Speaking
Practice

A routine I enjoy is my simple morning routine before work or study. It usually takes about forty-five minutes, and I follow it on most weekdays.

I normally get up at around seven, make the bed, drink some water and prepare breakfast. While eating, I avoid checking social media and instead look at my schedule. I then write down the two or three most important tasks for the day.

I started this routine about a year ago because my mornings used to feel rushed. At first, it was difficult to stick to because I often stayed up too late and wanted to sleep longer. I made it easier by preparing clothes and my bag the night before. After a few weeks, the routine became automatic. Now, when I finish breakfast and have a clear plan, I feel much less likely to waste the first part of the day wondering what to do.

I enjoy the routine because it helps me start on the right foot. It is not exciting, but it makes me feel organised and calm. I may change small details in the future, but I would like to keep the basic structure.

An activity I often do that wastes my time is mindless scrolling on social media, especially watching short videos on my phone.

I probably do it several times a day, usually when I am tired, waiting for something or trying to avoid a difficult task. I tell myself I will only check social media for a few minutes, but the apps are designed to keep showing new content.

The main problem is that I easily lose track of time. For example, one evening I planned to check my phone for ten minutes before starting some reading. I kept watching one short video after another and suddenly realised nearly forty minutes had passed. I had not learned anything useful and still had the same work waiting for me. Recently, I have started putting my phone away in another room when I need to focus, which makes the habit easier to control.

I think it wastes my time because the activity often has no clear purpose and leaves me less satisfied than real rest. I do not want to stop using social media completely, but I would like to break the habit of opening it automatically and use my free time better.

A period when I was very busy was the final two weeks of last semester. I had several assignments, one presentation and an important exam all happening close together.

My schedule was packed because different subjects had deadlines in the same period. I was also attending normal classes, so I had to juggle several tasks while still keeping up with new lessons. At first, I tried to work on everything at the same time, which quickly became confusing.

I eventually made a simple list and prioritised tasks by deadline and importance. I blocked out time in the morning for difficult work and used shorter periods in the evening for reading or editing. I also stopped accepting unnecessary plans for those two weeks. Each night, I checked what had been completed and adjusted the next day's plan. The system was not perfect, but it helped me keep on top of the main deadlines without staying awake all night.

When the busy period ended, I felt a huge sense of relief. I was tired and close to feeling burned out, but I was also satisfied that I had finished everything. The experience taught me that planning becomes more important, not less, when life gets busy.

A daily routine I enjoy is taking a short evening walk after dinner. It usually lasts around twenty or thirty minutes and has become one of the calmest parts of my day.

I started doing it regularly about a year ago when I realised I was spending almost every evening in front of a screen. At first, I only walked a few times a week, but I gradually made it part of my day and now do it on most evenings.

I normally walk around my neighbourhood or through a nearby park. I usually leave my headphones at home because I want some screen-free time and prefer to notice what is happening around me. If I have had a stressful day, the walk helps clear my head and lets me wind down before going home. It is also easy to stick with because I do not need special equipment or a long journey. On rainy days, I simply shorten it or walk under covered areas.

I enjoy the routine because I return home feeling refreshed rather than mentally tired. I do not plan to change it much in the future. If anything, I would like to keep it consistent and perhaps make the walk slightly longer when I have more time.

A time I was extremely sleepy but had to stay awake was the night before an important university exam. I had planned to finish my final revision early, but the study session lasted much longer than expected.

I had already studied the main topics, but there were two chapters I still did not feel confident about. The exam was early the next morning, so I wanted to review them once more before going to bed. By around eleven thirty, I was already struggling to keep my eyes open.

I first stood up, stretched and splashed cold water on my face. Then I made a strong coffee, although I knew drinking it that late was not ideal. I moved from my bed to a desk because sitting somewhere more formal helped me stay awake. Instead of rereading everything, I focused only on key questions and short notes. I managed to study for another hour and then stopped because I realised I was too tired to learn effectively.

I felt exhausted and slightly annoyed with myself for leaving the final revision so late. The next day, the exam went reasonably well, but I learned that fighting sleep is not a good study strategy. Now I would rather sleep properly and review earlier.