Winter break is finally coming up! I know that this semester of school has been hard on everyone- kids in kindergarten to seniors in college alike- and I know that we could all use this rest and downtime. However, it can be jarring to go from being swamped with work to doing nothing at all, so I’ve written this post to hopefully help you with the transition from school to break (and back again) and give you ideas to treat yourself for your hard work!
Because school has become such a constant part of our lives, you might find yourself getting lazy or bored during break, and wanting some mental stimulation. To keep your mind (and body) active during these two weeks, or more if you’re in college, here are a few productive but healthy and relaxing ideas! Utilizing a break to balance between preparing yourself for the next semester and relaxing can have great effects and let you be positioned for success!
1. Start a Journal!
Journaling has proven to have many benefits. They can be helpful emotionally- something that is needed during these uncertain and worrying times. Journaling can help relieve anxiety, track moods, vent emotions, and help work on self improvement and awareness! Additionally, the internet is full of journaling prompts to help you get started.
As you journal, you should notice more things about yourself and see what strengths you have or what weaknesses you need to work on. Journaling can also be therapeutic- in our digital and fast paced world, it allows for a small moment of detox and self reflection in your day that will definitely help in the long run.
Another journaling idea can be a gratitude journal! These journals help with positive outlooks and motivation.
Many people also create journals for goals or tasks, typically called bullet journals, and if you are the artistic type, you will love these! Feel free to draw, section, or outline your journal in any way you want. If you struggle with prioritizing or being organized with your tasks, this is a great way to practice and get started with productivity or the break. Creating a habit of daily goals and tasks gets your mind ready for whatever chores you need to do, along with schoolwork, and keeps it less cluttered, as you have less things to manually remember. Also- cmon, isn’t it satisfying to check off a box every time you finish a task?
2. Clean!
On the same tangent as declutter, cleaning can be a surprisingly helpful and therapeutic start to your break. Personally, I need a clean workspace and living space to relax and work properly. A mess tends to weigh on your mind and can create a chaotic atmosphere, further contributing to declining your mental health. Taking a day to clean up and organize can be very beneficial and lead to less hassles in the future- in fact, even setting up five minutes a day to clean up for yourself can lead to a good cleaning habit and a cleaner workspace/living space!
3. Create a Routine
Creating downtime in today’s learning and working atmosphere can be incredibly difficult. Productivity is emphasized for many people, even in the middle of a pandemic, but fully virtual endeavors can be draining, even if it’s only mentally. Establishing a routine in your life can give you a moment to relax, reflect, and incorporate healing or other activities in your life so that you can balance work and yourself and your entertainment!
Many people have morning routines which include some sort of workout, showering, skincare, journaling, and breakfast. Others can have night time routines which are structured similarly- exercise, dinner, some sort of entertainment, journaling, and then bed. You can even create smaller routines such as an exercise routine or a shower routine. Don’t feel pressured to make a perfect or complex routine, however, anything you can do to help alleviate the stress and bustle of daily life should be healthy and great for you! Some people have two step routines and others have ten step routines; all that matters is that your routine is great for you!
4. Pick up a Comfort Craft!
I know you must have heard of a comfort food, but a comfort craft? I have always been an artsy and creative person- even if I'm not the best at art- and find it to be relaxing and comforting. Sure, TV shows and books are great, but sometimes I find myself wanting to make something with my hands. Cue the comfort crafts! I refer to comfort crafts as little hobbies such as painting, crocheting, or embroidering that you can do creatively, without needing a device, and have fun while doing it. Comfort crafts have an additional plus: they can serve as awesome gifts, décor, or even clothing and blankets. Here are some ideas of crafts and hobbies you can pick up this break! -Crocheting
-Painting/drawing
-Embroidery
-Cross stitch
-Cooking/Baking
-Card making
-Bookbinding
-Pottery
-Soap-making
-Carving
-Woodworking
.
5. Entertainment!
This is an old one, but a good one. You can never go wrong with a good TV show, book, movie, or podcast. Although you should definitely not consume too much media, sometimes it’s a need to curl up in bed with some food and turn on your favorite show. I’ll make a quick list of some of my recommendations!
TV
-YOU (thriller, romance)
-Good Girls (comedy, thriller)
-The Umbrella Academy (comedy, fantasy)
-Empresses in the Palace (drama, chinese)
-Castlevania (anime, fantasy)
-Sherlock (mystery, thriller)
-The Haunting of Bly Manor (horror, drama)
-Mindhunter (true crime)
Movies
-A Simple Favor (mystery, drama)
-Snowpiercer (dystopian)
-Portrait of a Lady on Fire (romance, LBGTQ)
-The Old Guard (fantasy, action)
-Arrival (sci-fi)
-The Favorite (historical, LGBTQ)
-#Alive (horror, action)
-Telekinesis (action, feel-good)
-Erased (action, thriller)
-Drishyam (action, thriller)
