Garance Galore

Hi there!

Welcome back to the blog! I hope you are doing well.

Life has become insanely busy and stressful for me lately. I am currently pursuing my Master’s degree to become a French teacher and I have to plan every single lesson for my practice, study for upcoming exams, submit assignments, and work on my thesis while also working part-time.

I’m busier than ever, but surprisingly, I am handling it pretty well (for the moment). Being busier than usual has pushed me to develop strategies, and today, I’d like to share them with you because we all go through busy seasons, and I am sure that December is not an easy month for many (if not most) of us. Whether it is celebration planning, gifts, hosting family, school, kids, or work, most of us have a lot going on, and I hope these few pieces of advice can help you survive this season of life.

One problem at a time

I am the kind of person who enjoys having things under control. Let’s call a cat a cat: I am (kinda) controlling. I like knowing what will happen and when. This means that I don’t ‘go with the flow’; I need a plan. So, whenever I feel like my world is falling apart, I will get my planner (you can just take a piece of paper or even your phone) and write down everything that is causing me anxiety.

Then, I will try to find a solution. If I am stressed out about all the assignments I have to finish by January, I will start by listing them chronologically and work on one of them. Once it is done, I’ll cross it off. Writing things down and focusing on doing one thing at a time actually relaxes me. I am still stressed out, but at least I am stressed about one thing at a time! ; )

Be organized

I could write a whole post to discuss this topic – I love everything that has to do with organization because it gives me the illusion that I have everything under control. I use Google Calendar to organize my time, and I like to have a to-do list ready each week with the tasks I will be focusing on. Of course, you have to stay somewhat flexible, but these are amazing tools to keep a clear and focused mind. I like to use the Microsoft To-Do app as I can use it on both my laptop and phone. I use it to brainstorm and keep all the things I need to tackle in one place. But on a daily basis, I would use my planner because I prefer writing things down. Organization looks different for everyone, but once you find an effective organization system, you can never go back!

Prioritize resting

No matter how busy I am, my priority is always resting. Of course, like I said earlier, we are all going through different seasons. If you have a newborn and have no choice but to wake up all night and go on with your responsibilities the next day, prioritizing rest will look different for you. But making sure I have good sleep is crucial because if I do not rest as I should, I will not be able to function properly. There is nothing worse than going through the day feeling exhausted. It will affect my efficiency, mood, and energy level. So, if I have to rain check on dinner with friends to get a few extra hours in bed or watch my favorite show and relax, I will not feel guilty. And you should not either!

Find time for hobbies

It is so important to find time to engage in hobbies; to remind yourself that life is more than just responsibilities and ‘to do’s.

The reason why I enjoy being organized is that it allows me to rest and engage in things I actually love doing without feeling like I could be studying instead. If I have a plan and I know what I need to do and for when it is, then my free time actually becomes free time! I don’t have to worry about finishing my assignments or preparing  presentations because I already allocated time to do these tasks. I can simply enjoy whatever I am doing without feeling overwhelmed, guilty, or stressed. Since I started knitting, I discovered the power of hobbies – it feels like resting your soul while engaging in a fun activity.

Enjoy time with your loved ones

I don’t know about you, but whenever I am with my family, I forget about everything else; I simply enjoy the moment. During my bachelor’s, I used to spend most of my weekends with my family, and these moments literally got me through university.

It can be hard to deal with so much on your own, and being surrounded by caring, loving, and supporting people truly reminds you that there is more to life than whatever you are stressing about.

I remember spending hours with my aunt, drinking tea and discussing life, forgetting about all these small things that were eating me from inside. Now that I live in another country far from them, my family is my partner. We’ll sit on the couch and talk about our day, laugh, and forget about the daily noise. For you, this might be your best friends, colleagues, or neighbours. Whoever it is, try spending more quality time with your loved ones. There is no better remedy!

Acknowledge what you have achieved

I realized that the most hard-working people I know rarely give themselves the credit they deserve. We as humans spend so much time thinking about our next accomplishments, challenges, and goals that we forget to cheer ourselves up for all the great things we have achieved. Sometimes all we need to do is give ourselves a break and take a second to realize how far we’ve come. No matter how normal or common it seems, you did it! And I am not only referring to what society deems ‘successful’ like graduating or having a high paying job. Being a good partner, doing your best, following your dreams, living by your morals, and trying to be a good person (whatever that means to you) are all reasons to be proud of yourself. Take a minute of your day and reflect on who you have become and how proud seven-years-old you would be right now!

Treat yourself

Whenever I work hard and push through, I like to treat myself. No matter how small, in my house, all victories are celebrated.

Treating yourself will look different depending on your taste, finances, or the time you have. But if I had a long week or a harsh day at work, I would pass by my favorite pastry shop and buy myself a slice of red velvet. And every time I sit down and eat my piece of cake, I proudly enjoy every bite – because I deserved it! And no one will convince me otherwise. This could just be that I tend to romanticize my life, but I guess it does work so I’ll keep on living in my own little fantasy world!

I hope you enjoyed spending these few minutes with me. I wish you the best of luck with whatever you are going through. And don’t forget to clap for yourself every time you get a chance!

Garance xx