What to do when every day feels the same

This is part 20 of my 'Led By Heart' series for the 31-day writing challenge. You can find the list of all my 31 posts here. Click here to check out the other participating blogs!

I'm right in the middle of it. The rut. And I know that the stereotype of each and every day can be suffocating. Now that I am unemployed / slooowly starting to work from home - which means I'm AT home all the time - it's becoming increasingly difficult to retain that fresh and joyful outlook on life or at least some level of positivity.

That's why I was inspired today to come up with a list of things and activities to make my days a little more exciting. If you find yourself in a similar situation in life, I hope you'll get some inspiration here as well. Do leave me a comment with your experience or bits of wisdom on how you get over those times when you feel stuck in a rut!

Here are my tips:

#1 plan something exciting for every week
It's important to have things to look forward to. It could be a weekend trip out of town, a visit to an art exhibition, or meeting a friend in that new café. There are lots of free / affordable events and meet-ups in most cities. If you live in or near London, I recommend Time Out's Things to do in London for under a tenner.

#2 plan your day right
You should schedule stuff in your day so that you'll have time not only to work or do your chores, but also to play! Ideally, those two will alternate throughout the day. I suggest 40 minutes of work and then 20 minutes of fun. In your 'fun time', you can check your social networks (but don't get stuck there!), call a friend, read a chapter from a book, do something creative (write, draw, knit, sing...), work on one of your personal goals, do a bit of yoga or meditation... Make good use of this time! The better you use it, the more energized you'll be for the 'work time'.

#3 go outside
Going for a short and brisk walk will clear your head and get new ideas flowing. If you can, go where you'll be surrounded by nature.

#4 be the organizer
Instead of waiting to be invited somewhere or just sit at home bored, how about taking the initiative? Organize a dinner party, a little book club, a trip to the cinema or a scrabble tournament with your friends, it really can be anything you enjoy doing!

#6 talk to people 
Keep in touch with your family and friends - it's easy to get into a hermit mode when you're stuck at home all the time, so make sure to get out of your shell as often as you can and share whatever is happening in your life with your loved ones. 
Also, know what’s happening around you and in the world - that means follow the news, read about new stuff in your area of interest, keep your mind fresh. Not only will you have things to talk about to others, but it will also at times prevent you from going crazy.

#5 don't forget to move
Stand up, stretch and walk around a bit regularly, long sitting in one position is VERY bad for you. Try to exercise at least twice a week. It doesn't have to be anything exhausting, how about Pilates, yoga or tai-chi?

#5 don't forget to rest
In case you’re in the other category and you're running around all day long... Make sure to take some time just for yourself and do something that makes you happy, refreshes you and gives you peace of mind.

#8 incorporate new things into every day
You can try a new recipe, a book you wouldn't normally read but a friend was excited about it, a different film genre, a different outfit combination, a different path on your daily walk, a new exercise routine, a new creative hobby... At times, even a little change helps.


What do you do to add a bit flavour to your life?