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Staying Motivated During the Autumn-Winter Months


Autumn is kind of the ultimate blogger cliche! It's the time of year when our Instagram feeds are full of pretty shots of Pumpkin Spice Lattes, orange leaves, berry lips and knitwear. During September I even saw a few posts that have said 'I wish Autumn would hurry up'! However when you work 9-5 (or even longer hours), each week that passes takes another chunk out of the daylight hours you actually get to see! When the end of September rolls around I can't help but feel fed up (with the travelling and excitement of Summer behind me) and now we're into November it pretty much means waking up in the dark and coming home in the dark for the next 3 months. It can be really hard to motivate yourself to do much when it's cold and dark outside, especially on those weekday evenings. However I've come up with some tips that really help me feel more energised during the Autumn-Winter months.

Use Your Lunch Break

Ok, not everyone can take a full hour every single day but I do think it's really important to get out of the office (or wherever you may work) for a bit over lunchtime. Popping 2 minutes away to Pret for a salad doesn't count! It's important in general but especially when daylight hours are limited. Going for a walk around where you work over lunch is a great way to break up the demotivating cycle of waking up in the dark, working indoors all day and then going home when it's dark.

Do Things Right After Work

Sometimes you get in on a dark evening and all you want to do is get into your pyjamas and curl up! Whilst there's nothing wrong with that, even if I just pop home for a bit I'm 90% less likely to want to go back out again. Just because it's dark doesn't mean you have to go straight home for the evening. Definitely push yourself to make that little bit of extra effort to do things after work because you won't regret it!

Get Better Lighting

Most of us don't think much about the lighting we use in our houses, however sitting in a dingy house isn't going to make you feel motivated. Instead of yellow-tinged lighting, go for bright, natural daylight bulbs. If you don't already have lamps in rooms like the lounge and your bedroom then definitely pick one up to boost your lighting. It's amazing how much being in a bright, light space can lift your mood!

Become a Morning Person

This definitely isn't one for those of you who already wake up at half 5 for shift work or to commute 3 hours! However if you generally go to bed a little later and wake up a little later, you might want to think about switching up your routine to maximise the hours of daylight. For example, if you usually go to the gym or for a run after work, why not wake up an hour earlier and go before? Until we reach the depths of winter, it'll get you out of the house during the daylight hours. It might also make you more likely to take the time to do things like exercise if you're struggling to find the motivation on dark evenings. Plus there's the bonus of missing the rush hour traffic or commuter rush.

Cosy Up

Not everyone can afford to have their heating on full blast all day, however it might be worth ensuring your house is well-heated during the hours you know you'll be in (generally, I set a timer to run for an hour after I go to bed to an hour after I wake up, then have it come back on an hour before I'd usually get in). Coming home to a nice, warm house definitely makes those dark evenings less grim! Take some time to yourself to read a book, burn a candle, have a nice hot bath, do your skincare routine, make a hot chocolate or whatever else you do to relax.

What are your top tips for staying positive and motivated during Autumn and Winter?


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39 comments

  1. Great tips, I totally agree that getting outside if you can in daylight is really helpful x

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  2. This is just what I need today!! I'm definitely bookmarking this so I remember these tips :)

    Fatima
    www.fatima-writes.blogspot.co.uk

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  3. Lovely tips!! Getting outside this time of the year is so important. I at least try to leave the house at least once a day xx

    Lauren | itslaurenvictoria.blogspot.co.uk

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  4. Your photography is always so pretty and this time of year is always really hard to keep motivated but hopefully we can get through it!

    Parie x
    Class and Glitter

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  5. Thank you for sharing these awesome tips!

     
    Candice | Beauty Candy Loves

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  6. These are some lovely and much-needed tips! I know I need to become a morning person, and if there's one time to do it, it is now! I feel like I always get more stuff done in fall and winter, I just feel more productive this time of year. Thank you so much for sharing these.

    MY LATEST POST
    bloglovin


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  7. Really great tips - I suck at staying motivated in the autumn/winter months, just due to the darkness really. I think becoming a morning person is something thats high on my list to try and achieve this winter!

    Lucy | Forever September

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  8. This post is all I need at the moment! The past few weeks I've been feeling more and more tired and I didn't really understand why, but now I think it's because of the loss of light. Thanks for raising that point because it's super relevant at that time of year. In the UK now it gets dark at four, and this makes me instantly feel like we're two hours ahead to I feel like sleeping in the late afternoon after work, when normally I'd be excited to go home and get stuff done.
    Getting extra vitamin and zinc can be helpful to get through the autumn and winter as well, if you feel more tired than usual tablets can help! :)

    Julia x
    Last post: Autumn in Winchester, UK | http://juliaspeaksbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/day-out-in-winchester-hampshire.html

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    1. Vitmins are such a great shout! I will definitely be looking into that :) xx

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  9. for me it is all about warmth, I need to feel comfortable or I wont move at all, I need to be cosy. My heating bill does suffer - but at least I am happy and content! I am really struggling with lighting just now though, how are you taking blog photos? do you use any artificial lighting? its a nightmare :(

    Erin || MakeErinOver

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    1. I don't use any artificial lighting (it just doesn't work for my photos personally) - because my photos are flat lays I just go to whichever room has the best light instead of being tied to my room xx

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  10. I think doing something on your lunch break is so important! I tend to reply to a lot of blog comments then and I sit outside or in my local starbucks by the window if I can!

    http://claresloves.blogspot.com/

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  11. I really love autumn and all the cute autumn post that fill the internet, but I can't help to feel a bit disheartened when i´m trying to produce pictures for my blog. I work Monday to Friday 9 to 5 and have an hours commute there and back. I can only take pictures in the weekend but sometimes it's so cloudy that there is no natural light available to take pictures. Do you have any tips?

    Vanessa x | www.springlilies.com

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    1. That is what I do - I just take them in bulk wherever has the best lighting in the house - I generally go for some time between 9am and 12pm. Hope this helps! xx

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  12. Haha, as soon as I get home from anywhere, even if it's in the afternoon, I'm basically stuck. I find that if I need to be out at night, I need to STAY out!
    - Charmaine
    http://charmainenyw.com

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  13. My favorite thing is to take photos in the morning light on the weekends and write bits of a post throughout the week. Also, to drink a coffee when I need to get the writing juices flowing!

    Laila from Townhouse Palette

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  14. Great tips, especially the lunch hour and daylight bulbs. Taking advantage of the light is a great way to perk me up, it can be such a downer when you're only exposed to the dark. A bit of Christmas music always helps to keep me in a good mood haha, thanks for sharing x

    ALittleKiran | Bloglovin

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  15. For some reason I much prefer the Autumn and winter and I'm far more productive than in the summer haha! These are some great tips though. And doing stuff right after work is such a good idea xx

    LPage Beauty

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  16. As much as I love getting cosy and having nights in during winter, lately I've been trying to get out of the house every day that I'm not at work and be more productive with my time! I'm also now a fan of early mornings and early nights and I'm finding that I get so much more done x

    Always, Alice

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  17. Great tips, especially the one about using your lunch break! I use my break to take blog photos, because their isn't enough lighting before work or after. Plus, I get to snuggle my puppy, so that's not too shabby a lunch break ;)
    Katie Actually

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    Replies
    1. That must be great to live so close to work you can pop back at lunch - I'm jealous! xx

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  18. I totally feel ya on the "leaving home when it's still dark and coming home when it's already dark again" ... I don't like the idea of having at least 2 tot 3 more months of it. But since I am an evening person I do most of my productive work when it's dark outside so I don't really feel the difference. But with it being so dark out all the time, taking blog photos becomes considerably harder though, which is really annoying! I totally get why you suggest having bright white lights in your house but for some reason I can't stand it. I want cosy, warm, yellow light inside, haha. But I guess if you like it, it could really boost the feeling that there are a few more light hours in the day! :)

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  19. I loved this post. I think it's important to "do things now" instead of saying that you'll do it later. Especially when it comes to photography. If you get your window of good lighting, take it and run with it. You've got no idea when the next batch of lighting is going to arrive. It's so easy to lack motivation over the colder months but I find that making lists, more than usual, is helpful. If I've got a tangible todo list it really helps with my get up and go. Fantastic post!

    Heather, Porcelain Beauty x

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    1. Yeah I definitely seem to put things off a lot more when it's cold and dark outside xx

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  20. Getting outside during your lunch break is a great tip- I've made a habit of doing it as it helps to break up my workday a little!

    Louise
    www.thepetiterose.wordpress.com

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  21. I've definitely found going to the gym in the morning before work has really helped me, which I never expected! I'm glad it's not just me that isn't that keen on autumn/winter, haha!

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    Replies
    1. I definitely want to get into it when I have a little more time in my mornings to keep the energy levels up! xx

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  22. Omg this post is seriously everything I needed. Doing stuff right before/after work is definitely the best way for me to get things doing. Lighting as well. thesummerhours.com

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  23. thanks for sharing this tips :)
    anyway, would you like to follow each other on gfc/bloglovin and instagram? Let me know :)

    // MY BEAUTY & TRAVEL BLOG : NEW POSTS EVERY WEEK //

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  24. Even though I love Autumn, short days and limited day light isn't my thing. It gets so hard to wake up early in the morning as it is still so dark till 8ish. If I have things to do, I make sure to do them before going home otherwise I know I will never leave home again. Setting up the timer of the boiler is a saviour, I can't imagine how freezing it would be in the mornings without the heating! x

    Ela BellaWorld

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    1. It wasn't too bad where I am until the past week - there was still a bit of daylight at 7ish but the days are getting shorter faster now :( xx

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  25. The dark nights make it so hard but I agree with your point about doing things straight after work. As soon as I sit down it's game over! I find having an environment that I love makes me want to work even when it's dark. I.e. getting all of my candles and fairy lights on when I'm trying to blog after being at work all day really helps!

    wildgloss.com

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  26. Gorgeous flatlay Jasmine, making the most of your lunch break is a great tip. I'm so S.A.D when it comes to winter, the waning hours makes me such a misery! Although it makes fairy lights and candles feel far more effective and acceptable which is no bad thing

    www.Barely There Beauty.com | British-Korean Beauty & Lifestyle blog

    xx

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  27. I do loose my motivation during A/W as well, get sleepy quicker, feel more tired and I'm pretty sure is the result of lack of sun and less daylight. But at the same time I love those cosy evenings with blankets, hot drinks and candles :) x

    Mummy's Beauty Corner

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  28. Thank you for your comments - I really hope this post was helpful :) xx

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  29. Great tips! It's definitely hard to stay motivated during the A/W months.

    www.upyourvlog.com

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