Restful sleep. What a concept.
The boundaries between home life and work life couldn't be more blurred. It doesn't help that the sun goes down at 5 o'clock or that there's not much else to do when it's negative zero outside after a long day of Zoom meetings. I have always been good about my sleep, or else I'll have to suffer the next day and no one wants a grumpy Natalie. As a college student, I've also realized that I have way more energy and motivation to do things at night, but I fall the brunt of not giving myself the time to wind down, decompress, and fully relax.
With everything going on in the world, I have revalued my need for a restful sleep, coming to terms with those thought clouds, and maintaining a routine that actually works and allows me to wake up fully rested and ready to get on with whatever the day may bring. I would consider myself as someone who wants to make the most of my days. If I sleep in too long, I'll feel unproductive, guilty, and like I can't get into the rhythm of whatever I need to accomplish. However, I also know that I need to allow myself to rest when I really need it. Establishing these boundaries, especially for sleep, is something that a good friend taught me—I think we can all adapt healthier and more mindful ways to get some more hours to snooze.
Before Bed...
I've shared some of my past bedtime routines and they usually consist of doing the normal humanly tasks: brushing my teeth, getting on comfy clothes, putting on some yummy lotion, maybe making some tea, doing a face mask etc. I try to make sure I allow myself some time to just prep for a good night's sleep. Refilling my water, playing some lo-fi tunes, and grabbing as many extra blankets I have on hand is always a bedtime necessity. Sleep is such a normal thing, so why should it be so hard to do sometimes?
Well, as someone who has struggled with mental health blips and anxiety, I find that dealing with the never-ending cycle of flurrying thoughts in my mind can be put to rest if I focus on my breathing and remember that I have no time to waste on dwelling on what I can and can't control. The mediation app, Headspace, has really helped me focus on my breathing, putting the traffic of my thoughts in front of me, and watching them drive by until I am sound asleep. I've even fallen asleep during a guided meditation, so I can whole heartedly say that this app is worth it.
Sometimes when my bedtime routine needs some reinforcements, I like to read myself to sleep. So, instead of staring at Tik Tok before bed and having the blue light over stimulate my mind, I've been really into reading lately just to get my head ready for bed. I've also heard a lot about the Olly Sleep Gummies which are naturally-derived melatonin supplements and they have really made a difference in allowing me to get to sleep quicker and wake up refreshed, too.
If catching some Z's is hard for you, I get it. This past year has altered all of our normal routines, so I would highly recommend creating boundaries for yourself before bedtime. Allot a couple of hours to decompress, do some self care, and remember that sleep is a necessary thing for us to live and function at our fullest potential. I know a lot of people who LOVE sleep, and I have to give it to them, a warm and cozy bed can cure anything. What's your bedtime routine like and how has it changed?
A Never Ending Story...
Like thousands of millions of people, finding a job during the middle of a pandemic is stressful to say the least. I feel for many people who have lost their jobs, been furloughed, and who have to now adapt to working remotely. This process is never a light undertaking and in fact, as a college senior, I have been more overwhelmed trying to navigate career options.
As internship applications and entry level job opportunities roll out come spring, I have been making the most of the hyper-virtual landscape we're living in to best optimize the job search. In all honesty, I have no idea exactly what I want to do, but I have a few ideas of where I want to start. As a major in public relations and advertising, most entry level jobs are on the Assistant Account Executive level in a lot of mid-size and large PR agencies.
With Chicago being the epicenter of public relations agencies and communication firms, there are a lot to choose from. I'm lucky enough to have been able to facilitate close relations with employees through PRSSA, which has allowed me to develop a close-knit network and get to know some of the HR recruiters pretty well. At this point, I am weighing all options and with an open mind. I realize, though, that not many people have those resources, so here are a few things I've been doing to get my career options on track that I've found to alleviate the stress and pressure in finding job opportunities fully remote.
Sprucing Up my Resume
One of the easiest things you can do that will make you stand out to recruiters is updating your resume and work experience on a document that is cohesive and easy to read. There are a lot of companies that can provide resume reviews and even your college's career center can be a big help with them. I think color and a unique font that is readable and sophisticated is a great way to stand out as recruiters go through hundreds of them a day.
I was thinking of doing a blog post solely on creating a great resume, so stay tuned! It's always important to start compiling your past work and education experiences so that you can develop a sense of what transferable skills you've learned and how you can elevate your experiences to cater to a position you might apply for in the future.
Maintaining Relations Within my Network
One of the best ways you can stay connected is through LinkedIn. There's also Handshake and the new app, Clubhouse, where you can stay up to date on all things in your desired industry. You can connect with people who work at places you dream of working at, start a conversation with an intern to get a feel for the work they do, or share your portfolio with prospective recruiters, too!
I always try to follow up with people I've met at professional development events, conferences, or who I worked with in previous roles to maintain those relations and perhaps increase my chances of finding an opportunity through those connections, as well. While it's great to build your professional connections, you treat these people as friends, mentors, and guides. You're able to display your authentic self and make your personal brand known.
Creating Informal Coffee Chats
Something I did that extremely helped with keeping in touch was setting up virtual coffee chats with every entry level employee, strategic planner, AAE, and recruiter I have met (or have not met) to get a feel for what has changed within the industry, how the company is adapting to the new landscape, and what future opportunities or roles might become available in the future. Not only are you getting to share more about you and your experiences, recruiters and fellow employees can put a face to the resume when applying comes around. It will be one of the most important ways to let recruiters know you're dedicated because you actively reached out and pitched yourself to people you don't even know.
If you do even just these three things, I am confident you will find opportunities come your way. If there's anything I've learned the most throughout my public relations career so far, it's that developing a network is so important and crucial to building a career in a field that requires you to be a go-getter. I am ready to take on any job at full force, wherever it may lead me.
The start to the year has definitely given us all more promise. January was spent reorganizing, reorienting, and coming to terms with the struggle of a year we had before. It always takes me a while to get back into the swing of things after the holidays, but this time around I was more eager to get my life back in order after a much needed break.
One of the hardest things to do was to focus on the good that I had surrounding me, even when times were so bleak and uncertain. I'm still staying at home, working at home, and finishing my senior year online at home. There's a lot of work I need to do—within myself and for others. My goal for this month is to focus on the good and to continue to choose optimism, as all people should.
This eagerness to start the new year on a good foot brings high expectations, so much, that I think we dwell on making the new year as perfect as we imagined it to be. However, I think the imperfectly wholesome moments are what I need to focus on. Not holding myself accountable for taking the time to take care of myself when I need it the most. Perhaps it means letting go and being able to fully feel and be emotional at times, but to also cut myself some slack. A slower pace is something I chose to manifest.
01. Investing More Time in Myself
Last year was a year to worry about others. When everything went wrong, I was always looking for ways to find compassion and be there for others. Suffice to say, I have always been one for self-care, but didn't realize how much I needed a pause. I needed to not feel the urgency to attend to people's needs before myself every single minute. While this is one of my greatest personality traits, it has its downfall of making me invest everything into the people I care about, even if they don't reciprocate the care back. No more of that this month or this year. ¡Adios!
02. Dedication to Meditation
The calm, cool, and collected side of me would digress into a lonely, anxiety induced shell and I couldn't figure out why. I had terrible sleeping habits, and that's when I realized just how much my body and my mind depended on yoga and mediation. Taking an hour out of my day to focus on myself, my growth, and clearing my head of all the negative thoughts that accumulated in 2020. This year, I have even signed up for a two credit yoga class as one of my last classes to take my senior year. I'm excited to start this journey again after not having been to a yoga studio in a year.
03. Listening to My Creative Passions
This blog has saved me in more ways than one. I really want to invest my time into the creativity that I had when I first started. Whether it be coming up with more unique blog ideas, showing different parts of my life that I haven't before on this blog, or just continuing to be constantly inspired and let the creative juices flow. Whatever it may be, I want this month to be filled with having a new outlook and discovering unique perspectives. Possibly even challenging me to get out of my creative square a bit!
As the months go by and I come to finishing my senior year of college and begin a new chapter of my career, I want to remember what I've accomplished and also hone the skills and strengths I've fostered over the years. February is the month of love and changes, but I realize the importance of finding and cultivating a love for myself above all else. I feel 110% when I am confident, grounded, and motivated in my own creative momentum, so this month will be about just that.
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