Welcome to this blog on “Staying Productive during Winter Break!”
Today is currently the 23rd of December, and it is the 2nd day of Winter Break. Yesterday, the first day, I spent 75% of my day watching Modern Family. I even woke up at 9, an hour later than what I wanted to wake up at. The rest of the time, I was watching random comedic Youtube videos. I told myself I was going to work out in the evening, but that didn’t end up happening because I couldn’t find the motivation to start.
As I was going to bed last night, I fell asleep with a disappointed and frustrated attitude. It was the first day of break, and it didn’t start out strong. I was exactly the opposite of what I wanted to be – productive and energized.
However, I don’t regret how I spent my time yesterday. And that’s because it inspired me to get up, work hard, and be productive. It gave me a realization that I can’t spend the rest of the break how I did yesterday. Moreover, it gave me the motivation to write this blog, not just for you, but also for me – as a plan for what to do for the rest of my break. I have 18 days left of break, and I am for sure not going to watch Modern Family for 9 hours during any of the following days.
My goal with this blog is to not only give myself a solid plan to follow during the break, but to also inspire you to make the no-school days worthwhile. It is definitely important to relax and get some rest – after all, we all deserve it – but that doesn’t mean being on our phones the whole day or being lazy.
So, without further ado, here are the 10 activities that I am going to do over break to be productive and make the most out of my time!
1. Write more blogs
When the tennis season was still in progress, I didn’t really get the time to write as many blogs as I wished I could have. After it ended, I found some time here and there to write blogs, but my blog writing routine still wasn’t as consistent. After, finals were around the corner, so I couldn’t write a blog the weekend before.
To catch up on all the blog posts that I wished I could have written earlier, I’m hoping to schedule a whole bunch of articles during the break. The ideal number of blogs I want to write is 7, but I’ll definitely be happy if I just get 5 or 6.
So, keep going back on to this website every Sunday and Thursday to read a new blog!
2. Get back into my workout routine
Secondly, I’m going to try really hard to get back into my workout routine. I used to consistently exercise 4x/week, however when tennis started, I was already getting in much exercise. I didn’t do all the strength workouts like I used to. After the tennis team ended, I couldn’t find the motivation to get back going again, as it had been a long time. I slowly got into it though, starting with 2x/week, then 3 times. However, last week I didn’t exercise because I spent the majority of my time studying for finals.
Because I have so much time on my hands now with break, I’m definitely going to make it my top priority to exercise 5x/week!
3. Create New Years’ Resolutions
2022 begins in one week. I’m still wrapping my head around 2020 and 2021, so it’s pretty crazy that 2022 is already coming up. But, because the new year is starting, it’s a fresh start me to get started on my newly-created goals and aspirations! I’m going to be writing a blog on my new years’ resolutions very soon, so stay tuned for that!
4. Organize & clean my room
*This goal is inspired by my mom. (lol)
My desks are cluttered. My closets are filled with unworn clothes. Because school isn’t on, I don’t have an excuse to not organize my desk and room anymore, so I guess I have to do it now. I’m going to trash all the unnecessary papers I have lying around in my drawers, and organize my closet by sorting out my clothes.
After all, a clean environment is another trick to be more productive, so I’m glad I’m going to finally get this done!
5. Read a book
I’ve never been into reading, not even as a little child. I realized that it’s because I don’t find fantasy and non-realistic stories interesting. So, once I started reading books on personal development and self-growth, that’s where I was fascinated.
My dad recently read the book, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” and highly recommended it for me to read. If you’re interested in buying it, go here. It’s talks about how success is not a result of talent, but instead, of grit – a blend of passion and perseverance. I may even write a blog about it soon, so stay tuned!
6. Spend time with family
Family is everything to me, so I never miss the opportunity for some family bonding and connecting. They support me with whatever I do and inspire me to follow my dreams. This winter break, I’m going to spend a lot of time with my family because they mean a lot to me. After all, the holidays are about happiness, and 98% of my happiness comes from the 3 people I spend the most time with – my parents and my sister!
7. Set academic goals
The last thing anyone wants to think about, including me, is school. However, it is beneficial to reflect on the past semester to succeed in the next semester. One thing I’m going to do towards the end of the break is reflect upon my studying strategies, what went well and what didn’t, as well as routines I want to keep the same and some things I want to change. This way, I’ll be prepared and ready to go for what’s to come in the second half of the school year!
8. Relax & have fun
Last but not least, I’m going to relax and have fun while I can. In the introduction, I mentioned being frustrated for spending much of my time watching TV one day, but that doesn’t I’m not going to waste my time a little. After all, what’s break for if not for purposely doing nothing?!
So yes, I am going to stare at a screen for 2 hours on some days. Yes, I am going to watch funny YouTube videos. But, the main message I want to convey is to have a balance between the lazy type of relaxing and the productive type. While I am going to watch TV, I’m also going to go on walks outside with my family. While I am going to just sit at my chair an stare at the wall, I’m also going to have fun conversations with my family late at night.
A mix between productive and lazy relaxation ways is the perfect blend to spend my time doing.
The Takeaway:
If you’re in middle school, high school, or college, you understand how valuable time is and how it goes by so fast. That’s why it’s always important to take advantage of the breaks you get to get caught up in your life and do whatever it is you want to do! As a recap, here’s what I’ll be doing this winter break:
- Write more blogs
- Get back into my workout routine
- Create New Years’ Resolutions
- Organize & clean my rooom
- Read a book
- Spend time with family
- Set academic goals
- Relax & have fun
If you’re interested in our productivity blogs, check out Chase’s blog on 5 hacks to be more productive!
For more productivity content, check out this super quick video on how to stay productive over winter break!
Whenever you’re reading this, I hope this blog inspired you to take action during your next break, no matter how long or short of a break it is! And remember, relaxing IS being productive. So, don’t be afraid to take as much time as you need to refresh and recharge yourself while you can!
These 8 activities above are what I’ll be doing for the next few weeks. What are you going to be doing? Comment down below!
With that, have a great day and enjoy your break!
