My Day Off Routine

I don't have a normal 9-5 job and with that comes some downsides and some upshots in terms of my schedule. Coming from a very flexible schedule in college (I had three day weekends every single weekend for almost my entire college career), adjusting to a busy, often-changing, and weekend-working schedule was difficult to say the least. While I haven't completely nailed how to spend my days off productively, I've come up with more of a routine that leaves me feeling more productive, yet well-rested on my days away from work. I've definitely learned to love having the odd weekday off, because they allow to me to focus on errands and other side projects that I just would not have the attention span for on the weekends when I feel far more inclined to be sociable. For the purposes of this blog post, I'm going to be talking about my days off that fall on the weekdays, because if and when I do have weekends off, there is almost no routine to those sorts of days. 

Morning

I am definitely an early riser and am the type of person that if they sleep past 9am feels like half of the day has already been wasted. I also know myself and my work habits well-enough to know that my most productive times are in the wee hours of the morning. I try to wake up by 7am at the very latest, but I aim to wake up at 6:30am most days. I pretty much get up and make breakfast and a cup of tea straight away, mainly because I have a really hard time thinking or being productive without a bit of fuel to get me started. While I have my breakfast cooking I'll wash my face and do my skincare routine. While I'm eating my breakfast I will tick off some of more admin-like tasks such as email and I will also take some of this time to browse through social media, especially Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram, to get some inspiration for the day and get my creative juices flowing. Around 8am I will make a to-do list of all the tasks I want to get accomplished for the day. I love making lists and it's one of the best things I can do for myself to keep myself on track and away from procrastinating. After the to-do list writing, I will slap on a bit of makeup. Some days I choose to go bare-faced, however I always feel like making a small effort in getting dressed and putting on a minimal amount of makeup always helps me to feel motivated and like I'm working even though I am at home. I will also try to, at the very least, begin writing a blog post before noon.

Afternoon

The afternoon is by far my least productive time. There's something about the sun being at its high point during the day that makes me feel extremely distracted and I often will find myself falling down a black hole of YouTube videos by about 1pm if I'm not too careful. Whenever I'm starting to feel my morning motivation trail off, which is usually around 12:30-2pm I will close my laptop and take a lunch break. I also take the afternoon to either get outside and go for a walk or do some yoga, which I haven't been great at doing lately but am trying to get into again. I find that doing some sort of exercise helps me to get my mind back into work mode and it also helps to not make me feel like I'm just sat at my desk all day long without a substantial break. Luckily, because our new place is close to Golden Gate park and the heart of the Inner Sunset, there are plenty of destinations to walk to during my mid-day break. Because I'm usually not at my most productive during the afternoon, I also take this time to read blogs that I love, add to my content schedule/ideas section in my notebook, and take blog photos since the lighting is usually at its best. 

Evening

Evenings are usually a time of wrapping up any loose ends that I might have left during the daytime. I usually have found my creative groove again by about 4pm and will finish up any writing or photo editing that needs to be done. If I have the next day off I will also take the time to make a to-do list for what I want to accomplish for the next day. I try to wrap up the day around 6pm since my boyfriend is usually home by 5:30 and I try to use the later evening to cook and just relax so my days off aren't totally dedicated to work. 

The Minimal Hair Care Routine

I am, admittedly, not all that into hair in general. I've never been very adventurous with my hair, whether it be in terms of coloring or styling. Part of this has to do with two things, 1. I have natural red hair and would never dye it (my mom would most likely disown me if I ever did) and 2. I have curly hair, which limits the kinds of hair cuts that I can get (although I'm somewhat grateful for that now). As a kid, I hated my curls, I wanted nothing more than to have straight, easy-to-manage hair. However, as an adult, I have learned how to manage and take care of my curly locks and, therefore, have been able to embrace them more than I ever did before. I've learned over my twenty-three years of life that when it comes to my hair, simplicity is best.  

My haircare routine is incredibly pared back. I use max five products at any given time, including shampoo and conditioner, and I don't see myself changing my routine anytime soon. It's also worth mentioning that I am in the process of growing my hair out at the moment, so keeping my hair in good condition and well-nourished is my top priority. First off: shampoo and conditioner, I only wash my hair about 2-3 times per week, because I have dry, curly hair I can get away with very few washings and it keeps my hair in better condition anyways. I use the Davines Love Curl Shampoo and Conditioner, even though I haven't been using these for too long, I am absolutely in love. They definitely help the condition of my hair feel considerably better and they don't weigh my curls down, like so many nourishing shampoo and conditioners do. When my hair is still pretty wet I use the Hairstory Hair Balm, which is the best hair styling cream I've come across (and, believe me, I've tried a fair few). If I want a more textured look, or I am not going to be heat styling my hair (which I do most days, but am trying to move away from), I will spray some of the Hairstory Déshabillé, which is a texture spray that mimics a sea salt spray without the crunchiness. Because I don't wash my hair too often throughout the week, I do need to use dry shampoo to keep things fresh in between washes. I don't think I've found a dry shampoo that I'm totally in love with. Most recently I've been using the original Batiste Dry Shampoo, which is a classic for a reason, however I don't feel like I need something that intense since my hair doesn't get very greasy. Last but not least is the Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray. It took me ages to finally give into the hype and buy this product, but I have to say, I'm glad I gave in eventually. I don't use this stuff on a very regular basis, but it is perfect for carrying around in your handbag to give your hair a little lift if you're going out after work. 

My Month in Film | July 2018

What a month July was! I feel like throughout the whole month I never stopped moving; imagine the energizer bunny and multiply that by ten. While it was an absolutely insane month both on a personal and a professional level, everything that happened was incredibly positive. One of the main things that made July so crazy was moving into our new apartment! The whole process has been overwhelming in a way I didn't expect it to be, but as of a couple of weeks ago, we're really starting to feel settled in our new place, and I honestly could not be happier with our apartment. Luckily, I had a lot of weekends off in July to spend time with family and friends, and thoroughly enjoy summertime (even though I'm not much of a summer person). 

Creators I'm Loving At The Moment

I scroll through Instagram far more than I'd like to admit. However, Instagram also serves as one of my greatest sources of inspiration both for me personally and this blog as a creative outlet. Ever since Instagram launched their "saved" feature, it's become more of a Pinterest-like platform that I can use to make mood boards for what is inspiring me at the moment. I follow a lot of people on Instagram, and because there are so many creators on Instagram, it can feel very overwhelming to find new creators to follow. I personally don't like the Explore page at all (a lot of it just seems very spammy), so most of the time I just find new people to follow through people that I already follow. 

Things I need this summer

8,522 Likes, 37 Comments - Nuria Val (@frecklesnur) on Instagram: "Things I need this summer"

Frecklesnur ~ I found Naria's instagram a couple of weeks ago via Lizzy Hadfield (aka Shotfromthestreet). I mainly love her account because it is just so beautiful to look at. I love the tone that all of her images have and it definitely gives me inspiration for my own photography. Also, as you could tell based from her Instagram handle, she has the most enviable freckles ever!

Good morning ☕️☕️⠀ .⠀ I had picnic with a couple of friends in our local park yesterday, and we ended up having our lunch next to grazing horses (see my stories). Kids were playing whilst we were having a catch up. It was such a nice outing that I'm thinking of doing the same thing again! Somehow food tastes so much better outdoors 😄 Do you like picnics?⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #livingroom #livingroomdecor #livingroomdesign #designspiration #interiordesigned #interiorstyling #interior4inspo #inspire_me_home_decor #interiorforyou #interiorsblogger #mynordicroom #marieclairemaison #boligmagasinetdk #livingroominspo #simpledecor #stylingtheseasons #cosyhome #thehappynow #cerealmag #modernrustic #colourmyhome #mybeautifulmess #homeinspo #elledecor #beautifulhomes #interiorinspiration #boligplussminstil #interiormagasinet

8,841 Likes, 107 Comments - Susanna Hawkins (@shnordic) on Instagram: "Good morning ☕️☕️⠀ .⠀ I had picnic with a couple of friends in our local park yesterday, and we..."

Shnordic ~ I have been throwing myself into interior inspiration over the past two months because of the move. Even though I've been finding the majority of my interiors inspiration via Pinterest, there are a few Instagram accounts that I follow almost solely for interiors content, one of my favorites being Shnordic. The account is run by Susanna Hawkins, who is a UK-based interior designer, and is a self-described "scandi maximalist". I love that her style is very chic and Scandinavian, but it all looks livable and realistic. So many interior designers create spaces that are almost too perfect to live in, but all of Susanna's spaces just create an err of comfort and ease that I hope to bring to our apartment. 

Shout out to @cosstores customer services for sourcing THE BEST jumpsuit after sorely missing out on the white version. 🙌🏻

14.2k Likes, 227 Comments - Brittany Bathgate (@brittanybathgate) on Instagram: "Shout out to @cosstores customer services for sourcing THE BEST jumpsuit after sorely missing out..."

Brittany Bathgate ~ I don't know if I could write a post about where I get inspiration on Instagram without mentioning Brittany Bathgate. She's someone that I've been following for quite some time now, but recently her content has been even more inspiring. One of the things that I love about Brittany is the way she uses proportions and shapes in her clothing to make her outfits, which are normally pretty minimal (especially in terms of color), more interesting and eye-catching. As someone who can very easily get caught in an endless cycle of wearing jeans and a t-shirt almost every day, Brittany provides some good ideas for how to mix things up and incorporate some more interesting proportions in my wardrobe. 

If anyone needs me, you'll find me here: in a cold bath, with a cold drink, enjoying the heatwave the only way I know how! ☀️ 🛀🏻 🍷 Hot sunshine is rubbish for dysautonomia but good for the soul, so I'm refusing to complain despite my activity level being reduced to that of a sloth. How's the weather in your part of the world, insta fam? #whprelax

10.7k Likes, 433 Comments - Sara Tasker (@me_and_orla) on Instagram: "If anyone needs me, you'll find me here: in a cold bath, with a cold drink, enjoying the heatwave..."

Sara Tasker ~ Sara is the absolute genius behind the blog and Instagram by the name of Me & Orla. Sara is a blogger and content creator, who is super well-versed in growing blogs and Instagram pages into full-blown businesses. Her Instagram content is not only incredibly beautiful, but useful as well. As I've been trying to get my freelance career going, her advice has been incredibly motivating and helpful, especially if you're someone who wants to grow your freelance career as organically as possible. 

Skincare Routine | Summer 2018

Even though we don't have much in the way of seasons in Northern California, I feel the need to switch up my skincare every few months to address the fact that my skin somehow reacts to the changing of the seasons even when those changes aren't all that drastic. Because I'm such a product junkie, switching up my routine every once and awhile just gets me excited and feels like a small act of self-care. I'm always pretty stream-lined about my skincare routine, but during the summer months it generally becomes even more streamlined, mainly because my skin doesn't need as much during the warmer months. 

When it comes to cleansing I generally stick to the same Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser for both morning and night, it's just so easy and basic that I don't see myself needing or wanting to try another cleanser any time soon. For my morning routine, post-cleansing I will do a light spritz of the Heritage Store Rosewater, which feels amazing especially on hotter summer days. I just started using the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Fluide Emulsion, which is a super lightweight but hydrating moisturizer, as I wanted something a tad lighter weight than my usual daily moisturizer: Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich. I like this moisturizer a lot because it's light enough to use under SPF and not end up feeling like your skin is being weighed down by a lot of heavy product. Speaking of SPF, I've been using the Glossier Invisible Shield on a daily basis, mainly because it is so lightweight and comfortable to wear. If I'm having a day where I find myself more in the sun, I use the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid SPF 70, because it's a bit more heavy-duty and the SPF is higher (although I still make sure to reapply constantly!). Last but not least is the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream, which is lightweight enough to be used under makeup. I'm not too sure how well this has been working in terms of brightening my under eye area (mainly because my dark circles are genetic), but it is a nice eye cream in terms of the texture and its ability to moisturize. 

My nighttime routine is still pretty simple, but I add in a couple of extra steps just to make it feel a bit more relaxing. Because I wear SPF on a daily basis, double cleansing is super important in making sure that my skin is clean of any and all product I used during the day. I use the Clinique Take The Day Off Balm and then follow up with the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser as my second, more lightweight cleanse. Depending on how my skin is feeling I will use an array of different products for specific skin concerns I need to address. If I have any active breakouts, my go-to is the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, I've used this solidly for the last four years or so and it works like a charm at clearing most kinds of breakouts. About every other night I will use the Glossier Solution, which is an acid exfoliant. I do like Solution, however I'm not sure if I will repurchase in the future, mainly because it didn't wow me (P50 here I come!). If my skin is feeling at all fragile, or I have residual spots that towards the end of the healing process, I use the Pai Rosehip Regenerate Oil, which is one of the best face oils if you have sensitive skin or are just new to the world of face oils in general. Finally, every night I use the Kiehls Midnight Recovery Eye Treatment under my eyes and the Drunk Elephant La La Retro Whip Face Cream as my evening moisturizer.