April is Stress Awareness Month, so I wanted to share some advice on how to manage stress and use the theme of #LittlebyLittle to better your mental health. We are now in April, which means it is Stress Awareness Month. Every year since 1992, April has been known as Stress Awareness Month with the aim of helping to combat stress and provide advice on how to decrease stress. As someone who struggles with stress and knows the impact it can have on daily life, I wanted to write a post about Stress Awareness Month. Now, the World Health Organisation (WHO) defines stress as: "A state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation." A lot of things can be described as a difficult situation. On a larger scale, a difficult situation could be illness, the cost of living, and of course, global issues occurring in the world at the moment. But on a smaller scale, and sometimes on a more personal level, difficult situations could include a big project at work, an exam for school/university or even just a never-ending list of chores. It can be so easy to get wrapped up in your stress and feel strung out, especially when it has become a lot easier to procrastinate with the rise in popularity of TikTok. However, if you're feeling stressed, it's not always the best thing to try and complete the jobs that need doing. The Stress Management Society are using the theme of #LittleByLittle for Stress Awareness Month this year with the motto: Little By Little, A Little Becomes A Lot. The goal of this initiative is to promote the benefits of "consistent, small positive actions on overall wellbeing." This theme of #LittleByLittle is a key lesson to learn because putting into effect small changes can have more benefits in the long run than big ones. Therefore, I'm going to share some manageable actions you can put in place that will help you relax and combat those feelings of stress. Positive Affirmations Telling yourself positive affirmations can have huge benefits for your mental health and daily outlook on life. If you don't know what positive affirmations are, essentially, they are things you tell yourself to alter your subconscious thoughts to combat negative beliefs. For example, looking in the mirror and telling yourself, 'I am strong' or 'I am intelligent' or 'I can do this'. Telling yourself positive affirmations alters your neural pathways and replaces the negative thoughts, enhancing your perspective of yourself. They can increase your optimism and help you generally feel better, meaning that the impact of stress will be less. Small Successes We live in a world where we strive for success, usually defined by society as a well-paying and well-respected job, or a fancy car, a big house, or a healthy family. But sometimes, when stress is a daily occurrence, it can become easy to get caught up in achieving those big goals that you miss the little things. Success doesn't have one definition. It means something different from one person to the next and this is the key takeaway. You should be able to celebrate the small successes in your life because eventually a little becomes a lot. So celebrate getting out of bed. Celebrate completing a load of washing, cooking dinner, buying groceries, sending off emails, posting on LinkedIn, interacting with colleagues... The list could go on, but make sure that you celebrate small successes because over time, it will help improve your mood and you'll feel more accomplished and less stressed. Night-time Routine Personally, I think routines can be underrated. A lot of people say that they don't have time to put in place a night-time routine, but I think the benefits are worth it. Having a night-time routine doesn't have to be long, or busy; it is meant to help you relax, unwind and feel at peace before you go to sleep. Your routine could include switching your phone off 30 minutes before bed and having no screen time, taking a bath, reading a book, doing skincare or simply just having a hot drink. A night-time routine will allow you to leave work, and stress, behind and ready you for the next day. Sufficient Sleep The night-time routine then sets you up nicely to have a sufficient night's sleep. It can be very easy to slip into a routine where you don't get the full seven to eight hours of sleep each night. I'm definitely guilty of that but by not having enough sleep, you increase the tension in your body and your cortisol (stress) levels, and you can feel incredibly tired the next day. Getting enough sleep allows your body to release the stress from the previous day, so that when you wake up you'll feel refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead, even if it includes stressful tasks. Time in Nature Nature might not be for everyone. My sister has never been a big fan of the outdoors, however, even she has admitted the wonders spending time outside each day has done for her mentality. This year, we've gone for a walk each morning and it has set us up for the day with a fresher outlook, a refreshed mind and a calm interior, reducing our stress. Simply spending time in nature can – obviously – improve your physical health if it's in the form of a walk or even gardening, but it can also have huge benefits for your mental health. Nature can reduce your stress by lowering blood pressure and allowing you to be more present and positive because it is a peaceful environment. Daily Activity This tip can go hand in hand with the one above. Daily activity can come in the form of a walk, swimming, an at-home workout or going to the gym. Doing some form of physical movement helps get the endorphins pumping, which in turn lowers your stress and risk of health conditions. But it also boosts your energy levels and mood so that when you have to tackle those stressful jobs, you'll feel less overwhelmed. Planning Ahead I love to plan. I've found I can get quite stressed when I don't know what's happening or what I'm doing. So, if you've read some of my blog posts before, you'll know I always write a daily to-do list. Having a plan can really improve your well-being because it means that your days are structured. You will know when deadlines and important appointments are but you'll also know when you can have a rest and take a break. Stress Awareness Month can cause stress itself; however, if you plan and schedule some downtime and blocks of time for different jobs, you can then be more efficient in your daily life and things will seem less chaotic and less stressful. Gratitude Reflection Gratitude is a practice I would like to do more and I think you should too. Reflecting on what you're grateful for is an activity that not only reduces your stress levels, but it helps you appreciate what you've got and makes you more present in life rather than always thinking ahead, or of the past. Thinking about what you're grateful for means that you can feel better about the stresses in your life because it improves your self-esteem and both your physical and mental health. It can be difficult to begin practising gratitude, but the benefits are worth it, especially if you are someone who never feels like they have a moment to stop and appreciate what you've got. Stress Awareness Month is an important month because it allows people to think about their lives and realise how they can better their wellbeing. All eight of these activities are small, manageable things that you can input into your daily life to feel better, not only about yourself, but what your days entail. So if you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, give some of these a go and see if you notice the benefits. Until next time...

Post-pandemic, working isn't necessarily something that most people enjoy, but the priority should be to find work that energises you. We're now just over three months into 2024 and already, I know work is getting to be a struggle for some people. But that shouldn't be the case. Work shouldn't be something you do every day because you have to and it pays the bills. Your job should be something you enjoy and actually look forward to doing. Sadly, that isn't the case for the majority but it could be. As a publishing hopeful, I'm subscribed to The Bookseller – the publishing industry's magazine – and also The FLIP - Female Leadership in Publishing. The FLIP recently conducted a survey and hosted an event that spoke about the results. Some of the results showcased at the event include how much of the publishing workforce suffers from burnout. The results are quite frankly fascinating, but what stood out to me in The Bookseller's article was a particular quote by Hachette's consumer insights analyst, Amanda Ahadizadeh. In the article, Ahadizadeh is quoted as saying: "This is so important – knowing the work that drains you and the work which energises you." This quote stayed with me after reading the article because, in my opinion, it is such an important message. In the modern world, it is easy to suffer from burnout, to become overwhelmed with stress and to have low days. But that shouldn't be the case. There are a lot of quizzes and tests out there that one can complete to find out what personality type they are. There are also different activities you could do to reflect and assess how your work affects you. It can be very difficult to maintain a work-life balance, but becoming aware that your work isn't energising you is the first step to achieving that. If you find that when you're working, or once you've come home from work, you are very tired, don't want to talk to others or have physical symptoms such as a headache, then your work could be draining you. However, if when you're completing your work, you find yourself smiling, excited to complete projects and looking forward to the next day, then your work is something that energises you. There will always be tasks that are tedious yet necessary and we would all probably prefer not to have to complete them. For example going through emails, filling out paperwork, and general admin chores. But if you have a job that energises you and doesn't necessarily feel like work, then it becomes less of a chore to do those tedious tasks. Burnout and stress, whilst common, shouldn't be a regular occurrence. We should all be able to enjoy our work without needing several cups of coffee to keep us awake and focused. I recently changed up my working station to a coffee shop near me, which improved my productivity and also my mental state for that day. Altering little things like that can make a world of difference so, if you're feeling drained at the end of the workday, reflect on what happened to make you feel that way. Was it bringing work home with you? Staring at a screen for too long? Not getting enough sleep? Or something else? If you've suffered from burnout and feeling exhausted from work, I hope this blog has helped you realise the importance of feeling energised by your job. Let me know in the comments some of the ways you ensure you're not overwhelmed by work and try to have a semblance of a work-life balance. Until next time...

King of Greed by Ana Huang is the third book in the Kings of Sin series and it is worth the read. Ana Huang is one of those authors, who I trust to write a great romance book. I've read her Twisted series and I have read all the books in her latest series, Kings of Sin. The most recent book being King of Greed. King of Greed came out last year and for some reason, I just never got around to reading it. But now I have and it has been long overdue. A friend of mine messaged me when I announced I was reading it and said "About time!". But I can say with certainty, that if you have read Ana's books before, or you love a good billionaire romance, read the Kings of Sin series. And more specifically, read King of Greed because that just jumped to the top of my favourites list for this series. And I'm going to tell you why. My review of King of Greed by Ana Huang Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Billionaire romance: 9/10 Second chance: 9.5/10 Marriage in trouble: 10/10 Overall rating: 5/5 King of Greed is the third book in the Kings of Sin series and it follows the story of Dominic Davenport and Alessandra, his wife. The synopsis of the book is as follows: "He had her, he lost her…and he’ll do anything to win her back. Powerful, brilliant, and ambitious, Dominic Davenport clawed his way up from nothing to become the King of Wall Street. He has everything—a beautiful home, a beautiful wife, and more money than he could spend in a lifetime. But no matter how much he accumulates, he’s never satisfied. In his endless quest for more, he drives away the only person who saw him as enough. It isn’t until she’s gone that he realizes there may be more to life than riches and glory…but by then, it may be too late. *** Kind, intelligent, and thoughtful, Alessandra Davenport has played the role of trophy wife for years. She stood by her husband while he built an empire, but now that they’ve reached the top, she realizes he’s no longer the man she fell for. When it becomes clear that she’ll always come second to his work, she finally takes charge of her life and puts herself first—even if it means leaving the only man she’s ever loved. But what she didn’t count on was his refusal to let her go…or for him to fight for their marriage, no matter what it takes." As you can tell, King of Greed is a second-chance romance between Dominic and Alessandra after Alessandra decides to leave Dom. Their young love could be a story on its own, but over the 10 years of marriage, things have changed. Dominic comes from a poor background and has always vowed he would make it and be successful. Alessandra not only captured his heart but helped support him on his journey to becoming a figure at the top of Wall Street. However, after a decade, Alessandra doesn't feel like anything more than a pillar of support for Dominic, which causes the whole marriage-in-trouble trope. In the first two books of this series, King of Wrath and King of Pride, we see snippets of Alessandra and Dominic and it's suggested that there are issues in their marriage. But this book brings them all to the forefront. After their 10th anniversary, Alessandra decides to give her husband a wake-up call and chooses to leave. Coming from a Brazilian background, Alessandra is fiery, strong and a woman who knows what she wants. But somewhere throughout her marriage, she lost sight of her dreams and who she was. Alessandra curled in on herself and only began to realise how much of a shell of a person she became when she made the leap to begin an online business. This thrived and eventually, after the inciting incident of Alé leaving Dom, she focuses her efforts on revitalising herself and achieving her dreams. Meanwhile, Dom is the epiphany of the King of Greed. Striving to be the best and having as much money as he can, Dom became obsessed with work. He is a workaholic and that took over his life and marriage, letting Alessandra slip away without him noticing. It's only when Dominic finds Alessandra gone that everything comes crashing down and he realises how wrong he had been. He is driven and believes he built his empire for them, but when Alessandra leaves, his eyes are opened. Dominic becomes a new version of himself, who is still relentless, but is showing restraint for Alessandra and never crosses a line with her. He shows that actions speak louder than words and through the flashbacks we gain a deeper understanding of his character and why he is the way he is. King of Greed is a book about a billionaire regaining the trust of his wife and them finding love again. But it is also so much more than that. This book tells the story of how work can overtake someone's life and its impact on those around them. It tells the story of a woman who once lost her identity and how she finds herself again, finds her independence and learns to stand on her own two feet to chase the life she wants. It tells the story of a man who worked his way from nothing to being the best through hard work and determination, but also how he navigates life's struggles. The timeline of King of Greed is over several months, so it is realistic in that Alessandra and Dominic get divorced, spend time apart and then begin dating and figuring out how their lives fit together. It isn't a quick, whirlwind romance and it also isn't unbelievable. There are moments of banter and laughter – Chapter 18 made me laugh – and there are moments of emotion and heartbreak. And I loved that. This book was an emotional rollercoaster because you're experiencing the story of two people who love each other, how they fall apart and then have a second chance. Ana always creates complex characters and plots that reel you in as a reader. The chemistry and romance in this book are off the charts and I loved it. There was one subplot that I think could have done with more explanation about its resolution but that aside, King of Greed is one of my favourite books this year so far. Intrigued? If my review has intrigued you to give King of Greed, or the Kings of Sin series, a go, it's available on Amazon. Feel free to get in touch and let me know your thoughts about the book. Until next time...

The London Book Fair was last week and it was my first time attending the publishing trade fair. As a bookworm, I'm interested in the publishing industry. I have always found it fascinating how a story can go from the idea to the polished, published book. Publishing is a competitive industry, much like that of motorsport, and so, when I found out about The London Book Fair, I knew I had to attend. Fortunately for me, I was able to buy a student ticket for a discounted price, which allowed me to go for all three days of the event. But what is The London Book Fair? The London Book Fair, held at the Olympia in West Kensington, is an international publishing trade event. It hosts some of the biggest names in publishing, such as Simon and Schuster, Hachette and HarperCollins, but also smaller, more independent publishers like Boldwood Books. In attendance, there are also some literary agencies, authors, translators, illustrators and so many other people all involved in publishing. You could attend either as an exhibitor, visitor or student. I think the fair is predominantly for those in the industry to have meetings, organise contracts, that sort of thing. However, that isn't to say that for a publishing hopeful, it isn't worth it. If you've read my blog posts before, you will know that I am a writer, currently working on my own novel. Therefore, I attended The London Book Fair in two capacities. Across the three days, there were seminars hosted by those involved in publishing and those who are an author. I attended some of the Author HQ talks, learning more about different areas of writing, such as Young Adult fiction, and the processes of other authors. But I also went around the fair and made contacts with fellow publishing hopefuls as well as those who work in the publishing industry. It was an incredible experience because my knowledge of publishing has grown, I've developed contacts through networking, handed out business cards, was recognised for my motorsport work and most of all, I was able to get an insight into the industry. Attending the fair did mean that I had to commute for about two and a half hours there and then back each day. But, I travelled with my dad and completing six car journeys, six bus journeys, six train journeys, 18 tube journeys and then six walks over the three days was actually fun. I was able to get a sense of what commuting to London would be like, and whilst the tubes were heaving - and the Victoria line was so hot - I still had fun. What did I get up to? As I mentioned above, I also attended some seminars whilst at the fair. The seminars gave me an opportunity to talk to new people and also expand my knowledge. In addition to the talks by industry personnel, each day there was an 'Author of the Day'. Unfortunately, I didn't get to attend the first day's talk with Taylor Jenkins Reid, but I did attend the Author of the Day talk on day two, which was Richard Osman. Now, I have yet to read Osman's books, The Thursday Murder Club series, but those at my book club have. And the series causes some division. However, listening to Osman discuss his creative process, experience as an author and what to expect from his upcoming novel, We Solve Murders, was utterly fascinating. Hearing Osman talk about his books was a highlight of the fair as well as meeting new people and attending the careers clinic. Suzanne Collier, founder of Bookcareers.com, is a formidable woman. Listening to her advice about getting into publishing and attending her careers clinic are two aspects of the fair that stand out to me. I wasn't expecting to be able to receive as much advice on working in publishing and getting into the industry, but the clinic was something that motivated me even more. When I came home, I made a spreadsheet of all the contacts I'd created and of people I spoke to and exchanged details with. Also, I made a copy of all my notes and began researching the publishing industry in more depth. I was buzzing each evening when I got home because I couldn't wait to go back the next day. The London Book Fair is the perfect event to go to if you're a publishing hopeful because it gives you great exposure in the industry. So if you ever have the opportunity to go to The London Book Fair, I highly recommend it. Until next time...

Book Club: The Next Chapter is a romantic comedy that teaches more about friendship than books. Several years ago, I watched the movie Book Club and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Book Club is centred around four friends and how their relationships change after they decide to read Fifty Shades of Grey for their book club. The four friends are played by Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Burgen. The first movie shows them rediscovering romance and taking a chance on love in their lives. But last year, the sequel was released and I watched it just before Mother's Day. The sequel, Book Club: The Next Chapter, follows the same four protagonists, but this time they're taking their book club all around Italy to have the girl's trip they had once planned, but never actually made happen. As I really liked the first film, I knew I would enjoy the second and I wasn't wrong. Book Club: The Next Chapter is a romantic comedy about love, friendship, finding yourself and making memories, whilst dropping information about The Alchemist novel, so I wanted to share my thoughts on the 2023 sequel. Synopsis The premise of Book Club: The Next Chapter is: "Four best friends take their book club to Italy for the fun girls' trip they never had. When things go off the rails, and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation turns into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure." My Review Book Club: The Next Chapter begins with the four friends - Vivian, Diane, Carol and Sharon - continuing their book club over Zoom as the COVID-19 lockdowns are in place. We see them talk about Normal People by Sally Rooney and then eventually, they get to meet face to face. It's in their first face-to-face book club meet-up that the plans to go to Italy begin and we see the apprehensiveness that a lot of people had when it came to travelling post-pandemic. There are also bits of post-pandemic life, such as getting a new pet and not knowing how to use Zoom in the opening. But I think the film really gets going once the four women are in Italy because that's where the wild and whacky events of chaos begin. Book Club: The Next Chapter may not be everyone's cup of tea. For sure, it has elements that could be improved and people may think it's a film that isn't necessarily needed. However, personally, I feel if you don't analyse it too much, you could really enjoy the romantic comedy. When the four protagonists are in Italy, we see them exploring sights in Rome through a montage. We see them travelling to Venice and then Tuscany, shopping for wedding dresses and indulging in Italian food and drink. There is Italian music played throughout and Italian versions of English songs, which added to the atmosphere. But most importantly, there is an undercurrent of what is really important in life. Jane Fonda's character is known for being single, free-spirited and not wanting to be tied down, despite the engagement ring on her finger. Diane Keaton's character finds it hard to let go of the past and take the next step into the future. Mary Steenburgen's character has trouble letting go of the reins at times and Candice Burgen's character is struggling with being retired. Throughout the film, we see each of the four women admit their worries and concerns and by the end of the movie, we've seen them make changes. They each come into their own and, whilst there are their male partners, they make their own decisions. However, I think the theme of friendship is what stood out to me. Book Club: The Next Chapter has four friends who have known each other since they were in university. In the film, they're as close as they can be and still support each other whilst offering the "Best friend tough love" that is sometimes needed. Book Club: The Next Chapter made me smile and it did make me laugh as well. Whilst I did prefer the first movie, I did thoroughly enjoy the sequel. Have you seen Book Club: The Next Chapter or the prequel? If you have, let me know what you thought in the comments. Until next time...

World Book Day is here and it's a time to celebrate books, reading and some of fiction's most-loved characters. World Book Day is a charity event in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It occurs every year on the first Thursday of March. I always remember World Book Day being a big thing when I was in primary school. As someone who loved to read even back then, I looked forward to being able to celebrate books and reading. For those in school, the custom became that when World Book Day arrived, you would go to school dressed as your favourite literary character. I can't remember who I dressed up as but I know that there are a lot of books that I absolutely loved as a child and still love now. So as it is World Book Day, I thought I'd share some recommendations for children's books. Some of these may not appeal to everyone, but this list is based on my personal preference. However, there is one book I remember reading in school that I absolutely loved. It was about bats in a sanctuary and I cannot for the life of me remember its name or author, so if you know what book I'm talking about, drop me a message; otherwise, enjoy these recommendations. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling Starting with an obvious, I'm not sure I've ever met a child who wasn't fascinated and mesmerised by the world of Harry Potter and his wizarding friends. This series of books is one of the best I've read. Reading about Harry's adventures from finding out he's a wizard to learning to fly and then facing off against Voldemort and saving Hogwarts is fantastical. The books transport you to Hogwarts and, especially because of the film franchise, a lot of children can feel as if they know the characters. And that's why Harry, Ron and Hermione tend to be common characters to dress up as for World Book Day. I know I loved Hermione and probably dressed up as her one or two times. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson When my sister and I were younger, we used to love The Gruffalo. In fact, because apparently when we were children we were good at not ruining things, this book is still in our loft. The Gruffalo is such a wholesome children's book and I do think that kids nowadays are probably missing out on the experience of reading some of these books. Julia Donaldson wrote a book through rhyming couplets and colourful illustrations that teaches kids that size doesn't matter because being the biggest doesn't necessarily make you the smartest. Although, dressing up as The Gruffalo may not be the easiest choice for World Book Day. Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan Greek mythology. Gods and Goddesses. Quests over the world. These three things summarise the Percy Jackson series but it's not just a Greek mythology series. It's about identity, friendship and family. I must admit, I didn't read these books when I was younger. I began reading them last year when I started studying Young Adult literature for my degree but I became hooked - even now at 22, Rick has made me love his series. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis This series is another one of fantastical creatures and magical worlds, but it is a book franchise that made it to the big screen because it teaches kids about family, love and trust. The Chronicles of Narnia is one of the top five books I recommend when people ask about children's books. I just think the vast cast of characters and the stories of epic battles between good and bad are some worth reading. Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly Much like Percy Jackson, I read this children's book for university. It tells the story of a deaf girl struggling to fit in and how a whale helps her accept her deafness and becomes a friend. I think if I had read this book when I was a child, I would have loved it. It is a heart-warming story that children can understand as showing the difficulties of being different, but ultimately that it doesn't matter. Jacqueline Wilson Books Now, for this recommendation, I haven't specified a certain book. No, I've just gone for the author instead. I remember my friend and I used to love Jacqueline's books when we were younger, whether that be Hetty Feather, Lily Alone, Tracey Beaker, The Longest Whale Song, or another of her many books. I can still picture some of the covers even now, which I think just shows how much I used to read these books and liked them. I could go on and on listing children's books for you on World Book Day and share my thoughts, but I won't. What I will do though is list a few more of the top children's books I enjoyed when I was younger for you: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak The Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman Roald Dahl's books I hope these recommendations of children's books inspire you this World Book Day, either to read them to your family or to try and remember books from your childhood. Otherwise, happy World Book Day! Until next time...

Organising your books can be challenging, but it can also be fun, so I'm going to share some different ways in which you can organise your bookshelves. As you probably know by now, I love to read, which means I have a lot of books in my house. These books vary in genre, style, author and topic. Each time I receive or buy a new book, I have to rearrange my bookcase in my bedroom. It's a fairly big bookcase with 10 different shelves of varying sizes. However, when it comes to rearranging my books, it's often a difficult challenge. In my family, my sister also loves to read and so does my mum. We came up with the idea to turn our spare room into a library and over the past weekend, my sister and I began organising all our books as we finally had all the bookcases to fill. This wasn't an easy feat. We had almost all the books laid out so we could get an idea of how to group the books - some, however, did remain in the library because there wasn't enough space. But after a couple of hours of hard work, we finally organised the books on the appropriate shelves and now, all that is left to do is to buy some comfy chairs. I love organising things and pride myself on my organisation skills, so I thought I'd share some ways on how you can organise any of the books you have in your home. Types of books One way to organise your books is by the type of book and what I mean by this is paperback vs hardback. A lot of readers generally prefer to stick to one type of book, but that doesn't mean that you will never own the other type. I like paperbacks but I do have a couple of hardbacks. The hardbacks tend to be bigger and look a bit odd amongst the paperbacks, so if you prefer having one type of book altogether, this method of organising books is for you. Genre of books When it comes to books, genre can be a complex term to dissect. Without being too specific, genre refers to fiction vs non-fiction. But if you delve deeper, in fiction we have romance, fantasy, crime, literary, etc. And in non-fiction, it's more about the topic so literature, biographies, travel, cooking, etc. There are then, of course, sub-genres, but let's stick to the overarching genre. I think organising your books by genre is great, especially for mood readers, because you have all your happy rom-coms in one place for when you want some romance and then all your crime and mysteries in another for when you're looking for a darker read. Authors This method of organising can be used in conjunction with others. Organising by author, either alphabetically or randomly, is a useful method if you have a lot of books by the same author. For example, I have a lot of Lauren Asher books, so I group them all together so that I know where they all are and it's easier to find. Series or Standalones To me, this is quite a handy way of organising books because there's nothing worse than having a series and the books not being together on the shelf. I have quite a few series, or duologies and trilogies, and I've found putting them together - not in alphabetical order, but in series order - is best. And the same with standalones. If you have standalones in the same genre, by the same author, or the same type of book, it can be good to have all the standalones together, not just for aesthetic purposes but for ease of finding what you're looking for. Height and Size This method is one that I probably wouldn't use as the main way to organise my books but it does have some benefits. Organising your books based on their height and size can create a clean look on your bookshelves, but it could split up some series and authors. I do agree that having books of the same size – or as similar as you can get – looks lovely, but I have books where they're in a series and they are very obviously different heights. The main one I can think of is the UCMH series by Hannah Grace, so for that reason, I don't use this method, but it may work for some of you. Seasons At first, this method may seem a bit strange to you, but bear with me. You've heard of mood readers, right? Well, seasonal readers are a thing too. There are a lot of books out there that are Christmas novels, summer reads and even spooky stories. For that reason, organising your book based on the season they're best suited to can be quite good. I have a shelf just for Christmas books in my room, but I also know I have a lot of books perfect for summer and holidays. It can be disconcerting reading a book set in snowy Vermont in July and the same goes for a book about a Greek island in December, so organising based on seasons can be helpful. Colours This is quite a popular way of organising, and not just books either. The Home Edit uses the rainbow method to organise and if you arrange books based on the colour of their covers/spines, it can create a beautiful aesthetic on your shelves. Organising based on colour is perfect for those who are more cover-focused readers and if you have a lot of books with a specific colour on the front. TBR (To be read) If you're a reader, it's likely you know the acronym TBR stands for 'To be read'. This essentially means all the books you want to read but haven't got around to yet. For myself, that list is rather long. But your TBR can help you arrange your books. On your bookshelves, you could have a section of books you've read and then a section of books you want to read. This way, you know where a book is if you fancy a reread, but also if you fancy something new, you can easily find the books you're after. Favourites Another way you can organise your books is based on what ones are your favourites. I find it difficult to pick out a select few books that are my favourites, so I actually have a whole shelf dedicated to my top reads. But if you're a reader who has a favourite novel, series, etc., then you could arrange your books based on preference and have your top reads front and centre to show them off. Random And finally, if you aren't keen on any of the above methods, or others I may have missed, then you can be completely random in your organisation. No matter what size, genre, type or who the author is, you can put your books on the shelves in any random order. So, how do you organise your books? Let me know in the comments. Until next time...

Writing is a profession, and a hobby, that can be time-consuming and challenging, but staying organised can make it easier to work efficiently. I saw on LinkedIn the other week a post from someone who said: If you are thinking and dreaming about wanting to write, then you are an aspiring writer. But if you have already put pen to page, or fingers to keyboard, then you are not aspiring. You ARE a writer. This really resonated with me because for so long I've always said, I'm an aspiring author, I'm an aspiring writer. But I actually am a writer and I'm on my way to becoming an author. I write every day, whether that be journalism, scripts, scenes, or novels. And remembering that fact makes me smile. However, writing isn't always easy, especially if you're writing lots of different things. It can be easy to become disorganised and overwhelmed, especially if you have several projects that need completing. So I thought I'd share some tips on how to stay organised as a writer. Setting a daily schedule There is nothing worse than sitting down at your desk, getting ready to start and not knowing what you need to do. Or knowing all your tasks, but having no idea where to start. Creating a daily schedule is the best way to be organised as a writer because it will not only increase your productivity but also your creativity. Having a daily schedule allows you to know what to do and when. This can either be in the form of a to-do list or if you're more tech-savvy, a spreadsheet. List out all the projects you have and the tasks involved in each. Spread them out across the week based on priority and allocate a specific time slot for them. This way, you can work through the schedule, ticking off tasks one by one as you complete them and having a specific block of time for each task will help prevent you from spending too much time on them and make your day more efficient. A clear calendar for deadlines As a writer, there is nothing worse than not knowing your deadlines. For me, I have many deadlines for different types of writing, including university assignment deadlines; deadlines for news articles; dates blog posts need to be published by; and an overall deadline for my novel. Writing is not an easy feat and having a clear calendar with all your deadlines will only be useful. I use my diary, which includes a monthly overview and a weekly overview. This year, I have colour-coded each event/deadline based on what area of writing it is. For example, for my motorsport journalism, I write in red. For university, I write in blue. For WriteWatchWork, I write in green, and for personal writing tasks, I write in pink. Colour-coding my calendar has helped immensely in staying organised and knowing when my deadlines are. It avoids confusion and makes it easier to spot different deadlines and tasks. Organise your workspace As the saying goes, 'Tidy room, Tidy mind'. Writing is a complex task; when it comes to prose or scripts, you have to think not only about the general story, but the characters, the plot, the structure, the dialogue, the world-building, and so much more. For journalists, you have to remember multiple facts, names, grammar rules etc. So it's no wonder that the above saying does ring true. To stay organised as a writer, one of the best tips I can give you is to organise your workspace. Having a messy, untidy desk, or office, can be detrimental to your mental health and productivity. To organise your desk, have a pen pot. Have a coaster for your drink. Have an area for post-its, your stapler, ruler, rubbers, and any other stationery you require. Make sure that your notebooks are tidied away when you're not using them and if you have loose bits of paper, try putting them in a clear plastic wallet to keep them together. Declutter by removing any items you don't need when writing. If you require textbooks but have them for different subjects, perhaps have a different shelf for each focus. Having a tidy workspace will allow you to focus on your work and clear your mind so you can be more productive. Different stationery for different projects Much like having different areas for different textbooks, having a different set of stationery for different writing projects will keep you organised. With my degree, I'm studying prose and scriptwriting. These are two very different mediums of writing and one thing that has kept me organised is having different notebooks. For scriptwriting, I have a set of grey notebooks and for prose, I have blue. Having different books for each medium has made it easier for me to know where my notes and references for each project are. I also have different sections in my folders for each writing project. Having defined stationery for different projects will help you stay organised because it'll be easier to keep track of everything you need and will make you more productive in the long run because you won't need to spend time searching for different bits and pieces. Attainable and achievable goals I'm someone who writes in several mediums and I can honestly tell you, it can be overwhelming, especially when looking at the overall projects. However, breaking each project down into individual tasks that are attainable has reduced the stress and pressure of dealing with so many. When you split projects into smaller tasks, make sure you're being specific; set a measurable goal and put a deadline in place. For example, this year I want to complete the first draft of my novel. That sounds daunting and it is. But I have broken it down into smaller, more specific goals and set myself a deadline. Simply saying, 'write more' or 'complete the novel' is not good enough. Instead, I've said 'write 2000 words each week'. If I don't achieve this, then that is fine, but if I do, it spurs me on even more and makes me more determine to continue writing. Having these smaller goals for each project that are actually achievable keeps you organised as a writer because you'll have a specific focus and won't feel the pressure of a huge task. Take breaks Pomodoro, or tomato in Italian. This is a working method I learnt when studying for my GCSEs. Essentially, it is working in 25-minute chunks with a five-minute break, and then once you've completed this four times, take a longer break. At first, I was hesitant about this method. But it does work. Sitting down with your laptop or your notebook and writing non-stop is not good. Not only does it make your hands ache, but it can hinder your creativity in the long run and make you more tired and less inclined to write. Taking breaks is important in every job because it allows you to stay refreshed and avoid burning out. For writers, you need that inspiration to write and your creative juices need to be flowing and taking breaks can help you maintain that energy and creativity. Pomodoro splits up the working day, giving you time to stretch your legs and give your mind a break. However, it's not the only way to take breaks. Visiting a coffee shop one morning, seeing a friend for lunch, going for a walk, all of these will help you stay organised as a writer because they will refresh your mind. It's up to you as to which method of taking breaks works best for you. An end-of-the-day routine My final tip for staying organised as a writer is to have an end-of-the-day routine. At the end of the working day, it can be easy to bring work home with you or, if you work from home, to keep thinking about what needs to be done. But if you create a routine at the end of the day once you've finished working, you will be more relaxed and therefore refreshed the next day. It will allow you to enjoy your evening and have time away from work. The routine can include ticking off the day's tasks from your to-do list, tidying away your books, bits of paper and stationery, cleaning your desk etc. I know that if I tidy away everything and wrap up the day's work, I can then spend my evening doing things I want and not have to think about work. So, if you find yourself struggling to relax at the end of the day, create a routine that will signify the end of work until the next morning. Do you have any more tips to stay organised as a writer? Let me know in the comments below. Until next time...

Caught Up by Liz Tomforde is the third book in the Windy City series and it is one that romance readers will love. I'm back with my review of the third book in the Windy City series. There is a fourth book in the series that will be released later this year, but for now, Caught Up is the latest. Just like the others, I really enjoyed reading it. For me, it's a bit different to Mile High and The Right Move, more in terms of the plot and the history of the characters, which was refreshing. From reading this series, I am in awe of Liz's writing and storytelling and I can't wait to read more of her work. The Windy City series is perhaps one of the best sports romance series I've read, up there with Dirty Air by Lauren Asher, Off-Campus by Elle Kennedy and UCMH by Hannah Grace. One thing I love about this series is the focus on different sports. Caught Up is a baseball (MLB) romance, which I've never read about before. So let's get into my review of Caught Up by Liz Tomforde. Review of Caught Up by Liz Tomforde - Windy City #3 Genre: Sports Romance Tropes: Sports romance: 9.5/10 Opposites attract: 9/10 Single dad/Nanny: 10/10 Forced proximity: 9.5/10 Found family: 9.5/10 Overall rating: 5 stars Caught Up is, at the moment, the latest Windy City series available to read and the synopsis is as follows: "Kai: I’m a single dad and starting pitcher for Chicago’s MLB team. I’m stretched too thin, but I don’t want help raising my son. Each of his previous nannies only lasted a few weeks before I let them go. Now, my coach is putting his foot down by hiring the one person I can’t fire—his daughter. Miller Montgomery is the last woman I should fall for. Too wild, too young, and too unattached. Chicago is just a quick stop for her. I thought I’d be counting down the days until she left, but summer feels too short when I start thinking about forever. Miller: As a high-end pastry chef who recently won the most prestigious award in my industry, I’m desperate to prove I deserve it. But with a new title comes new pressure, and I can’t create a fresh and inspiring dessert to save my life. With only two months to get back on track, I should be focusing in the kitchen, but instead, I let my dad talk me into using my time off to nanny for his star player’s kid. Kai Rhodes forgot how to have fun, and I’m eager to jog his memory. But when he and his son start to feel like home, I have to remind us both that my time in Chicago ends with the summer. Besides, I’ve always been a runner, and the last thing I want is to get caught." A trope in romance books that I have always particularly liked is the single-parent trope. There's something about a book with a young child that tugs on my heartstrings and Caught Up was exactly that. Whilst the book is about Kai and Miller, Max, Kai's son, did steal the show the majority of the time. He was so cute and I could just picture him throughout the book and it made me smile. Caught Up is an emotional book, I'd say. The third-act break-up was more heart-breaking than I expected, but I think that is down to Max. However, the narrative arc of the book was crafted so well by Liz that the tension just built and built until Kai and Miller gave in to their feelings and then when they were together, you knew something was going to happen, but it was still unexpected. Kai Rhodes is a famous baseball player in the MLB. His whole life, baseball has been his love but when Max is left to Kai, his entire focus and priority in life changes. Kai is Clark Kent-handsome, one of the best players in the MLB and the sweetest father. He wants Max to have the best life, so he always puts him first. But travelling the US is hard when you're a single parent, let alone when you fire every nanny. But with Miller in his life, Kai slowly starts opening himself up to more than just being a dad. Kai learns what fun means again and realises that if he wanted to, he could have it all. His character is sweet, swoon-worthy, charming and sexy. And that's a problem for Miller Montgomery. Miller is Kai's coach's daughter and she has a lot of pressure on her plate. Being a chef and having won an award, she's sought-after, but by spending time looking after Max and flirting with Kai, Miller realises that striving to be the best and have an impressive career isn't always what it's cracked up to be. She is feisty and fiery and I loved how determined she was. Liz's female protagonists are all very different but I did really like Miller and how she formed friendships with Indy and Stevie, and also Kennedy, who is the FMC of the fourth book. Miller has two different sides to her - being a chef and being herself as a nanny - and eventually, she lets Kai under her strong demeanour to see who she really is. The dynamic between Miller and Kai was so good. Their banter and chemistry were off the charts; the spice and flirtatiousness in this book...chef's kiss. There were also scenes in this book that had me smiling so wide my cheeks hurt, like the scene where Max walks for the first time! One thing I would say is that this is a baseball romance and if you're like me and don't know baseball, there will be some bits that probably don't make sense. When Liz writes a sports romance, she writes a sports romance and includes scenes of the actual sport, which makes the whole book authentic, but I didn't understand the baseball terms. However, it didn't take away from my enjoying the story because once again Liz crafted emotionally deep characters in difficult situations but together they discover what truly matters and create their own happiness. Kai and Miller are up there with Zanders and Stevie, but may have beaten them slightly to my favourite in the Windy City series. I loved the side characters, seeing Zanders and Stevie and Indy and Ryan, but also getting a sneak into Isaiah and Kennedy's book! Intrigued? If my review has intrigued you to read book three in the Windy City series by Liz Tomforde, click the cover below to view it on Amazon. Until next time...

I'm back with a book review of the second instalment in the Windy City series, The Right Move by Liz Tomforde. My last blog post was a book review of Mile High by Liz Tomforde. Mile High is book one in the Windy City sports romance series and I knew from reading that book that the others in the series would be just as good. So here I am sharing a review of the second book, The Right Move. This series can be read as interconnected standalones, however, I do feel that if you read them all together - in the right order - it'll make your experience a lot better. It has for me because you get introduced to the other couples ahead of when their book actually comes out. But without further ado, let's get into what I thought about The Right Move by Liz Tomforde. Review of The Right Move by Liz Tomforde (Windy City #2) Genre: Contemporary romance Tropes: Sports romance: 9/10 Best friend's brother: 10/10 Roommates/Forced proximity: 9.5/10 Grumpy/sunshine: 9/10 Fake dating: 10/10 Overall rating: 4.5 stars Synopsis for The Right Move: "RYAN: She’s a distraction, that’s what she is. I’m the newest Captain of the Devils, Chicago’s NBA team, and the last thing I needed this year was for Indy Ivers, my sister’s best friend, to move into my apartment. She’s messy, emotional, and way too tempting. But when the team’s General Manager vocalizes his blatant disapproval of my promotion to Captain, referring to me as an unapproachable lone wolf with no work-life balance, I can’t think of a better way to convince him otherwise than pretending to date my outgoing roommate. The only problem? Faking it feels far too natural. Having a fake girlfriend wasn’t supposed to be messy but having Indy under my roof and in my bed is complicated, especially when she wants all the romantic parts of life that I could never give her. INDY: I never imagined I’d be living with my best friend’s brother, NBA superstar Ryan Shay. Even more unbelievable? He needs me to act as his loving girlfriend who’s suddenly changed him into a friendly and approachable guy. Because, well…he’s not. He’s controlling of his space and untrusting of others. Our arrangement isn’t one-sided, though. I’m in a wedding coming up, one where every one of my childhood friends, including my ex-boyfriend, will be in attendance, and there’s no better date than my ex’s celebrity hero. Blurred lines make it almost impossible to separate real from fake. Falling for my roommate was never part of the deal, especially when Ryan is quick to remind me that he doesn’t believe in love. I’m a romantic and can’t help fantasizing that he’ll change, but soon enough, I find myself questioning if sharing a roof with my best friend’s brother was the right move after all." From my ratings above, you can probably tell I loved this book. Just like Mile High, The Right Move is a must-read for sports romance lovers. The second book in the Windy City series is a basketball romance and follows Ryan Shay and Indigo Ivers. We meet these characters in Mile High and the brief scenes in book one of their interactions set up their story perfectly. The Right Move is a funny, heart-warming book. Ryan and Indy are opposites in a lot of ways and I loved reading their dynamic of living together and navigating their growing feelings. It was a completely different type of story compared to Zanders and Stevie in book one. I feel like in this book we got more angst and sexual tension of Ryan and Indy living together whilst trying to figure each other out. And then when they finally gave in, we got to see the sweetness of their relationship. Ryan is Stevie's twin and when it comes to his sister, he is relaxed, happy and more free. But with everyone else, including Indy, Ryan is more reserved. Throughout the book, we learn about Ryan's past and the reason why he doesn't trust people easily; it is his flaw but he learns to open up and trust those who want to be there for him because of who he is, not what he does. The NBA star feels an immense amount of pressure and the fake dating begins to placate his coach. However, Indy slowly worms her way into his life with her bright colours and wide smile and we see the tough, stoic façade of Ryan crack to reveal a charming, kind-hearted man. Ryan is such a good romance book hero because he is sweet but also a bit possessive of his girl when they're together and at times, you know the fake dating wasn't all that fake. Whilst Ryan begins the book as grumpy, Indy is sunshine. She's suffering from her own past trauma and wants a fresh start, but moving in with her best friend's brother and being in a fake relationship with him isn't exactly what she had planned. Indy's character is such a great female MC. She is comical, loyal and determined. I didn't relate to her as much as Stevie's character, but there was still that connection between reader and character throughout the book. One thing I loved about The Right Move was the friendships. Not only did we see the friendship between Indy and Stevie, but we also saw Ryan open up more to Zanders and Kai Miller - book three's protagonist - and Rio as well. Romance books always have a small friendship group, I've found, and Liz has done a fantastic job of creating diverse characters that feel believable as friends. Plus, Indy's daily updates to Stevie made me laugh! I really enjoyed The Right Move because it did make me laugh and it did tug at my heartstrings when it came to Ryan and Indy's past trauma and individual issues. The Right Move involves sign language because of a deaf character, which as someone who is writing a novel with a deaf character I found intriguing but also wholesome because of Ryan's actions related to sign language. The Right Move by Liz Tomforde is full of love, charm, banter and spice. It is definitely worth the read if you're a fan of sports romances and even if you're not much of a fan of basketball, you probably will be after reading this book. Intrigued? If my review has persuaded you to give The Right Move by Liz Tomforde a try, click the cover below to view it on Amazon. Until next time...

Liz Tomforde's Windy City series is a sports romance series that covers all bases and I love it, so I thought I'd write a review of book one, Mile High. Sports romances have grown in popularity in recent years since the rise of BookTok and Bookstagram. And even more so now with Taylor Swift dating Kansas City Chief's Tight End, Travis Kelce. But for me, they've always been a sub-genre of romance novels that I've enjoyed. I never used to think of myself as sporty, despite doing netball, dance, swimming and once upon a time football. However, now I love to watch it whether it be American Football, Formula 1 or Ice Hockey. So it was no surprise that when I began the Windy City series by Liz Tomforde, I loved it. The series consists of three published books with a fourth set to be released later this year. The first three books - Mile High, The Right Move and Caught Up - cover a different sport. Mile High is the first book in the series and is an NHL/ice hockey romance. The Right Move is a NBA/basketball romance and Caught Up is a MLB/baseball romance. Mile High by Liz Tomforde was my first read of February so for my first blog post of the month, I thought I'd share my review of book one in the Windy City series. Review of Mile High by Liz Tomforde (Windy City #1) Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Sports romance: 9/10 Workplace romance: 9/10 Forced proximity: 9.5/10 Opposites attract: 9.5/10 Overall Rating: 5 stars Synopsis as stated by GoodReads: "ZANDERS: Chicago hockey isn't complete without me - everyone's favourite player to hate. I know my role, and I play it well. In fact, I thoroughly enjoy spending the majority of my game time in the penalty box before leaving the arena with a new girl on my arm each night. What I don't like is the new flight attendant on our team's private plane. She works for me, not the other way around. But I'll be sure to remind her of that, and I can guarantee, by the end of the season, she'll be begging to quit her job. But every road trip blurs the lines, and I can't quite figure out if I keep pushing that flight attendant call button in order to push her buttons, or if it's more than that. STEVIE: I've been a flight attendant for years. I thought I'd seen it all, but when my new job lands me onboard working for the most egotistical and self-righteous diva in the NHL, I start to second guess everything. Including the promise I made to myself of never hooking up with an athlete again . . . no matter how annoyingly tempting he may be. Evan Zanders is unfiltered, unapologetic, and too attractive for his own good. He loves his image, but I hate everything about it. Everything but him." Now I know what you're probably thinking: Mile High sounds like your average, everyday sports romance. But it isn't. Yes, Zanders and Stevie start as enemies, forced to work closely together and over time their feelings grow. Mile High is a spicy romance suited for those 18 and over but there is a whole other layer to the characters and the plot underneath the surface. Mile High has a variety of characters in terms of the protagonists but also the side characters. Evan Zanders (Zee) begins the book as the famous bad boy hockey player that everyone loves to hate. He presents the world with a certain persona of not caring, being brutal at times on the ice, and having his choice of women. He's known for being in the tabloids for all the wrong reasons and people love him for it. But underneath the tough, playboy exterior, there is so much more to Zanders. He is emotional, haunted by his past, incredibly caring and protective of those he loves and basically a teddy bear. But his fear of not being loved for who he really is and not getting resigned with the Chicago Raptors prevent him from showing the world the true Evan Zanders. And then Stevie comes along. Stevie works as a flight attendant on the Raptor's plane and her initial meeting with Zanders didn't go how he hoped. She was a spitfire who took no nonsense because she had a job to do. But over time, Zanders let his mask fall whilst he was around Stevie and soon she became one of the few people to learn that the Zanders the public knows isn't real. However, things aren't that simple. Of course, in a novel, you need conflict and Zander's persona is a major part of the drama. Both Zanders and Stevie have insecurities for different reasons, but they ultimately lead to the same root problem in that neither of them thinks they're enough/worthy to be loved. And this is why I loved this book. The protagonists weren't just typical sports romance characters, they had that extra level of depth and vulnerability to them. Liz included diversity within Mile High in that both characters are mixed-race, there's mental health representation, and body positivity. The mental health representation was handled delicately and Liz wrote the novel in a way that conveyed the characters' emotions and struggles to the point that in the third act, I had to hold back tears. Stevie's character is plus-sized and throughout her life, she's suffered a lot of trauma because of it. But I loved how Zanders gave her the confidence to love herself more and embrace her body. It was great to see Stevie's confidence grow throughout the novel and how she learnt to stand up for herself; there's one scene in particular with the press outside Stevie's building, which made me smile. I think a lot of what I loved about Mile High was the representation within the novel and the characterisation of Stevie and Zanders because I saw a lot of myself in Stevie. The connection these two characters have is incredible and the banter as well is very comical. I've seen a lot of reviews saying that the book is too long and could have been shortened, but personally, I feel it was the right length. You get to know the characters well enough to be taken on their journey with them and feel connected to them, which is the whole purpose of a book. So I say Mile High by Liz Tomforde of the Windy City series is definitely worth the read. Intrigued? If my review has convinced you to give this book a go, then you can read it on Amazon, and Kindle Unlimited. Just click the cover below. If you decide to read it or have read Mile High before, let me know what you think. Until next time...

Deep rest is essential for us to feel fully relaxed and rejuvenated and avoid burning out. If you've read some of my blog posts before, then you will know that I have been prone to burning out. The definition of burnout, according to Mental Health UK is a "state of physical and emotional exhaustion." Typically, burnout results from workplace stress that hasn't been properly managed. It can leave you feeling exhausted, depleted of energy, feeling overwhelmed and having a more negative outlook on things. A lot of the time, when someone is suffering from burnout, they may try, for example, to sleep a few more hours each night or improve their diet. However, feeling exhausted and burnt out won't go away with a consistent eight hours of sleep. Earlier this week, I read an article in The Independent that talked all about deep rest and it got me thinking. What is deep rest? Deep rest is the term used to describe anything that allows you to switch off completely, in both emotional and physical respects. In the article, Dr Sophie Bostock from thesleepscientist.com said: "There's a difference between doing something relaxing and really relaxing the body." This really resonated with me because as someone who struggles to relax and take time away from work, it was intriguing to learn more about how to fully unwind, especially since I've felt overwhelmed with work and university recently. Dr Bostock also mentioned in the article that whilst we can sit down and watch TV, we're not actually relaxing. And I can attest to that because there have been several times when I've sat down to watch a movie or read a book or do some crafts and said that's me taking a break. But by the end of it, I didn't feel fully relaxed because my mind was still working. What we actually need to do is to switch off from everything in all respects. Dr Bostock mentioned that anything that helps you turn off cognitively, emotionally and physically is the key, which doesn't always mean a good night's sleep. In a more scientific explanation, practising deep rest allows for your body's sympathetic nervous system to be turned off whilst your parasympathetic nervous system gets turned on. The difference between these two is that the sympathetic nervous system is your body's fight or flight response that results in an increased heart rate etc, whilst your parasympathetic nervous system regulates the "rest and digest" functions. But how do we achieve deep rest? Sleep is essential to our wellbeing and if we don't get enough sleep each night, then we won't feel as good as we could do in the morning. However, sleep is only one pillar contributing to deep rest. It is only one form of rest. To feel fully energised and awake we need to focus on relaxing cognitively, emotionally and physically. It can be difficult to allow yourself time to relax fully and switch off, but it is necessary because otherwise, you could become chronically exhausted and burnt out, which isn't a good feeling for anyone. To achieve deep rest, the first thing to do is schedule it. A lot of the time, if something isn't scheduled and we say, we'll do it later, we rarely do. So scheduling time to properly relax means you're taking it seriously but increases your chances of actually relaxing. Now examples of different things you can do are: Brain dumping Walking in nature Watching mindless TV Put your phone away Express your feelings without embarrassment Spend time with true friends Brain dumping allows you to mentally, and also emotionally, switch off because you expel all the thoughts in your head onto a piece of paper - or a voice note if you prefer - and can forget about them. Walking in nature isn't for everyone, especially if you aren't a fan of bugs or the cold. But it can be an activity that inspires you, calms you down, and lets you mentally rest. Taking in your surroundings and just letting yourself feel what's around you is a way to relax and let the tension go from your body. Watching mindless TV makes way for you to physically relax. Sitting on the sofa, or lying down, gives your body a moment of rest because it's not doing anything but taking oxygen into your lungs. This activity could also help you mentally if you choose a programme, or film, that doesn't require a lot of attention and focus. Phones are a part of everyday life and as someone who has social media involved in their job, it can be hard to have time without your phone. But it is so important to do so. Looking at screens all day does nothing to help your eyes, but it can also be overwhelming, so when you can try to avoid using your phone. Stacey Solomon has shared that she's had days on the weekend without her phone and puts it in a drawer. Other people avoid using their phones an hour before they go to sleep. Emotions are complex and they can be daunting. Society has ingrained in us that for men, it's not very masculine to cry, and when women are annoyed or stressed, it's their hormones. Emotional rest is something everybody should be striving for, but it is difficult. However, letting your emotions out and expressing them without fear or embarrassment can be very freeing and restorative, so find a place to scream or cry, talk to a trusted friend or even journal. Whatever you choose, emotional rest is key. Socialising can be draining - as an introvert, I know. But sometimes, after being around people where you've felt the need to be switched on, present yourself in a certain way and always be aware, it can be relaxing to spend time with those who accept you for you and don't expect anything. Deep rest is not an easy feat to achieve, but in a day and age where there are lots of conflicts, it's important to take care of yourself, especially in the colder months of the year. I'm not a scientist or health expert, but if you're feeling burnt out, exhausted or overwhelmed, maybe give some of these activities a go and try to fully relax to achieve deep rest. Until next time...