Step 1: Getting your bearings
Let’s agree on the terms first. When does your life need putting together? That’s right, when it feels a little all over the place.
While it’s tempting to immediately rush into radical changes (“Tomorrow, I am waking up at 6 am and doing everything right”), a gentler approach can be more fruitful. Try to analyze the reasons why you feel this way – best in writing or as an audio recording. Imagine you are a scientist: just examine the facts and avoid passing judgment, especially blaming yourself. Talking to a friend can also be helpful.
Then, based on the reasons you’ve identified, you can plan your steps accordingly.
If this doesn’t help or feels too hard a task, don’t hesitate to seek professional advice.
Credit: Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
See also:
ITMO Psychologists Say: Four Mental Health Practices and How to Use Them
Step 2: Tending to your body
We are humans and our bodies need looking after – so, when we are sleeping badly, eating haphazardly, or experiencing too much stress, it can affect how we feel.
Check in on yourself:
- Have you been sleeping enough?
- Have you skipped a meal in the past couple of days?
- When was the last time you took a walk or stretched?
Caring about your body and well-being may not be the full solution, but it’s definitely a solid foundation for any future steps. When you know that you are sleeping enough-ish (not striving for perfection here!), eating at least one healthy-ish meal a day, and moving for at least 10-15 minutes a day in any way, you will feel better in both your body and mind.
Credit: Claudia Mañas on Unsplash
See also:
Best Meals to Go: What Do ITMO Students Eat for Lunch?
The Experiment: Fix Your Sleep Schedule and Stay Sane
How To: Cycling in St. Petersburg & How To: Running in St. Petersburg
Step 3: Spaces digital and real
Cluttered spaces – whether it’s your room, your laptop, or your mind – can add to the feeling of everything being up in the air. Here's a story from yours truly:
“One of our most recent articles included tips on organizing your space, and in particular this: “organize what can’t be seen.” I read it, went home, and sorted through the literal pile of socks in my wardrobe, placing it neatly into a box. Why it brought the relief it did is beyond me (I mean, socks?!), but I feel so much better! I went on and got another box for the scattered chargers on my desk – and I can’t help but smile every time I look at it.”
It can be surprising, but even such a small step as emptying the Bin on your computer can feel like a step towards clarity. And a mother-lode list of everything on your mind can be a detoxifying experience, too.
Credit: Sarah Brown on Unsplash
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Step 4: Changing your habits
Now that we’ve covered the foundations and cleaned our spaces, it’s time to turn to the juice of it all. Remember that list of reasons from Step 1? Pick one or two for starters and think if they can be linked to any habits you have. Gradually, as you change your habits to work for you, you will feel more in control of your life.
For example, on your list of “reasons why life feels not together” you might have “I haven’t been putting enough time into my thesis”; a helpful habit you have may be the regular time you spend on your home assignments every day. Try adding 30 minutes of dedicated thesis work to these regular focus periods – and soon you’ll be etching at this thesis, a sentence a day.
Or, like one of our authors, you may introduce a new routine into your life. Here, she describes her experience of trying to draw every day:
“Maybe it’s not very humble of me to refer to my own tips, but hey, they did work for me! I’m no pro, but I feel much more confident now as an artist. It’s been over 6 months since this article was written, and the progress I’ve made is very evident. Drawing is a part of my daily life now, and this paradoxically means that it’s ok if I don’t do it every single day. It comes natural, so I know I’ll get back on track tomorrow or the day after that without missing out. That’s why my additional advice would be to remember that although any undertaking requires a lot of effort at first, it does get easier over time,” shares Kseniia Miroshkina, a writer for ITMO.NEWS.
Credit: Nordwood Themes on Unsplash
See also:
The Experiment: A Week Without Coffee
A Guide to Upgrading Your Outfits (Without Spending a Fortune)
Step 5: Trying new things
Sometimes, testing the waters outside your comfort zone and experimenting with how you spend your time can be just what you need to “fix” your life back together. Try out a new hobby or go for a test class at an unusual fitness studio – and see where it takes you. Who knows, maybe what you’ve needed all along was a hot yoga class? Or a fun activity for your commute:
“As a suburban girl, probably the best thing I taught myself is to make the most of my daily commute – or any other lengthy travels. This is quite a good chunk of time to waste, so at some point I started looking for a way to make it more fun and productive. I decided it was a chance to squeeze more reading into my life and began to always bring a book with me (a softcover mainly) whenever I go. It was indeed a game changer: I grew to enjoy daily commuting and struggle less with skimming on sleep. Now, I opt for my e-reader or phone, and also a pair of noise-canceling headphones. It’s been such a consistent habit of mine that now I feel kind of empty when I forget to charge my gadgets or leave them home and have to find something else to keep myself busy,” says Marina Belyaeva, a writer and translator for ITMO.NEWS.
Credit: Alexandra Fuller on Unsplash
See also:
Beginner’s Guide to Meditation
