Hi guys! As a medical student and general procrastinator of everything in life, I'm always looking for ways to make myself more productive. Over the last year or two I've tried a lot of different strategies to try and increase my productivity and I think I've finally found some that work pretty well for me, so I thought I'd share some of them with you today.

Work out if you're able to study with music on. 

I used to think I could study fine with music on, but lately I've found that it can get in the way of me remembering things as effectively. Through a bit of trial and error, I've worked out that there are certain situations where music can help me and others where it just stops me from thinking straight. For example, when I'm just copying down notes listening to music can help keep me motivated, whereas when I'm trying to understand or memorise a complicated concept music most definitely does not help! So it's best to work out whether you're able to focus better with or without music so you can be as productive as possible.

Listen to music on a seperate device to what you're studying on. 

This might sound like a weird tip, but stick with me! If you do find that you can listen to music whilst studying, make a point of doing it on a seperate device-for example if you're typing on your laptop, listen to music from your phone or iPod if possible. My reasoning for this is that if I have my headphones plugged into my laptop, i'm ten times more likely to just click into Youtube or Facebook and start watching videos-whereas if I have my headphones plugged into something else, that little effort of unplugging them and then plugging them into my laptop can discourage me from getting distracted. I'm not sure if this just makes me sound super lazy, but it works!

Install a blocking software. 

If you're anything like me, you can try as many nice techniques like leaving your phone in another room as you like...I'll still find a way to get on Facebook and waste half an hour in the blink of an eye. I finally gave up playing nice with myself a while ago and installed a blocking software on my laptop. I use StayFocusd, which is a google chrome extension, and I'd totally recommend it-I've tailored it to let me on Facebook for only 15 minutes per day, and then it blocks my access until the next day. I've also deleted the Facebook app from my phone (I kept messenger though) which is really helpful. It might sound a bit hardcore but it seriously helps if you're lacking in the self control department like me!

Change up your location. 

This is a tip that can be a bit hit-and-miss with me, but when it works it seriously works! If I'm really struggling to get myself in the zone trying to get work done in my usual study spot, it can often help to move to a new spot to try and get myself in the right mindset. I can sometimes find it hard to settle in a new spot, but if I'm not getting things done in my usual place I'll take a little break to reset, make some coffee or a snack and take myself to a new spot to start over-usually somewhere outside or the library. Sometimes a fresh start is all you need to kick yourself into being productive!

Be kind to yourself. 

I'm such a reward oriented person (aren't we all?), so I find it really useful to consistently reward myself with breaks or snacks (healthy ones where possible) whilst studying. I also find it super useful to tell myself I can do something really nice in the evening if I just get this done, like go out for dinner or watch a movie. I find it so motivating when I know I have to get things done so I can go have my fun time afterwards! 

I'm now going to ruin your good impression of me being super productive by telling you I'm writing this post while procrastinating finishing a uni assignment... #soproductive

So what methods do you guys use to increase your productivity? I'd love to know! 

Kate x

Little Happy Things

Hi guys! I was scrolling through Pinterest the other day and kept coming across these lists of 'some good things' and it got me thinking about the kind of little things that give me a lot of happiness. So for today's post I thought I'd make my own list of 'Happy Things' to share with you.

HAPPY THINGS:

• The feel of sand on your toes
• Breakfast foods at any time of the day
• That burst of energy when you're on a run and you just have to start sprinting
• The moment when you first dive under the water to go swimming and the world just melts away
• When you look at a friend and have that big surge of affection and think 'I like you. You're an excellent human'
• Getting lost in a bookstore
• Doggy cuddles
• The feeling of contentment when you've been hiking all day and finally get to your campsite
• When you realise Christmas is coming soon
• Spending an evening with your family and feeling all wrapped up in love and fondness
• Bunches of flowers 
• Quiet moments sitting near the sea
• That feeling when you first hear a song and know after 2 seconds that you're going to love it
• When you're a bit tipsy and you're laughing with your friends and everything is happy and bubbly
• Dancing all night
• Disney movies
• Skype calls with friends in other countries who make you feel like everything is right in the world
• An outfit that works just as well as you'd imagined it
• Massive cosy scarves on a chilly day
• The boss-ass bitch feeling when you're carrying a takeaway coffee
• Clear blue sky breezy days
• Waking up in a new country
• Finding a cute spot to study
• When motivation strikes out of nowhere and suddenly you're gonna change the world
• Long comfortable chats while watching the sunset

I'm sure I could sit here forever coming up with these but I have an assignment to finish so I'll leave it at that! Perhaps I could do a second edition at some point? Writing this has honestly left me feeling so warm and fuzzy-life is good! 

Do you guys like these things too? What are your 'Happy Things'?

Kate x

40 Beauty Questions Tag

Hi guys! I was tagged by the lovely Kathy from alongcamekathy to do this post and I am finally getting around to doing it! Kathy has a wonderful lifestyle and beauty blog and also designs some gorgeous graphics such as this one, so go check her out! 

The Ultimate Self-Love Playlist

Hi guys! If you hadn't noticed already, my blog has a bit of a self-love theme going on at the moment. I've been feeling really positive lately and wanted to share the vibes with you all, and what better way to do that than a playlist?! Music has the power to cheer me up like nothing else, and I have a list of these songs that I go back to every time I'm needing a bit of a confidence boost. I hope you enjoy the ones I've picked out for you!

1. Brave Honest Beautiful- Fifth Harmony
2. Gold- Britt Nicole
3. Try- Colbie Callait
4. Believe It- Cimorelli
5. A Little Too Much-Shawn Mendes
6. Be As You Are- Mike Posner
7. Kon-Tiki- Magnus
8. Firework- Katy Perry
9.Who Says- Selena Gomez
10. Love Myself- Hailee Steinfeld
11. Fight Song- Rachel Platten
12. Born This Way- Lady Gaga
13. Brave- Sara Bareilles
14. Boss- Fifth Harmony
15. Who You Are- Jessie J
16. Dog Days are Over- Florence + The Machine
17. Don't Stop Believing- Journey
18. Sit Still, Look Pretty- Daya
19. Still That Girl- Britt Nicole.
20.Confident- Demi Lovato
21. Roar- Katy Perry
22. Wings- Little Mix
23. Reflection-Fifth Harmony.
24. Skyscraper- Demi Lovato

You can find the playlist on Spotify here. I'm sure I've missed some awesome songs as there's so many great self-love songs out there, so please do tell me your favourites in the comments!
Kate x

P.S As a little side note, literally ALL of Britt Nicole's songs are amazing to calm your soul and restore your strength, I often listen to her album when I'm having a tough day and it does wonders for your confidence! I'd definitely recommend checking her out if you enjoyed the songs I included here!

Welcome To The Crybaby Club

I'm a crybaby. I always have been. Tears have been the way I expressed my emotions since the moment I first arrived on this earth, and unlike most others I never seemed to properly grow out of it. I've gone through life feeling like I'm too sensitive, that I cry too easily and there must be something wrong with me-everyone else can control their emotions, why am I always crying all over the place?

It's taken me so many years of struggling with all these emotions to start to come to terms with this part of myself. That is, until I discovered The Crybaby Club!

A photo posted by The Crybaby Club (@crybabygirlgang) on Aug 30, 2016 at 9:21am PDT

For those that haven't heard of it, The Crybaby Club is a girl gang and website celebrating the more emotional residents of the world. I'd try to rephrase their motto but it's literally perfect! They are dedicated to 'celebrating sensitivity as strength, lifting each other in love and support, and proving that just because we cry doesn't mean we can't get things done'. This just speaks to me so much. That little part of me that has always been ashamed of my tears feels so much more ok with all this love and understanding directed towards it!

Another post that got me thinking on this subject was this one from Hannah Witton, where she talks about the last 3 times she cried. I really loved this post because it helps to normalise tears as a very valid coping mechanism for dealing with whatever life throws at you (is there anything better than having a good cry then drying your eyes and moving on with life??) Just to add to that discussion, I thought I'd share with you the last 3 times I cried:

1. I thought too much about life and how fast it's rushing by and got a bit scared. Please excuse me while I go and lie face-down on my bed and have an Existential Crisis of Dan Howell proportions.

2. I watched a ridiculously cheesy Hindi movie in which I started sobbing uncontrollably at the end when everyone was in love and it was all happily-ever-after.

3. I wasn't invited to a party that almost all of my friends were at, which I was totally fine about until I saw all their snapchat stories dancing and having fun without me...the FOMO was so real! 

So, are you a crybaby too? It's time to celebrate all of us emotional human beings who just need a good cry to make life alright every now and again! After all, there are a lot worse things than a few tears right?

Here's to us crybabies all over the world, embracing our tears as strength!

Kate x