I seriously wanna say, wake me up when November ends. It’s a nothing month. Between Halloween and Christmas, November is a month which you just want to go by quickly. I’ve also noticed that I’m more impatient in November than in every other month. So, I thought about sharing some November survival tips.
Not sure about you but after Halloween and the time change to wintertime, I feel more exhausted and lazier. The days are short, it’s cold outside and basically, I can’t be bothered to do anything. Noticed that I spent more time at home watching Netflix and cooking for myself. It’s really weird as it feels like suddenly the switch from “oh yeah let’s do it” turned into “nahhhh, nope, some other time”. Because what’s there to do in November?
Best thing is to fall asleep and wake up just in time for Christmas. Wouldn’t be a bad idea. Well, look in October you have all those cool Halloween decorations in December the Christmas lights etc. and in November? Not much. It’s kinda too early to bring out Christmas decorations, although in some countries the festive spirit is visible in the streets from 2nd November. However, in Poland people wait till like mid-November before they bring out the Christmas trees and lights. Somehow it seems like kids asking the question while traveling – are we there yet, are we there yet? This is what November is… remembering the summer and waiting for December. As I’m struggling to keep my eyes open during the day, I thought of coming up with some tips on how to survive the nothing month.
1. Resist the nap
Last year I had this odd habit of taking an afternoon nap around 5 pm after finishing work. That was a bad idea. I fell asleep at 5 pm and woke up at 7 pm or sometimes even at 9 pm. Not only was I more tired, but the whole evening was also wasted. After waking up I did some yoga, a home spa, had something to eat… and then what? Tried to fall asleep around midnight but this didn’t happen, so I stayed awake till 3 am. Of course, in the morning I had to get up at 8 am to start work.
As you might presume, I was tired the whole day and again took a nap at 5 pm. Meaning I got into a vicious circle. This year I’m not repeating this mistake. No more naps after 5 pm. Although it’s tough to resist those. The bed looks so comfy and the pillows seem to call you – come on mate lie down. Instead of lying down I put on my jacket and go for a short walk. My usual route takes me to a coffee shop and with a cup of hot goodness I make a circle around the Vistula River. Other ways to resist the nap is to… and I’m serious here clean your kitchen cupboards. That’s a nice distraction as mostly you can find stuff in the cupboards you forgot about. I cleaned my last week and found spices I bought in Zanzibar 😀 Another way is to call your Mum. After a ten-minute chat a blood pressure raise is guaranteed. My Mum has the rare ability to drive me crazy after a short call… presume as all Mums 😛
Basically the rule is not to lie down, only get busy with something… doesn’t matter what. After you survive the initial tiredness, everything will be fine 😉
2. Exercise
Noticed that during autumn and especially in November I’m more hungry than usual. In the summer I can eat a salad and I’m full for the whole day. In the autumn, I open the fridge more often. Think is somehow nature driven. Like winter is coming you need to top up your body fat. Well, as I’ve spent the past months working on my abs and arms, I don’t want that to go to waist. Soooo… move your lower back part girl! Exercise during autumn is perfect for two reasons. Firstly, as you eat more, over Christmas you eat even more and then in January you come up with the new year’s resolution to lose weight. That new year’s resolution ends after a month or so 😛 Exercising regularly doesn’t bring you to the point of making that new year’s resolution. Secondly, physical exercise releases endorphins in the body. As it gets dark outside quickly, and we don’t get that much sunlight anymore, keeping the happy mood up is crucial. I know it’s not easy. Apart from Thursdays, as that day I’m recovering after my pole dance training I stretch nearly every day. Yeah, the cool looking pole tricks give me bruises everywhere 😛 The rest of the week I force myself to take out my mat and stretch. The hardest part is to get up and get changed into the training clothes. Five minutes into the training I instantly feel better.
3. Meet with friends
Catch up with your friends. You maybe won’t be able to sit outside anymore and enjoy a cold beer but still. Yesterday my friend pinged me if I would like to catch up for a drink as he is traveling back home to the US shortly.
Before everybody gets busy with Christmas preparations and Christmas shopping, November is a good month to see friends you didn’t see for some time. BTW what better than to sit together over a glass of mulled wine and complain how cold it is, how you don’t like spending Christmas at home or what your plans for New Year’s Eve is. Besides, meeting friends is always good. With that said I can’t wait for the 26th November as my friend SJ who lives in the UK is coming for a visit to Kraków. OMG the last time we saw each other was two years ago in Shanghai. So seriously, I can’t wait!
4. Netflix, you evil invention
Don’t get me wrong I love Netflix hence why I watch it more often in autumn than in spring or summer. It’s just so convenient to lie down on the sofa, turn on the tele and pick something. Netflix definitely helps to survive the colder months and catch up with all those series and movies you have missed. It’s a real time thief 😛 So far, I watched the 3rd season of Below Deck Mediterranean and Narcos Mexico, all three seasons of You, two movies about Creed and some other old school junk like Richie Rich… yeah… Just couldn’t help myself. So Guys any good recommendations on what to watch on Netflix 😉
5. Do something for yourself
After all this Halloween makeup, hair damaged by summer sun or even for pure relaxation it’s good to go for a facial, massage or treat yourself with a revitalising hair mask. All those SPA-like treats are extremely beneficial for your wellbeing. November is the perfect time to do it as this also releases endorphins in the body. You will need those when you plan to spend Christmas at home with the family. Imagine after treating yourself well even Mums question when you gonna finally find a boyfriend won’t upset you that much 😛
But seriously though in November you can do all those skin brightening facials you couldn’t do in the summer as the sun was operating stronger. Last week I went to Agata, my beautician, to do a bio repil. It’s an acid-based procedure where after three days your face skin starts peeling off. Yep I’m serious. Now my face feels like sandpaper and looks like a peeling snake but in a couple of days it will be soft like a baby’s ass. Couldn’t possibly do that in the summer as any exposure to sunlight would damage my face. Even now sunscreen is mandatory. I also plan to go for a series of massages to relieve my tight shoulders and maybe do a spa day with my GFs. Just another way to survive dreadful November. Besides, it feels sooooo incredibly nice when somebody is giving you a massage. Personally, always after a massage I feel very rejuvenated.
Good news is that one third of November is gone. For the remaining two thirds treat yourself well, exercise, take a cup full of hot mulled wine, turn on Netflix and before you notice December will be here. Good luck 😉 Oh and remember! NO NAPS!
Indeed Alice 