10 day cycle

I am a compulsive list-writer. I love to plan my days, set goals and organise my thoughts and ideas. It's fun, but a lot of the time it doesn't get me very far. Recently, I read an article on Steve Pavlina's blog in which he says:

Beyond the 2-week range, most of us think of our to-dos as being somewhere “over the horizon” and not of immediate concern. We don’t need to deal with them until they become more urgent.

I found this tip very helpful. It's true. A foreseeable deadline encourages me to get more things done, sooner, and discourages me from procrastinating. Being organised also allows me to designate free time for myself (to watch The Good Wife and bake cake), which means that I'm more inclined to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done.

Steve endorses planning in a 10 day cycle. 10 days is an ideal time-frame because it breaks up the week-to-week drag. Usually, I have lapsed in my plans by Wednesday and I can justify waiting until Monday to take them up again. By creating my own blocks of time I can avoid conforming to the ones set by the calendar, which helps to overcome time hurdles.

Rather than a to-do list, I tend to base my plan around inspiration and new ideas or techniques to try.

Par exemple -

Books to read:

Recipes to try:

Alicia Silverstone's Carrot-Apple-Lemon-Ginger Cocktail

(via The Kind Life)

Skye Craig's Chocolate Avocado Mousse

(via Wild Sugar)

Makeup look to emulate:

Vanessa Paradis for Chanel

Nars Sheer Glow applied all over, blended outward with fingers

By Terry Touch Expert Advanced concealer applied under the eyes and on any imperfections with Nars Concealer Brush

Nars Loose Powder dusted all over with Nars Yachiyo Brush

Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Rose Dust applied softly on the apples of the cheeks with Nars Yachiyo Brush

Nars Blush in Zen used under the cheekbones, jawline and either side of the nose, applied with Nars Yachiyo Brush

Nars Brow Powder (it's actually eyeshadow!) in Bali (for brunettes) or Blondie (for blondes) applied softly with Nars Brow Shader brush

Nars Eyeshadow Duo in Madrague - the lighter side dusted onto the brow bone with Nars Large Domed Eye Brush and the darker side pressed into the eyelid with MAC 217 brush

Nars Eyeshadow Duo in Bellisima - the lighter side dusted onto the brow bone with Nars Large Domed Eye Brush and the lighter side applied along the outer corner of the top lashline and along the bottom lashline with Nars Small Eye Contour Brush

Chanel Intense Eye Pencil in black lining the inner rim of the upper lashline

Nars Eyeliner Pencil in Iceberg lining the inner rim of the lower lashline

Chanel Inimitable Mascara in black applied onto the top lashes, two coats

Nars Lip Liner in Rosebud lining and filling in the lips

Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick in Mademoiselle, applied with Nars Lip Brush

Things to do

Watch the finale week of Masterchef Australia

Get organised for a new semester at uni

Do some laundry

(Some more of my favourite Pavlina articles include How to Become an Early Riser, How to Get Up Right Away When Your Alarm Goes Off, 10 Tips for College Students, Soulful Relationships and One Week On, One Week Off. You would think that reading all these articles on efficiency would mean that I am getting a lot of work done but although I love reading the articles, applying them is another story.)

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