You Betta Werk, not WORK:Your Day Job Is Not Your Life

Hey babies! Long time no...content?

Well, I'm back with a message I recently had to tell myself. I currently live in New York city where I have to work like a dog just to make ends meet. My expenses won't decrease so I'm devising a plan to increase my income and I am very optimistic about it; however, my current work schedule has been toiling with my personal life and my peace. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels like they spend more time at work than they do either doing something that brings joy, or spending time with loved ones. The worse part about devoting your time to a work space you don't even enjoy is that burnt out feeling you have when you get off work, ugh.

Personally, living like this is just completely unacceptable and I know I'm completely in control of my happiness and how I choose to spend my time and the good news is you are too. With that being said, I just wanted to tell you a few things I've done to spice up my life and maximize my off days, so that work can be a simple means to the life I want to live verses being my life.

Feeling burnt out or having a lack of energy can have a lot to do with your eating habits. When I work long shifts, I like to go for a walk after work or meet up with my boyfriend at this really artsy tea shop near my job. To prepare for a long day; I opt for a smoothie with avocado, honey and banana instead of my usual, coffee. Yes, coffee gets a girl going (in more ways than one) but it causes me to be amped up and slowly crash, so when it's time for me to get off all I'm ready to do is hit the sheets. I also recommend drinking lemon water through out the day and drinking hot lemon water the night before your long shift. Lemon water cleanses your system and leaves you feeling revitalized and energized, with no sugar rush.

I enjoy cooking, I never thought I'd say that but as of late, cooking has been a stress reliever for me, eating too lol. Some days I get up a few hours early and cook my self a huge breakfast, the usual for me is a spinach and mushroom omelette with grits, potatoes, turkey bacon and lemon water...on my off days it's mimosa city! I also use my time before work to dedicate to self care. I have sensitive skin so I normally do a face scrub with St.Ives Apricot scrub, a honey mask and I proceed to wash my face with avocado soap, rinse with cold water and apply 100% avocado oil to my face as a moisturizer. Depending on how much time I have I may even give myself a pedicure.

I enjoy dancing, sight seeing and trying new activities in general. In addition to my occasional tea shop visits; instead of coming straight home when I get off work I go to nearby clubs in Harlem and treat myself to a few appetizers and a drink (by treat myself I mean my boyfriend treats me lol, that's what they're here for). One night my boyfriend and I took a 30-minute walk from my job in SOHO to the Hudson River, on the way there we stopped by a cigar shop because we both enjoy cigars, bought some wine and when we finally arrived at Hudson we chilled by the river and indulged with our chocolate cigar and red wine and talked for hours about nothing lol.

If you enjoy creating content, take a walk near your job on break one day instead of staying cooped up in that God awful break room and take pictures. You can hone your skills on your DSLR or experiment on your iPhone; one cool photo app I use is Focus. The app is best for focusing on one specific object and blurring the background; it's also great and taking clear photos of flat-lays. This way when you have down time, you have plenty of content to post or edit later because you maximized your free time.

Groupon has also become my best-friend; I originally went on Groupon in search of dance classes and ended up purchasing a voucher for 10 kickboxing classes for just $26! I know right, finesssssse. Find deals on activities you haven't tried before, it's a way to meet new people and stay active while having fun.

As I wrap up doing something else I thoroughly enjoy when I'm not working, I hope this post has inspired you to maximize your time because we only have one life; don't live like you have a second one. We weren't just put on Earth to be hampsters in a wheel, make time to do something for you today. I think we get so caught up in the idea of being "productive" that we forget "productivity" can be bliss too, to be productive means to produce something; do something today that will produce a life you enjoy living.

-XoXo

Mani