How To: Balance Life in Your 20s

Growing up is hard work.  It becomes a very difficult time in your early 20s when you are trying to balance your personal life, school, jobs, volunteer positions, all while trying to figure out what it is you want to do with your life.  Seeing as I have a couple years of experience being in my 20s I figure that I may be able to help some people try and balance everything that is going on by offering a little bit of amateur advice:

1. Time Management is the most important skill you will ever develop in your life- There will be times when you have to balance about 20 or more tasks at once and it feels overwhelming.  The best thing you can ever do when you are faced with this situation is to sit down and plan out everything you need to accomplish and determine the time frame for these tasks.  No matter what you think, you CANNOT wait until the last night before something is due or needs to be done in order to do it. You will stress yourself out far more than is necessary, and you will definitely do a half-assed job of whatever task you are trying to complete.  PLAN, PLAN, PLAN. I know people hear this all the time, but there is a reason for it.  Managing your time wisely will help you succeed at whatever you are doing, and also allow you to do it in a manner where you don't feel like pulling your hair out every second of the day :)

2.  Ask for help when you need it-  There is no shame in asking or accepting help from a friend or a loved one.  I have come to realize this in my 20s.  Your friends and family WANT to help, and it would be damn silly not to take advantage of this.  Sometimes you will get overwhelmed and sometimes you will be pulled in a million directions, and sometimes you will need some help to get you through those tough times.  I have a great support system and I rely on them all the time. 

3.  Make time for yourself- Even if you feel like you are the busiest you have ever been in your entire life, you NEED to make time for yourself.  Whether it is through exercise, reading a book, meditating, or watching movies (pick your poison) - it is necessary to keep your life balanced and healthy. You need time to just sit and relax and let your mind wander.  You never know, it may be during one of these times when you finally have an epiphany and figure out what it is you want to do with your life. 

Good luck!

Sincerely,

Alley

How To: Pack Well For A Trip

I have been travelling all my life.  I have travelled to well over 20 countries and go on trips multiple times per year.  I wish I could say I have become an expert at packing since I have so much experience with it. But, alas, usually every trip I go on I still forget something (i'll forget my toothbrush, or socks etc.). Lately however, I have started to get my act together (finally!) and can now confidently offer my expertise and words of caution when packing for trips:

1. Research- Researching the locations you are visiting is a very helpful tip when travelling.  Sometimes you may need things you never thought to expect.  For example, I get motion sickness very easily.  When I was researching my next trip destination I noticed that there are a few excursions available for guests, and one of those is a Catamaran trip.  I decided that knowing this information was a useful reminder for me to bring some Gravol along. Also, it was also helpful to remind me to bring my travel mug for keeping my drinks cold ;).

2. Only pack what you need-  I feel like sometimes when I travel I bring unnecessary or excess items. If you're travelling for a week, you don't need 20 shirts... plan out your outfits for each day and each night and this will help you avoid overpacking.  That way you have plenty of extra room for souvenirs while you are away!

3. Roll your clothes rather than fold- I know this one may seem silly, but honestly it is so helpful to save space.  Especially if you are travelling for a long period of time, rolling your clothes allows you to pack a lot more stuff to cover your trip.

4. trade clothes with your travel companion- If you're traveling with more than one person, make sure that when you are done packing all your stuff, you take at least 1 or two complete outfits out to put in their suitcase (and vice versa).  This will help prevent any troubles arising if a suitcase gets lost on the way to your destination.

Sincerely,
Alley