My Relaxing Routine

How do you like to relax? For me it is good book and a cuppa. I do watch TV but not a lot. I like to listen to music, as it helps me plan for my Radio Show and finding doing my radio show relaxing as I will take my shoes off once I set up, and doing little things like that takes the pressure away of delivering a good show. You never know who is listening and so like to get into the zone. 

One Of the Places we like to walk to Wimbledon Park, London 

I like to wake up early and avoid the mad rush and in the evenings my son and I like to, once my husband has gone to bed, watch repeats of show likes Not Going Out. Some evenings mainly Autumn and Winter like to have a nice hot bath with salts, listening to an audiobook and read once my son and I have gone to bed, to end the day. 

Many may find it strange but I find walking relaxing, especially by a pond or a river and have a nice dinner. 

I like to wear lounge wear, tracksuit or cozy jumper. 

For me having a good set of jumpers, jeans and good set of boots, good for Autumn and Winter and funky socks. I love cozy clothes and invest in Turtle Necks this time of year. I tend to by many of my woolly clothes from Charity shops.

It is good to have a cozy dinner. I like the typical roast dinners, on a Sundays and begun a new meal for some weeks. It is a Midweek Roast or we will have casserole, spaghetti Bolognese and anything that warms the tummy and a nice pudding. Soup and a Roll for lunch. Porridge for breakfast and just feeling warm on the outside and on the inside. 

I am going to be doing a Programme called Winter Wellness, which I created last year and so will be a group of blogs, like this to help have a good Winter and help enjoy it rather than dread it. I will be mainly using blog site: https://www.everyonecanbuildacastle.com

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

New Way of Planning and Staying On The Right Track, Getting Things Done

I have tried so many different ways to be organised and now I use post its. Check out my New Vlog: https://youtu.be/iryXj4wW1-A It feels so good to rip them off and tare them up. There are some daily tasks, weekly and yearly. 

It is up to you what works, with your Lifestyle, my word of this year, but I am finding this to be even more effective along with Notion and my other notepads. It is good to have a vision board and perhaps use smaller post it notes, but gonna keep with the post its I am using now and continue to build it up to help me to complete tasks and working on projects. 

Not everything goes to plan but doesn't mean that you should change your plans. With life you may have to alter your plans, but finding a method that works best.

Stop doing things to satisfy others. Focus on what works for you. 

I love a simple systems and it is good to be relaxed about it and if you feel you need more rest then do so. 

Often it is good to stop plans and decide on the day. 

It is good to have a flexible approach and often it is good to let others decide. I feel it is good to do something different from your normal plans. Weekends my son goes to sports clubs and it gives me a break and I enjoy going to see my son do his football training and his rugby. 

So look at what is working and what is not. What you enjoy and a visual plan near me it helps me to find better ways to stay on track. I am homeschooling at the moment and so making sure my son does some learning. We like go for walks and I enjoy planning these and so make sure we make that a priority and note it down and pin to my pinboard. 

Also Pinterest. I love that platform. I love creating vision boards. thetypicalLondongal - Profile | Pinterest

Canva is good too. I use this to create my videos boards I call them for my Vlog channel: youtube.com/@typicallondongal

I am not sponsored, but if they did I would accept, on all online platforms I use and can use these  platforms on my phone and that is simple to use. 

So how do you plan and stay on track, getting things done? Please share. You can use the comment box below. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Rebelling Against Your To do's

I am a rebellious person and so whenever I write a todo list I often hear the inner voice "No I don't want to do that today" and another voice comes "That is okay do on another day, when I know I have no other commitments and I will find time, to get it done, no matter how much my rebellious thoughts come through". 

Whenever I plan my meals for the week, I hear the critic ask, "Are you really going to want that?" and so I do a meal plan but not one that is set in stone, because I feel like running a mile and having over processed meals and working around other tasks and my son. I am currently homeschooling and my son rebels against learning so I work around his interests, because I know he won't try to debate against it; along with giving time and make sure he has a drink, water or milk, to help make him feel comfortable and tell him before hand of what he will be learning each day, because many children especially with Autism, ADHD and other difficulties, any surprises, he will start to refuse and have to try to scrape him off the sofa, for him to do it. 

I love our morning walks and I hear the rebellious voice say, "No don't go for a walk" or more questioning the idea of a walk, but I really enjoy it and I remind myself of, how good it is, to be out early and exploring with homeschooling and really kicks starts the day. 

This week we are swimming and find it so refreshing, but get anxious about getting there on time. I hate being late and rushing around and can hear the critic voice, trying to make feel like I don't want to. I like to get up in the mornings early, so I have time to read, have a cup of tea and get dressed and feel calm and since doing this, my thoughts and fears are a lot calmer. I enjoy planning but then I get the morning jitters and my mind starts to think otherwise and will tell it "No" the inner voice and always get to the Leisure centre, where we go swimming, and we get so much out of it. 

Family time, for me is a must because it is good to share the work. My mum for example helps with Henry's learning along with my step dad and Henry's dad. It helps with the rebellious thoughts and the pressures fade, because I get anxious when trying to do tasks alone, like homeschooling and it helps me with my teaching, to help my son. I am building my knowledge at the same time. I will watch some training videos to work towards my own ambitions and do different courses and this helps me not rebel by build my interests and focus on what is important. I like doing tasks not on my to do list and take breaks between each task and not letting my rebellious nature get in the way. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

 

Keeping Organisation Simple/Writing lists

We have so many resources now like OneNote, Notion and Asana to help with organisation, but you don't have too use those and I have today, used post it notes and a shopping list notebook, which I bought from Amazon and helps to rein myself in to stop planning for next week, but one day at a time. 

Don't get me wrong I like to plan my week ahead, but I come to realise that it is good to focus on now, which will help plan for the rest of the week and the month and year. 

I do like to keep blog ideas in an A4 note book and Notion, my phone and I do carry around a little notebook. I like to go through my lists to workout what I want to get done on the day and to make sure I keep tabs on emails regarding Henry's schooling, appointments and any other important matters.

On the weekend I will do Parkrun or go to my sons football training, go for a coffee, shopping, Conker Picking, in the Autumn and watching some sport which is a regular thing we do. I watch football, the athletic competitions, rugby and in the Summer Tennis and do like watching a Darts tournament.

I often, at the weekend or on holiday, put the planning aside and just do something different some weeks and days, so I like to keep my plans opens. I plan mainly week days but not the weekend and sometimes the days out not planned, have been, the best. 

It is good to let someone else do the planning. I am not one who wants to be in charge all of the them time and let someone else take the lead. 

When it comes to planning meals I plan ahead and will write it down and then put it up on my Notion template for meals and it is good to use Notion because I do often change my mind. Today we are having a take away and usually on Sundays my husband will cook. I love a Sunday Roast and do plan for that, but because my son is staying with my mum this weekend, just going to have Tin Curry and Rice this Sunday and at the moment I am trying to use up our Food, in the cupboard to reduce our waste. 

 

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For cleaning I will often concentrate on one area at a time and at the moment, I am  decluttering one area or one item a day and it is good to let things go and on a whim my son and I did a "Fun shop" today I call it, only allowing  us both 4 items each.

I like the film Mike Bassett The England Manager where he writes the team on a cigarette packet and I have used, a receipt or use the Notes APP on my phone and that is simple and my mum will set alarms on her phone to remind herself.

Simple systems are the best and more motivating.

How do you plan? Do you have a method? You can share in the Comments section below.

You can follow me on this blog site if you would like to be notified of when I post. It is completely free to do so.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Leave the Planning at Home

When on holiday, I plan somewhat beforehand, but I packed the wrong items this time because of the weather hand changed. So planning better by checking the forecast is essential. Lesson number 1. I enjoy the change of environment. I like to see what is available on the day and love little towns and going self catering rather than going out to eat, but may have a drink but just chill and plan indoors, of what we will do, but a brief plan. 

Me out with my son walking 

There are times where I don't want to plan and see what there is on the day. Planning all the time can be restrictive. It is good to have a day where, you do things, not on a to do list. It is good to have a day to do what you feel like doing. Check out this blog: https://organize4thebetter.blogspot.com/2025/07/doing-things-that-arent-on-to-do-list.html 

It is good to change your days around, when it comes to going out sometimes I just let my feet do the talking and see where I end up. Making sure I am safe, at the same time. I have a Vlog channel and I was uploading on Wednesday's and Fridays but like to upload on Sundays too. It is good to be flexible with your time and be realistic. I for example can't sit in the sun for too long, so I go and read my book in the gardens nearby, in the morning, It  doesn't suit me in doing that, in the afternoon, when it is super hot. I am not good with the heat.  

Often I change my mind about what want to buy when I get outdoors. I evaluate if the item I had planned to buy is urgent enough and if I can leave it until the following week. 

When I go for walks I am creative. Ideas come flowing in of blogs, videos and books. I have new a book out. Please click here: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51d10FG9NsL._SY425_.jpg Yet I will jump back into what is around me, moving my thoughts along: lesson 2. 

Be Mindful, and make sure, I listen to my body. I used to daydream a lot when out and stepping out onto the road, without paying attention.

Planning is good, but it also good to do what you fee like doing, without it being written down.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Getting The Most Out Of Your Evenings

There was a time where I would be a night owl. I would be on my laptop whilst my son was in bed, but would feel super sleepy the next day. So now I make sure I wind down and read, have a couple of cups of tea and then watch some TV on my phone and then get to sleep.

The Thai Green Curry I made from scratch

It is good to plan what I'd like to watch. Last night it was watching the football. Women's Euro 2025 or last week it was watching Live AID concert as I never saw it as a kid as my dad didn't want to watch it and was around the time we, my brother and I, didn't have a TV in our rooms and so wanted to watch the concert and the documentary that was on iPlayer.

I am really liking to exercise in bed. I do leg raises. I like to do my skincare. I use E45 for feet as advised by my diabetic nurse advised, Nivea for my face and Care brand from Avon on my hands. 

I am enjoying my showers of the evening at the moment. It is good after my son and I have been out walking and just helps to prepare of a good sleep ready for the next day. 

We tend to eat between 16:40 to 17:00 and my husband comes home from work that time and really got my buzz for cooking again and made some really lovely meals. I made Thai Green Curry, Homemade Pasta Sauce, BBQ Chicken, Stir-fry's and Roast Dinners. 

My son likes to play out in the garden. In the summer time whilst it is lighter for longer. I like to sit out there to read with a cup of tea or when the tennis was on a Pimm's and Lemonade and enjoy the summer days and cooler outside. 

We tend to do our laundry in the evening and thankfully it taken care of by my husband. When it Wimbledon it is in the morning, but all depends on if we have gone out and the weather. 

I am not one to go out in the evening unless it is to see a show or a concert, if we go out for something to eat but I don't go out drinking and I like a cozy evening indoors and very much a home body. 

So do you enjoy your evenings? Keeping it clean, how do you get the most out of your evenings? You can leave a comment below. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

 

 

Doing Things That Aren't on a to do list

So I like free days. It is a day where I don't go by a list but what I truly feel like doing. I did this last week and not done this for while and so glad I had that time. It really helps release my tension. Yes it is good to tick things off but it can become the same thing everyday and needed a day that was different and have a break from my usual to do list. 

Some of my best times I have had is where nothing was pre-planned. 

I remember a friends birthday. No I didn't go to work the next day which wasn't good but had the best time because we just had the night of our lives, and you have to live sometimes that is not on the agenda and be a free living soles. I lived my life to the full in my twenties. Last year with my parents took the UberBoat from Putney to North Greenwich and back. 

Now this was a girl and manifested but had forgotten until after we had done it that it was on my goals list, so have learned that to reach goals you have to live your life with a free mind and your goals can come true but forgetting about them. 

It is so good to be spontaneous at times not worry about dinner being made and just get out and about. 

As a kid my mum and dad would take my brother to the pub on a Sunday and wished we had longer but would get together with other families and go to the Chelsea Pot, then travel back by taxi and hated the fact that I had school the next day but glad we did that. 

I like going out the weekends and doing something different and unplanned. I am listening to a Podcast on a Youtube Channel called Cancer Platform with Kathy Burke and talking about her life and different things that she has gone through as a child and adult and it she is so funny and you wouldn't have a thought she'd struggle but she has. You can be the most powerful person in the world but you can still struggle mentally. 

That is why I like to have a day where I want to do what I like that is not on a list and not feel like life is a chore. 

So scrap the lists and have a day that you want to do that too and just live.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X