Showing posts with label The Open University. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Open University. Show all posts
It is with a heavy heart that I sit and write this post. I've written it many times in my head over the past month or so, and this is the third actual time that I've sat and written it. I'm going on a Sabbatical of sorts.
I've sat and debated this decision for quite some time now. I've literally become burnt out from reading and reviewing the books that I am grateful to have been given. I'm no longer enjoying reading, and have no energy or desire to blog right now, which for me is a HUGE red flag and one that I have to take notice of.
I've been here before when I was a life coach and was literally run off my feet blogging, reviewing, studying, working 4 days a week in a primary school, and trying to keep it all together. Something else that has made me finally make the decision to take a sabbatical is that for the past 2 weeks i've been unwell with an ear infection - labyrinthitis and it has triggered my asthma. Now, anyone who knows me, knows that for my entire life my asthma has been controlled and has never caused a problem. Needless to say that with my asthma actually being affected and having to use an additional inhaler (I now use 3), really scared me, and upset me beyond words. My body is literally worn out. It's even more worn out due to my extreme anxiety which I've been suffering with.
Now, it's not the blogging and reviewing on it's own that has worn me out, I've had to deal with a HUGE amount of messiness this year. I haven't enjoyed summer as a relationship broke down and it was awful, one of my lovely accountancy friends actually described the way he treated me during the break up was cruel and inhuman. I agree with her now. On top of that, I've had the news that my Auntie has been diagnosed with Cancer - she's going to have treatment and i'm praying she will be OK. But, all in all, 2015 has been a rubbish year of sorts.
I have so much to do study wise, I am in my final year at University so this is where it really counts, this is my final chance to secure the degree classification I dream of, I'm also studying my Level 4 in Accountancy which is taking such a huge amount of time and effort, and all in all, I have to say, i'm surrounded by books from studying, and then the piles keep mounting physically and on my kindle for reviews and I'm in a state of despair. I have shelves of books that I've paid for and not even opened yet. I flicked through my Instagram account the other night, came across a post of books I've bought... 53 weeks ago! And I've not read them yet! This has to change. For me.
So, I HAVE to take a break, I have to.
For me this break won't be utterly cold turkey, I'll still pop on and post about books I read and have time to review, and i'll honour the blog tours I have signed up for. Also, I'll post shorter posts of a lifestyle theme to help me not feel so overwhelmed with it all, and also allow you, my readers to see a different side to who I am.
I want to blog and I want to review, but I want it to be enjoyable and less intense. This is meant to be a hobby, It's not my career, I don't get paid to be this stressed, tired and worn out, and I have to listen to what I need and want in life. I could say that I'm sitting here blubbing as I write this, but i'm honest, I'm not. I'm too tired to cry about it.
How long will I be 'gone'?
I honestly don't know. Like I said, I won't be going cold turkey, and i'll still be around, but I won't be machine and robotic lie with my posts. When I post it will be hopefully have energy, punch, enthusiasm, and ooze ME in them. I know that I want to enjoy the run up to Christmas, the novels, the crochet, the snuggling up to watch a movie, all without feeling the pressure to quickly review and rate the book sat staring at me asking me why the hell I am sleeping when I could be reading.
I think I've said what I need to say right now, so I shall end it here. Remember it's not goodbye... it's not a break-up, it's not even a separation. Its a healthy sabbatical that lets me do my thing and you do yours.
I've sat and debated this decision for quite some time now. I've literally become burnt out from reading and reviewing the books that I am grateful to have been given. I'm no longer enjoying reading, and have no energy or desire to blog right now, which for me is a HUGE red flag and one that I have to take notice of.
I've been here before when I was a life coach and was literally run off my feet blogging, reviewing, studying, working 4 days a week in a primary school, and trying to keep it all together. Something else that has made me finally make the decision to take a sabbatical is that for the past 2 weeks i've been unwell with an ear infection - labyrinthitis and it has triggered my asthma. Now, anyone who knows me, knows that for my entire life my asthma has been controlled and has never caused a problem. Needless to say that with my asthma actually being affected and having to use an additional inhaler (I now use 3), really scared me, and upset me beyond words. My body is literally worn out. It's even more worn out due to my extreme anxiety which I've been suffering with.
Now, it's not the blogging and reviewing on it's own that has worn me out, I've had to deal with a HUGE amount of messiness this year. I haven't enjoyed summer as a relationship broke down and it was awful, one of my lovely accountancy friends actually described the way he treated me during the break up was cruel and inhuman. I agree with her now. On top of that, I've had the news that my Auntie has been diagnosed with Cancer - she's going to have treatment and i'm praying she will be OK. But, all in all, 2015 has been a rubbish year of sorts.
I have so much to do study wise, I am in my final year at University so this is where it really counts, this is my final chance to secure the degree classification I dream of, I'm also studying my Level 4 in Accountancy which is taking such a huge amount of time and effort, and all in all, I have to say, i'm surrounded by books from studying, and then the piles keep mounting physically and on my kindle for reviews and I'm in a state of despair. I have shelves of books that I've paid for and not even opened yet. I flicked through my Instagram account the other night, came across a post of books I've bought... 53 weeks ago! And I've not read them yet! This has to change. For me.
So, I HAVE to take a break, I have to.
For me this break won't be utterly cold turkey, I'll still pop on and post about books I read and have time to review, and i'll honour the blog tours I have signed up for. Also, I'll post shorter posts of a lifestyle theme to help me not feel so overwhelmed with it all, and also allow you, my readers to see a different side to who I am.
I want to blog and I want to review, but I want it to be enjoyable and less intense. This is meant to be a hobby, It's not my career, I don't get paid to be this stressed, tired and worn out, and I have to listen to what I need and want in life. I could say that I'm sitting here blubbing as I write this, but i'm honest, I'm not. I'm too tired to cry about it.
How long will I be 'gone'?
I honestly don't know. Like I said, I won't be going cold turkey, and i'll still be around, but I won't be machine and robotic lie with my posts. When I post it will be hopefully have energy, punch, enthusiasm, and ooze ME in them. I know that I want to enjoy the run up to Christmas, the novels, the crochet, the snuggling up to watch a movie, all without feeling the pressure to quickly review and rate the book sat staring at me asking me why the hell I am sleeping when I could be reading.
I think I've said what I need to say right now, so I shall end it here. Remember it's not goodbye... it's not a break-up, it's not even a separation. Its a healthy sabbatical that lets me do my thing and you do yours.
Hi there,
This is a new thing I'm trying out on my blog because to be honest I was so close to saying goodbye to this blog because I have found that my love for reading right now - with everything that is going on in my life - has just kind of upped and left me.
Do you know what I found out about myself doing this?
1) That I CAN actually fit everything in during the day
2) That getting things done is far more enjoyable when you're doing it in colour
3) Planning you week/day can be really good fun
4) Having a routine is good... it's healthy... and I totally got this one from a very special person in my life.
So today, I upped the ante on my planner addiction by hitting Sainsbury's (complete with my labryrinthitis - which was not fun with all the noise going on) and seeing what goodies they had.
I am always the first person to drag whomever I'm with into the stationary store and spend hours looking at all the pretty things... because they are pretty gorgeous aren't they? But sometimes, especially now, your supermarket carries a lot of gorgeous stationary too. So let's take a look at what pretties I got today.
First up, I got myself a brand new diary - I know what you're thinking; "But, you ALREADY have a diary". Yes, I do. Bit this one is specifically going to be to plan and monitor my studies. You see, I'm currently studying 3... yes THREE courses. Firstly, I'm doing my level 4 AAT Accounting Advanced Diploma with Kaplan Financial, And Children's Literature, and Marketing & Finance with The Open University. The last two courses, with The Open University, will complete my degree, and this time next year i'll be a graduate... FINALLY!!
Anyway, so as you can see, I need to be able to clearly plan my time effectively and keep track of assignments, exams, tutorials, etc. Here's the pretty diary I picked up today from Sainsbury's.
Next up, I began thinking about my pretty personal planner/organiser and feeling a little more ready to attempt some major prettifying of my planner I picked up these utterly gorgeous gift tags - yes, gift tags - to use in my planner as book marks, writing down really special occasions, amazing things that happened during the week etc... and they will be so easy to attach with a bit of washi tape and they'll look cute and adorable, and will make me want to USE my planner and BE more organised. At 49p for 3 tags, I swept up 6 packs for a tiny £3, again from Sainsbury's.
So I want to share with you my haul from Sainsbury's for my planner.
I've become a bit of a planner addict/freak/junkie/lover! It's true, for someone who is still struggling with fitting everything in I decided a few months ago to try and become more organised. So I grabbed my diary (which I'll be honest, is empty until a couple of months ago), and my rather snazzy fineliners that I picked up super cheap from Wilko's, and I began to plan my week. I think it was a conversation with my Mum about being almost 27 AKA A TwirtieSomething (Twenty coming Thirty = Twirty) and needing to get some proper organisation in my life now... that kicked me up the bum to try this.
Do you know what I found out about myself doing this?
1) That I CAN actually fit everything in during the day
2) That getting things done is far more enjoyable when you're doing it in colour
3) Planning you week/day can be really good fun
4) Having a routine is good... it's healthy... and I totally got this one from a very special person in my life.
So today, I upped the ante on my planner addiction by hitting Sainsbury's (complete with my labryrinthitis - which was not fun with all the noise going on) and seeing what goodies they had.I am always the first person to drag whomever I'm with into the stationary store and spend hours looking at all the pretty things... because they are pretty gorgeous aren't they? But sometimes, especially now, your supermarket carries a lot of gorgeous stationary too. So let's take a look at what pretties I got today.
First up, I got myself a brand new diary - I know what you're thinking; "But, you ALREADY have a diary". Yes, I do. Bit this one is specifically going to be to plan and monitor my studies. You see, I'm currently studying 3... yes THREE courses. Firstly, I'm doing my level 4 AAT Accounting Advanced Diploma with Kaplan Financial, And Children's Literature, and Marketing & Finance with The Open University. The last two courses, with The Open University, will complete my degree, and this time next year i'll be a graduate... FINALLY!!
Anyway, so as you can see, I need to be able to clearly plan my time effectively and keep track of assignments, exams, tutorials, etc. Here's the pretty diary I picked up today from Sainsbury's.
 |
| The paperclips were on sale for 75p, and the diary was £1.50 |
Yes, you've noticed that 'just picking up a diary for my student days' quickly turns into a mental conversation that says;
"Oooh I need those paperclips too... paperclips are useful things, I might need them, no i'll definitely need them, and look at how pretty they are" ... and into the trolley they go.
Next up, I began thinking about my pretty personal planner/organiser and feeling a little more ready to attempt some major prettifying of my planner I picked up these utterly gorgeous gift tags - yes, gift tags - to use in my planner as book marks, writing down really special occasions, amazing things that happened during the week etc... and they will be so easy to attach with a bit of washi tape and they'll look cute and adorable, and will make me want to USE my planner and BE more organised. At 49p for 3 tags, I swept up 6 packs for a tiny £3, again from Sainsbury's.
So, there you have it, my mini stationary haul from Sainsbury's. It's not massive, it didn't cost massive amounts of money, I think I spent just over £5 in total, so it was a nice little haul that will make my year more organised, pretty, and enjoyable.
I hope you've enjoyed my little post and I apologise about the pictures.. I promise I will get better at them. It's been really fun writing this and it's been a nice little break from blogging about books. And it does help to explain my NEW blog banner... So i'll definitely be doing little posts like this from time to time about exciting hauls or things that make my Twirties Life a little more enjoyable.
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