?
Maybe you’d like to start your own business.
Adopt.
Move the the country.
Write a book.
Overcome your biggest fear.
Find your body confidence..
Renovate a room in your home or maybe build your own home.
Whatever made your wish list, NOW is the time.
ASK YOURSELF: What’s holding you back from making your dreams a reality?
You may already know.
Perhaps you are thinking “nothing is holding me back” but don’t have exact clarity on where to start.
That’s OK.
Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon.
Imagine..
Imagine the thermometer in your home.
Set it to 21 degrees, guess what? Your home becomes a gorgeous 21 degrees – no more, no less.
Imagine if you set your personal thermometer to HIGH. You removed all the worry, self limiting beliefs and behaved that your wish had already become true.
What would you be doing?
What would your day look like?
What would you be wearing, feeling, saying?
Once you know the answers to these simple questions, you can start to make your dreams become true.
Really knowing what you’d like your life to look like and actually visualise, right down to the nitty gritty, what it would look like, that’s when the magic starts to happen1
Be bold, be brave and go for it!
”Happiness Is Not Something Readymade. It Comes From Your Own Actions.”
Dalai lama
More than anything, these last couple of years have taught us that nothing is certain and whilst that can be really scary. In some form it’s exciting..
Now really is the time to go for it.. make that jump, live that dream, because if not now – when?
It’s OK to make YOU a priority and create the live you wish to have.
I’d love to know how your attitudes and passions have changed. Please do join me on Instagram, where the conversation continues, with inspirational weekly mini missions which help you make life changes so your dreams come true.
In this weeks blog, I’m sharing my top tips to plan effectively so that you can prioritise more time for what’s important in your life, how I plan my diary and one very key lesson I learned years ago, which I still use today.
How do you plan? Are you an electronic diary kind of person or, like me, love to have a pretty planner..? Or several..?
Whilst this may seem excessive, I’m yet to find a planner that ticks all my boxes – so I use two or three. One for the home and my interiors projects, one for my Blogs and Missions and one for my Fitness and Wellbeing Goals including the “everyday” . The dream is to take all the aspects I love about the planners I use and add my own little spin. Wonder if you can guess what I’d add? Do you think if I make a wish, it might just happen..?
“The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
Stephen Covey.
I have used the diaries and calendar from Boxclever Press for years, in fact am sure I was one of their first customers the year they launched which coincided with me becoming a new mum. Writing the important things down is key to managing my time effectively.
I was delighted recently when they asked me to review their new academic diary and calendar for 2021 / 2022 and share with you how I use them and what works for me. These planners are as close to perfect as I can get. They have everything for me as a busy mum of teens and and help me plan my writing and goals effectively.
The new school term for me is a perfect time for a new focus, and yes with that, a new planner! There’s something about having a new pencil case and notebook to reignite the passion around your working life, home life and yes, planning the final quarter of the year, all whilst wondering how that time has passed so quickly!
The planning starts for me before the Autumn term begins. I’m not sure what it’s like in your house but as the school summer term finishes, my inbox starts to flood with fixtures and dates for the new term. As a swim mum, this includes swimming fixtures as the season runs from late August through to the following summer.
Getting everything in place from dates to labelling the school uniform, early in the school summer holidays, means I can relax that little bit more without too many shocks the week before the new school year begins!
“Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.”
Stephen Covey
Look after the big rocks first.
The same year I became a first-time mum, I attended a Franklin Covey course on time and life management. There began my love for Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits for Highly Effective People. The biggest lightbulb moment was to look after the Big Rocks first.
The Big Rocks are the things in your life that are MOST important, they go in your planner first. It sounds a simple thing to do, but how many times when we are in the thick of life, we can revert to reactive living and not proactive. With a planner that works for you together with effective planning, life really does seem that much more manageable.
My Top Tips to Effective Planning:
Find a planner that works for you. it sounds really obvious but get to know it, spend time looking at all its functions so you are able to use it to your best advantage.
Put the big rocks in first, including YOU time – book it like an appointment. You wouldn’t miss you appointmentt for your car to have an MOT. Book them in for you too! Easier said than done I know, however practise makes perfect!
Create a system; with pens, stickers, whatever works for you to highlight the important appointments and fixtures that matter.
Create time for a Power of an Hour each day. Having focused time to work on ONE thing, working with intention and without distraction, it’s incredible what you can achieve.
Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail! It’s the little things that have a huge effect on the big things, so simple but true. So plan ahead – if you’re planning on working out first thing in the morning, prepare ahead by getting your kit ready the night before.
Consider how you can limit any stresses that come your way. What do you need in place to limit any stresses that may come your way? As a stationary lover, having a box of birthday and celebration cards to hand is always helpful with children in the house.
Each Sunday, I spend a little time getting prepared for my week ahead. This involves looking at my planner, doing a diary check with the family. Adding and taking out what can help and hinder the week ahead. I confirm my workouts, plan the weekly menu, including the shopping list and print my Consistency Checklist for the week ahead. I’ve created some free downloads which might help you.
“You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, non-apologetically, to say “no” to other things.
Stephen Covey.
Let’s be real.
Trying to plan effectively and having systems in place, are all well and good, but let’s be honest and realistic for a moment, life happens! We can plan for most things, yet curveballs can occur which will send us out of kilter. We’ve certainly learned that in the last year haven’t we?
We all know that it is how we respond to these circumstances that matter so please be kind to yourself. If you drop the ball, that’s ok. I truly hope that sharing some of the things that work for me, help you too. Be kind to yourself and put things in place that work for you.
This Power of an Hour is for YOU! What will you do today to recharge the batteries so that you’re ready to embrace anything that comes your way? Remember the analogy about looking after your oxygen mask on an airplane before you look after anyone elses.? The same applies to your everyday life..
Please don’t ignore the warning signs, take time out for you.
If you are running on empty or your emotional bank account is overdrawn, then everything will feel so much harder, or even stop. Ignore the warning signs and you could become poorly and require an enforced rest, so pay attention to your body. Whatever you decide to do during your hour, make sure you focus on you… removing what you don’t need and putting in place things to ensure you are functioning at your very best you:
Without distraction
Without scrolling
With purpose and intention.
Some ideas about what you can do on this Power of an Hour just for you:
Diary Check
Make sure you haven’t overstretched yourself this forthcoming week. Do you need to rearrange anything or book any workouts?
Health Check :
When did you last visit the dentist, have your blood pressure checked, or have an eye test..? Is your smear test up to date?
Do you need to book any appts? We all know that times flies and we can easily lose track of the weeks and months.
Home Spa
(although a trip to an actual spa would be amazing! Would be amazing wouldn’t it?)
Having a quiet spot in your home where you can sit and read your favourite fiction, journal or even meditate, is quite magical.
Some feel spending your time like this is a luxury. I feel that taking time in the quiet, is essential to health, wellbeing and piece of mind.
If an hour seems too much to start, try just 15 minutes and build up. Consider adding a block of time to your diary. Make quiet time happen.
Workout
Sometimes we feel too tired to workout or are simply too busy. However, by scheduling a workout into your Power of an Hour, you can really inject some energy into the rest of your day.
I believe the key is finding something you love. Walking in the fresh air, yoga, running, anything as long as it brings you joy.
Personally, I love the online workouts from Digme Fitness, having discovered them through Lockdown, they have really kept me sane! SO many workouts to choose from to workout out with live or on demand. take a look, I think you’ll love them too.
Taking the time to stop, refuel in the quiet is so powerful.
I’d love to know what you’ll do just for YOU during this Power of an Hour and how you feel afterwards. I really hope you add these to your week so that you’re recharged and ready to embrace anything that comes your way.
I’m the creator of Woman on a Mission, a lifestyle space dedicated to helping women bring more calm, confidence and balance into everyday life. Born from my own journey to slow down and live with greater intention, it offers inspiration around wellbeing, organisation, home and mindset, one meaningful mission at a time
Maybe you’d like to start your own business.
