Busy, Yet Pretty - How To Stay Productive During The Colder Months And Navigate The Winter Blues

Episode Date: December 2, 2024

With these colder months, we all tend to feel a bit unproductive and feel the winter blues approaching. You are NOT alone. In this episode your host, Jadyn Hailey shares the best, simple ways you can move out of your winter slump and move past those winter blues to, feel productive and enjoy the winter season. From maintaining a positive mindset to romanticizing your winter, this episode is perfection. Tune into this episode with an iced peppermint mocha latte, as you tune into this episode.  Current Obsessions: - vintage gold watches  - martha stewart 90s holiday - focus on growing your business Shopify             Become your own dream girl with me!! : - COZY AUTUMN DIARIES | fall baking, home shopping & solo dates - Instagram: Jadyn's Instagram & Busy, Yet Pretty Instagram - Busy, Yet Pretty Groupchat  - NEW!!!! Productive Day In My Life: WATCH - Tiktok: @Fairyjadyn - My Amazon Storefront: Jadyn's Storefront - Outfit Details: My Closet     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hello, my love. Welcome back to the Busy Yet Pretty Podcasts, all about self-love, becoming the best version of you, and ultimately living your dream life. I'm really excited for today's episode because I feel like we all just get in a slump during the colder months, and it's important to pause and realign with your goals, and just remember that the winter blues are temporary. But without further ado, let's get into today's weekly review. So this week, I have just started a new book. It's called The Christmas in and it's so cute. I picked it up at the airport at the LAX and I was leaving to Maine and classic. I didn't read it when I was on the plane. I was too busy doing stuff on my phone and then I'm

finally starting it and I'm absolutely obsessed so far. If you have any Christmas or winter book recommendations, feel free to send them my way. Another thing this week is I have been decorating and just enjoying the holidays. I am basically done decorating now and it is so nice to have your decorations up early, then you're able to enjoy it just for almost like two months. Now on to the current obsessions. My current obsession at the moment is wrapping gifts. I love nothing more than having a wrapped theme. So this year I'm doing deep red and deep green, as I mentioned in my two previous

episodes all about Christmas decor themes and just having a Ralph Lauren Christmas. Also, let's be real. Of course, that we're getting cute rapping and having a wrapping theme for the gifts to give someone but really the reason why we're doing that is to be extra decorations under our tree wrapped gifts are its own home decor honestly another current obsession at the moment is warming foods i think it's so important as i mentioned in my previous episode that we kind of tune into the season and our bodies digest foods that are in season the best and when you're having a ton of raw vegetables it can be really hard digesting those so it's really good to have some warming foods

in the colder months. And that's something I have definitely been tuning into. Now onto my last current obsession at the moment is to listen to Christmas music 24-7. I love to have it on in the background while I'm working, while I'm cleaning, when I wake up in the morning. Anytime I just like to have it on because it just gets you in the spirit and it's so nice and calming. Now on to the goal of the week. My goal of the week right now is to learn how sourdough works. I feel like making sourdough is a full on sport. So I really just want to know the ins and outs and how it works and I want to know how it works before Christmas because I am asking for a sourdough kit for Christmas, which that will be really exciting once I have it, hopefully, so I can make videos of it. Another goal week is to plan

ahead to take time off for Christmas and you know how just the holidays we want to be present and we want to not think about work or school. So this is your sign now. You still have lots of time. but this is your sign now to work ahead and work on things that are usually going to be due that week. So then you can just take that full week off and not have to stress about any work. In the moment, working ahead and working extra hard feels so hard and longing and you don't want to do it. But I promise you your future self is going to thank you. And my last goal of the week right now is to prepare for the new year. I feel like there's such exciting things for us coming in the new year.

and we're going to start new routines, new ideas, new goals, new lifestyle, new everything. So I am very excited and we're going to have a fun new year coming up. Now on to your self-love question. How can I treat myself nicer when I slip up? I love that question so much because sometimes we slip up and we procrastinate, we don't get our work done, or we just don't go on to schedule. And, you know, it feels discouraging when we don't perform our best. and then we want to beat ourselves up.

But it's good to remember that every day you wake up is a new day, a fresh start. So it's really good to be nice to yourself. And just to remind yourself that we are all just living trial and error, so you should be proud of yourself. Now on to your challenge of the week. Cook a new holiday dish for you to have a solo date. Solo dates are so not talked about enough for the winter season. And that's the time where, you know, we're staying in more. and it's important to treat ourselves as we would, someone we love.

So go take time to cook yourself a new holiday meal while you have Martha Stewart playing in the background and have yourself a nice, cozy holiday date. Now on to the podcast review. If you want to be featured on next week's episode, please feel free to leave a podcast review over Apple Podcasts. This review says, I am obsessed with this podcast. I started listening to it today and I'm addicted to it. I recommend this to the girls who need motivation or even if you don't, this is a great podcast for you. Thank you so much for this kind review. It makes my day and I love how this is just inspiration to you guys.

Because let's be real, we could all use some inspiration once in a while and just to keep us motivated and productive. I truly appreciate the review and now without further ado, it is time we get into today's episode. It's time for us to get into talking about the guide to staying productive during the colder months and just navigating the winter blues, also known as winter depression or seasonal depression disorder. With the colder months, times can get tough and you may feel lonely, isolated, quiet, longing because you're not going out, you're just too cold, you're too tired to get up in the morning, or maybe you're just not feeling very productive. Or maybe you're someone who struggles with a little deeper than that, and it's deeper than just the winter blues, such as winter depression. Regardless of what length you have of being in a slump during the winter or how sad you are or your depression, whatever length it goes to, it is very important that you try your best and try your best effort to understand that the winter blues and winter depression is temporary and to try not to let that get to you.

One of the biggest reasons we become unproductive and down is sluggish in the winter is because we feel trapped inside and we lack structure, which is our routine, in our schedule. Right now, you need to make your environment a place that you want to be in. Since you're inside, mostly during these colder months, you need to shape your room, your apartment, and your home to be a place that you actually love to be. It's very tempting to just take the easy way out of not being on schedule by sleeping in all day or not getting daily movement or just not getting out of your pajamas because you're too cold. But those little excuses and those little things you're doing to use as an excuse from being productive or doing your regular schedule is may feel good in the moment. It's going to feel good in the moment to not get

out your pajamas or to lay in bed all day. So it's going to feel good in the moment. But when it comes down to it, that poor routine of yours and that negative mindset is going to be your downfall and what pulls you down. Do you realize that so much stems from your own doing and your own decisions and that's not going to say that depression is caused by everything you do whatsoever. That is not the case. There's things that cause depression that isn't always in your control for sure. But when it comes to feelings of just the winter blues or you being in a slump, what you do and your actions can dictate how you feel.

If you choose to lay in bed all day and do nothing but watch TV and just wallow in bed how sad you are that it's not sunny outside and you can't go outside. Your action and that mindset is not whatsoever going to help your situation. The only thing that's going to do is bring you down even more. But if you just take even the slightest action in the positive direction, that is going to do you so much more help than anything can. That positive thought and action being you creating a routine and a schedule that you're excited to wake up to. Maybe it's too cold to do your morning workout or to do your morning run.

So instead maybe go take a walk in the evening or go exercise in the evening. But as I say that, I just do want to say a random little note is that be cautious when you go out and especially when you go take your walks and everything because it is just so sad the situations of girls who are kidnapped and trafficked and just recent situations such as the Lake and Riley case, I just think is so terribly sad. So really make sure that you are protected and protecting yourself when you're. you go on walks and it's always nice to have someone else that can go in a walk with you. But as I was saying, instead of laying all day watching TV in bed, watch one episode and then

get up and start your day. There's little things where you don't have to cut out everything. I'm not saying that's the one thing I'm trying to say is do not have the all or nothing mindset. The all or nothing mindset is going to push you down way further. Don't try to aim for perfection instead aim for progress because let me just tell you, try and do you try and do it. go full force and do the all or nothing mindset, you're going to quit by the end of the day. It is too hard and not fulfilling and it's not going to be able to be consistent. You can't keep that up. Trying to always aim for 100 each day is not going to leave you happy, satisfied, or productive. It's not. So instead, aim for what you can do. It's important when starting your self-care routine

to combat the blues and the slump is to set realistic expectations. So if you make a full 10-step daily goal, you're going to be disappointed every day. When doing this, set realistic goals for your day and reward yourself when you achieve them. I can't be the only one who has this like dream item of theirs that they always see, whether it's a bag, a sweater, a top, and you're like, I just need that, but it's like sold out everywhere. That's me with this one, vintage Duny and Burke bag. I literally was looking everywhere for it and I somehow found one on a posh mark. But not just one. I found multiple of them at such a good price and I was like, wait, this is just too good to be true.

So if you know me, you know I am a Poshmark girl. Poshmark is a marketplace where you can list and sell. As well as buy new items, vintage pieces, gently used, luxury pieces. They really just have it all. And I feel like there's no better time to go on Poshmark now. Everyone's cleaning out their closet and listing good things. Get in bed, get cozy and go on Pashmark to add to your new spring wardrobe, new deals and sales. are listed every day, so don't wait. Download the Poshmark app and use code busy when you sign up to get $10 off your first purchase. Or shop now at Pashmark.com slash busy and get $10 off your first purchase.

That's P-O-S-H-M-A-R-K.com slash busy. I can't be the only one who has this like dream item of theirs that they always see, whether it's a bag, a sweater, a top, and you're like, I just need that, but it's like sold out everywhere. That's me with this one, vintage Duny and Brick bag. I literally was looking everywhere for it and I somehow found one on a poshmark. But not just one. I found multiple of them at such a good price and I was like, wait, this is just too good to be true. So if you know me, you know I am a poshmark girl.

Poshmark is a marketplace where you can list and sell as well as buy new items, vintage pieces, gently used, luxury pieces. They really just have it all. And I feel like there's no better time to go on Poshmark now. Everyone's cleaning out their closet and listing good things. Get in bed, get cozy, and go in Poshmark to add to your new spring wardrobe. New deals and sales are listed every day, so don't wait. Download the Poshmark app and use code busy when you sign up to get $10 off your first purchase. Or shop now at Pashmark.com slash busy and get $10 off your first purchase.

That's P-O-S-H-M-A-R-K.com slash busy. Something that can help excite you to begin getting back up and getting productive is to remind yourself of your goals. Take time to sit down to write on a page or just think to yourself, what is your purpose? What is your goals and why are you doing this? When you have your passion and have your why is what's going to beat the drive to achieve your goals. Because if you don't have a why or a purpose, then there's no point. You have no excitement towards it. You have no purpose. You're just forcing yourself to do this. But if you want to start working out more, why do you want to start working out more? It's because you want to feel stronger. If you want to start learning another language, why do you want to start learning another language? It's because you want to start traveling more and knowing how to speak in that language when you travel. Start really thinking of your why when you feel unmotivated to actually take action on this. And, you know, there's some task that aren't very fun that you have to do.

Maybe that's cleaning the house. But still, you have a why behind that. Your why is because you want to go to bed with a clean house. If you think of homework, okay, you need to get your homework done. What's your why? Well, you're thinking, I don't have a why or a passion to get it done. Your why and your passion is so you get good grades. There's always a why behind something.

There's always passion behind something. But you really just have to take a second and to ask yourself. And that can be one of the biggest motivators to achieving it. Another thing you can do is start your mornings with a Pinterest scroll or a YouTube productive day in my life video. Truly, that can be one of the most motivating things. To me, I just love going on Pinterest. and it just gives me some motivation or maybe listen to a podcast episode. You can even relisten to episodes that make you feel motivated that you can just save and come back to when you need that motivation.

So maybe start your morning off with a Pinterest scroll or a YouTube video while you eat your cinnamon oatmeal and drink your Earl Grey tea. Remember you have to romanticize your winter, romanticize your time. And when it comes to scrolling on Pinterest or looking at a YouTube video, it can actually be so motivating to see. someone else being productive and living the life that you want because it can inspire you and motivate you to take action. When I see a girl living in her mansion with her business, that right there, her lifestyle and me looking at that motivates me to work hard because I'm like, wait, she's doing it. I definitely can do it and I want to take action to have that lifestyle now. So use other people's success as your motivation and not your jealousy. Jealousy is

not even in the question. I'm not even going to mention that because we don't get jealous, okay? We just get motivated and happy for others. So just take time to be excited for someone else and use that excitement for them, for their life, as your motivation. Now something that is so important is to prep ahead and do a favor for your future self. And that could be laying out your gym clothes the night before to feel all prepared or meal prep your food in the beginning of the week so you can eat, you know, some healthy veggies, lay out your skincare for you for the next day tomorrow when you wake up and organize your Christmas playlist so you can turn it on every single morning. Coming prepared and preparing for your future self is going to be one of the biggest favors you

can ever do for you because it's setting yourself up for it. You're all set up and it makes your future self have an easier time getting started. So when you wake up and you see your gym clothes out and everything's ready to go. It's so easy. All you do is put on your gym clothes and get started. You don't have to go find your gym clothes that are in the dirty laundry and go searching for them. And then you're just like, never mind. I'm not going to do any of this. Preparing is success. That goes to say, not every day is going to be a productive, exciting, or a happy day. When you're combating the winter slump and the winter blues, you're going to feel sad some days regardless of what you do. And those days where you feel sluggish or you have a down.

feeling. One of the best things you can do is to remember that you are not the only one feeling this way and this is not just you. So many of us worldwide struggle with the winter blues. That's why it's called the winter blues or seasonal depression because many of us feel that way. Many of us get down feeling because we can't go outside because of the weather or we feel trapped in, we feel unmotivated, we feel lazy and we feel sad. That's why it's known and it's talked about. It's not just you. And one of the best other things you can remember is that this feeling you're having is temporary. That's why it's called the winter blues. Because when you get to spring, you may not be feeling that way. And when you're in summer, you may not be feeling that way.

And in fall, you may be feeling the best you ever have. But when you get to the winter, when the weather's all gloomy and dark and cold, you may be feeling that way. That's why it's called seasonal depression is because it's seasonal. So don't feel like. like you're the only one feeling this way. So many people are and even your best friends, your family, many of your closest people in your life may be feeling the exact same way. Another thing that you can do to just combat the winter blues is begin looking forward to the holidays. Begin being excited about the holidays and tune into the holiday spirit. So maybe think to yourself, what are you going to bake and cook for Christmas or Hanukkah or what presents are you going to buy for everyone?

or what presents are you going to make for everyone? Are you going to do a DIY present? Are you going to write super thoughtful cards? As I mentioned in the beginning of this episode, you need to make your environment a place that you actually want to be in. And that environment is also known as your living space, which is your apartment, your house, your room. Whatever it is, make that place a place that you want and love to be. Because most likely you're spending most of the time there being indoors. Maybe you're, redecorate your place and make it a safe and comfort space for you. Reorganize and declutter to allow new space for the new for the upcoming year. Light a candle and put on your fairy lights or if you have no windows or no sun lately you can get a sun lamp. Those help people so much. Thankfully it's not too cold and too dark in LA. But if you do experience the colder dark winter months, it's very important you just get a sun lamp because it can help your body tune into your circadian rhythm. It's going to help your sleep because you're going to rise up with the sun and that sunlamp is going to help you work as a morning sunrise. Another thing is prioritized socializing and this does not have to

take place outside in the cold and also you can maybe socialize with someone who is experiencing the same type of thing as you feeling in a slump or the winter blues. But go socialize and go to a cafe and go work together and you guys can motivate each other and be held accountable. Being able to just have someone in on your journey and be together supporting each other and holding each other accountable can be so helpful for both your career, your school, and your personal goals. Another thing that you can do for this winter season is start a new hobby. You can maybe pick up a new book or start painting or baking or maybe you have a business

that you want to have one day. So start reading into it and start learning about it. Also, something that's very important for the winter season, especially if you're experiencing the winter blues, is plan a fun activity or plan something to look forward to every single day. That is going to be your reason of getting out of the bed in the morning. That's going to be your reason of working hard all day to get that reward at the end of the day. That could be watching your favorite show in the evening or eating your favorite dessert

or being able to play your favorite game. If you're doing the same thing every day, such as laying in bed and watching TV and eating only junk food every single day, it's going to feel like your days feel like a broken record. Your days are going to begin to merge into one if you don't have difference and experience in your life. Prioritizing scheduling out experience and doing difference in your day to separate those days and not feel like they're merging into one or just a repetitive day. because when you feel like you're living a broken record is when you're going to start getting down and sad because you're not living. You're just feeling alive. Most importantly, give yourself grace. Again, this feeling you're feeling about the winter blues is temporary and this unproductive feeling is temporary.

So it is so important to remember that there's so many other beautiful people just like you on this earth that are in a slump and have the winter blues. You are not alone and be proud of yourself that you even want to. take the step to trying to figure out how can you combat these blues or what can you do to be more productive. You are doing the most so give yourself a pat on the back. And this winter, because I love and care about you so much, you need to provide for yourself, take care of yourself, and plan for the future for the day the sun pokes out. I love you so unbelievably much and I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I did recording it. I think it's very important that we talk about being unproductive in the winter blues during the winter season.

So I want to know what do you do to combat the winter blues? If you listen over Spotify, you can drop it in the comment section, or if you can, please share over TikTok or Instagram and show me how you combat the winter blues while listening to this episode. Also, I'm so grateful for you if you're here, and I'm so grateful, beyond grateful, for those who share the podcast over to your friends and your family and get other people on it,

because the thing that we all want to do is, the best version of ourselves and I just love helping others and I love hearing your guys' success stories so I just want to give a big thank you for everything and I hope you had the best Thanksgiving and the best time of just feeling gratitude but anyways long story short you guys are the best and I wish you a beautiful amazing happy productive day ahead remember the winter blues are temporary plan for your future for when the sun pokes out and do not forget to stay busy yet pretty.

M-a-h.