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Personal Development

6 Things to do at the Beginning of the Month

October 26, 2017February 6, 2019 Leila 4 comments

6 things to do at the beginning of the month to keep your life organized and productive! --www.LivinglikeLeila.com--

In this thing called life, it’s easy to get caught in the hustle and bustle. Minutes go by, days go by, months and years go by. I swear every year is going faster and faster for me, so it’s been really important to get organized and stay on top of things. The beginning of the month is kind of like a do-over. Humans like to “start” things (habits, new goals, challenges, etc.) at the beginning of the week, month, or year. While I’m a firm believer in “every day is a new day,” the start of the month is always refreshing and calls for positive changes.

There’s a few things that I like to start my months off with for a more productive, organized, and badass 28-31 days.

1. Schedule and record your bill payments

I do this on the 1st of every month! For all of my bills that don’t have auto pay set up (which most of mine don’t), I schedule those payments either before or on their due date. I always make sure to write the payment amount and which day it will be taken out on the monthly spread of my planner. I also keep track of my payments/balances on Google Sheets! I’m currently on a debt free journey and I write an update every month! You can see my spreadsheet over there!

Anyway, this strategy keeps you organized and will definitely prevent you from missing a payment. I’ve never missed a bill payment in my life because I keep track of all due dates and scheduled payments! It’s easy for the due date to quickly creep up so get it out of the way at the start of the month so you don’t have to worry about it.

2. Wash your sheets

Getting into my bed with fresh, clean, fluffy sheets is one of my most favorite things in the world! I think a lot of people don’t wash their sheets enough, which is kind of nasty. You sweat through the night and naturally shed skin cells. And if you don’t shower before bed or if you sleep with pets then it’s even worse. While ideally you should be washing your sheets every one or two weeks, at least you’ll do it once a month!

3. Put on a face mask

I definitely think you should use a face mask every one to two weeks, but it’s a great way to start off the month! There are tons to choose from, but these are my favorite or you could always try making your own! Slather it on your face and meditate or read for 15 minutes!

4. Put in a hair mask

Another beauty regimen to include at the beginning of the month is a hydrating hair mask! I like to use coconut oil, a little bit of castor oil, and tea tree oil! It makes my hair SO soft and shiny. I put that mixture mostly on my roots, but when I’m in the shower I use my favorite macadamia mask which is the perfect combo.

5. Deep clean your house/room

In addition to washing your sheets, be sure to dust, wipe down mirrors/glass, throw away clutter, organize, vacuum, scrub the countertops, etc. It’s so refreshing and inspiring to make your home sparkly clean. Of course some of these tasks should occur more often than once a month, but just in case you get behind you’ll still be able to stay on top of it.

6. Plan out your month/set goals

I’m planner obsessed, so I usually plan using my monthly planner, my dry-erase board monthly calendar, and I usually print out a couple of blank calendars for the month too! What you plan is completely up to your lifestyle. Plan your blog content, your YouTube videos, your children’s sports practice, your errands, your parties, your assignment due dates, your upcoming exams, etc. It’s great to have a visual of everything you have going on for the month!

I recently planned out 3 MONTHS worth of blog content for both of my blogs and YouTube videos! It felt amazing. I also made my goals clear by printing out 4 small blank calendars and using a check box technique to physically check off at the end of each day. It’s a lot easier to follow through with your goals if they’re right in front of you to see on a daily basis.


Of course any of these things can be done anytime in the month, but it’s best to start with a clean slate and get the ball rolling so you have an amazing year!

What do you like to do at the beginning of the month?

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4 comments

  1. Jeasica says:
    February 2, 2019 at 11:00 am

    Hi Leila
    I clicked the link to see you spreadsheet but it showed as the site was down. Is it still possible to have access to them? Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Leila says:
      February 6, 2019 at 12:38 pm

      Oops I used to have a second blog but recently deleted it! I fixed the link though! I still update my debt and spending every month on this blog so you can still see my spreadsheets ? Sorry about that!

      This is the link:
      https://www.livinglikeleila.com/monthly-debt-analysis-debt-free-journey/

      Reply
  2. Bhupesh says:
    August 14, 2019 at 2:49 am

    Very valuable advice. Learned a lot. Thank Leila

    I am reading your blog this days. So much I can learn from you. Keep writing!

    Reply
    1. Leila says:
      August 14, 2019 at 2:06 pm

      Thank you so much! 🙂

      Reply

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I've been vegan for 5 years as of yesterday. It's I've been vegan for 5 years as of yesterday.  It's still the best decision of my life.  I've gained the most strength and look my best as a vegan.  It's also worth mentioning I was vegetarian for 13 years before going vegan, which is why I had to bust out a double bi in photo 3 lol  So yes, I do get enough protein despite not eating animals 😏  As a vegan I've also learned to cook better, eat more types of foods, and have discovered amazing restaurants, recipes, and vegan alternatives all without harming animals.  I never want to push veganism on anyone, but I encourage everyone to explore this lifestyle.  Personally, having an animal suffer for my food, clothes, and products just isn't worth it. Being a perfect vegan isn't necessary, but even small changes can make a large difference.  My sister (@loka1089) made this shirt for me for Christmas by the way!!  #vegan #bekindtoeverykind #veganfortheanimals #veganweightlifting #vegangains #strongvegan #veganwoman #vegananniversary #GoVegan #veganbodybuilding #anythingyoucaneaticaneatvegan #LivinglikeLeila
Happy March!  An update on my February goals:
▪️Pay off my car ✅✅✅🙆‍♀️🙆‍♀️🙆‍♀️  ▪️Jump rope for at least 2 minutes daily ✅ (Well, I missed ONE day but otherwise I enjoyed this challenge a lot)  ▪️Start 'Phase 2' of my training program ✅ (it's more intense than I expected but my strength and body are improving!)  ▪️Finish reading 2-4 books ❌ (I finished 0. I stopped reading a fiction book because it was boring. I've been taking my time reading The Brain That Changes Itself because it requires focus lol)  ▪️Stick to my usual habits better ❌ (Feb was tough for me honestly. Sometimes I have bouts of intense fatigue and lack of motivation which I believe is associated with PMDD. Idk honestly)  March is usually a pretty transformative month for me, so here are my goals:  ▪️Put at least $600 to student loan savings
▪️Make over $1K online
▪️Finish The Brain That Changes Itself
▪️5 minutes of abs daily (new challenge!)
▪️Walk 10K steps daily again
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I just wanted to say a big thank you for all the l I just wanted to say a big thank you for all the love and kind words on my previous post ❤🥺  It amazes me that I have this growing community of support and I'm so grateful for it.  I know paying off a car and paying off debt isn't a big thing for everyone, but it's a huge part of my life and I genuinely appreciate that everyone is proud of me and celebrating with me!!  I do hope my progress and my openness on my finances encourages more people to look into theirs and improve it. Improving my finances has made a HUGE difference in my life.  No, money may not buy happiness. But when shit is in order you have less stress, more clarity, and more faith in what's to come👌  These blue light glasses are from @tijneyewear 👓 (gifted)  #thankyou #financialindependence #finance #debtfreecommunity #debtfreejourney #DebtOverIt #blogger #financialcoach #debtcoach #personaldevelopment #neverstopimproving #LivinglikeLeila
I paid off my car today 🙂 27 months EARLY!!! T I paid off my car today 🙂 27 months EARLY!!!  This car should have cost me about $22K, but it ended up being about $30K!!! I'll break down why that is in a future video.  But for the first time in my adult life I am paying $0 in interest right now 😭  I started my debt free journey in June 2018 with $82,200 of debt... I'm now down to ONLY my student loans of $36,200. Which are in forbearance and at 0% interest right now.  This is like a little preview of the debt free life 🥺  Not to mention, my minimum car payment was $382.55 and if I invested that monthly, it would grow to over $200,000 in 20 years.  You may be able to afford that car payment, but it comes with a HUGE sacrifice.  My debt free journey has changed my life and I'm so, so excited for my financial future. 🙏💰  #cardebtfree #finances #debtoverit #cardebt #debtfreecommunity #debtfreejourney #money #finance #studentloandebt #financialfreedom #financialindependence #firemovement #financialindependenceretireearly #TransferTuesday
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Post-filming, pre-workout selfie ✌ hence the mes Post-filming, pre-workout selfie ✌ hence the mess.  My January finance update and February budget will be up Friday 😊  Also these are the best leggings ever from @ptulaactive  #ptulafamily #ptulaactive #ptula #youtuber #health #fitness #vegan #fit #igfitness #blogger #debtfreecommunity #debtfreejourney #debtoverit #budget #finance #livinglikeleila
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