I used to spend a lot of time reading blogs. Reading post after post and commenting and interacting and interacting in blog chats on twitter and it was after GCSEs finished that I seized doing so. Which, in its own way is slightly ironic because I actually had more time. It was also after GCSEs that I stopped writing regularly and instead posted my thoughts on ethical fashion with few and far between informative posts, slacking in the blogging department but I think it was reflective of my mental state. I started my blog when I was 15 (or 14 I can’t quite remember) during a time where I decided that the online world would become my friend when there wasn’t, or at least I didn’t feel like it, anyone to turn to. 
The break from my blog reflected the break from social media that I needed, in fact because I was living more in the real world with friends that I am so grateful for, like they’re the best and I owe so much to them.One thing I started doing a few weeks ago, although it sounds daft, is putting my phone in another room before I go to sleep. A different break of sorts, but one that has proven to be more than beneficial to my health, mindset etc. I am definitely one for discouraging going on social media too much as it can be so detrimental to one’s mental health, although it has in so many ways helped mine but the way I’ve treated my phone since the new year has changed dramatically. It is no longer the first thing I look at when I wake up in the morning, nor is it the last thing I look at before I go to bed. Twitter isn’t an app I spend hours scrolling through, eking out the aspects of some super cool blogger’s blog that could have aspects of my own.
It’s funny because I’m writing this post a little in advance of it going up, but I’m ill and I hate just lying in bed doing nothing (I have coincidentally read three books in the period as well) but when I’m ill I tend to gravitate to Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat – refreshing every minute or so to see what people are up to which is SO BAD because I can feel myself feeling more and more drained every time I do so. Social media sucks like that. So I then unfollowed a whole bunch of people on my private Instagram account that didn’t make me feel great about myself and guess what? I felt a lot better. I also then left Snapchat and Instagram and took to reading for my driving theory test that I took on Thursday (update: I passed yassss). On a more serious not, social media is becoming so detrimental to my mental health and it sucks because I could be feeling totally fine one minute and hate myself the next, which isn’t ideal but then when you think about it isn’t good full stop, no one should feel that way due to an online app.
Aside from social media, if you’re a student reading this it’s good to take breaks as well, from school, online, from work. I didn’t realise how much I’d worn myself into the ground this half term but I did and consequently I’ve learnt from that. Regular breaks are a good thing and it doesn’t mean it is going to wreck your whole grade, in fact taking a break from your work can lead you coming back to it more refreshed and are more likely to learn. There’s so many rules about studying for 25 minutes then having a break for 5 but it is about finding what works for you, whatever that may be. When it comes to sixth form I think it can work in two ways, either the increase of frees can lead to basically never leaving the study areas or a lack of time in their can lead to doing zero work and having to do it all at home + more. I think I need to find a balance between the two, but I needed a break in order to clear my head to that fact.
Sometimes, with my blog, it is a break, a place that I can come to when I need to talk or I want to enlighten you and teach you about something great. But sometimes breaks from the things you love are good as well and you can come back with a fresh perception of what you’re talking about. Everything is a little clearer. Also with the whole fresh perception thing, taking breaks shouldn’t be an opportunity for stress to build up. If it does, talk to someone, do some yoga, read for a little bit – taking a break should make you less stressed than your current situation – in no way should it make it more.
The moral of this post, if there was one, is that it is okay to take breaks. In fact it’s a good thing, especially with regards to revising etc. I overworked myself this term and became ill which meant that my one chance for a break and days out was slandered by the fact I had to stay inside, but I guess that was my own fault in some ways. What do you do when you take breaks? Is there anything that makes you less stressed? Leave a lil comment and you might be able to help someone else 🙂
lots of love, eleanor xx
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