Time Management + Juggling Two Passions

You may have already read about this, but I'm almost done with my Clinical Psychology Doctorate while working with my business (Aragma) for the past two years. Saying it has been a challenge doesn't do it justice. It has been a series of good habits what has allowed me to make it all happen simultaneously. A lot of people constantly ask me how do I time manage and juggle seamlessly between these two jobs/passions, and, the answer is: implementing habits that allow me to work within my personal limits while focusing always on the task at hand. Below you'll find a list which I'll explain in more depth with hopes of inspiring you to do the same and pursue all of your passions.

1. Don't plan for more than one week ahead: this has been the hardest to accomplish but the most important. Before applying this method I would fill my entire calendar and make what felt like a never-ending to do list that I would never finish. So that was the first step to changing things up... I decided to plan weekly, everything from work to self-care and meals. I write my weekly to-do-list and whatever I can't finish rolls over to the next one, and so on. This leads me to point number 2.

2. Get a visual calendar: and I mean, get yourself a big a$$ calendar and put it on your wall. Markers are great because you can write, erase and move things around. I'm not a fan of the saying "it's written down in stone"... in reality, nothing is and days change and evolve, that's why we need to allow for flexibility in our calendars.

3. Make a weekly to-do-list but choose three things to do each day: THIS WAS A GAME CHANGER FOR ME. I would feel so overwhelmed with my to-do-list that I NEVER FELT ACCOMPLISHED. It was horrible and felt like punishment. So now, I make the weekly to do list (refer to point #1) and choose three things to do each day. Again, if I don't finish those three, I redesign the week and roll it over to another day.

4. Schedule a weekly self-care day: this is extremely important and can be one of those three things on that day's to-do-list. Whether it's getting your nails done, getting a massage, going to the chiropractor, exercising, putting on that face mask, or just doing nothing at all, do whatever you feel will get you relaxed. I'm still working on this one because although I do schedule this day, I end up working on a lot of stuff to catch up, which leads me to being over-worked. Sadly, last week I experienced exhaustion fatigue and trust me you don't want to experience this ever. So take that break and reward yourself with some well deserved me-time!

5. Last but not least - MINDFULNESS: having two passions/jobs means my list is overflowing and never-ending, so how do I stay focused on te task at hand? Mindfulness is my answer. I always have a million things on my mind, so being mindful means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens. When I practice mindfulness, my thoughts tune into whatever I'm sensing at the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future. I've seen that being mindful allows me to accomplish my to-so-lists and change seamlessly between them, regardless of whether I'm going from psychology to fashion or fashion to psychology.