Lucille’s Placement Diary - My routine on placement

Tuesday – Friday

On working days, I try to wake up at 6:30AM so I have time for myself in the mornings. I love reading and I found the best time to do that is before the work day begins, so I wake up a little earlier than I need to.

Besides reading, I do the usual: brushing my teeth, showering, eating breakfast, making and drinking coffee. Having a set morning routine makes my mornings very easy and enjoyable because I do not need to think too hard about anything, I can go on “autopilot”.

I found this works best for me as I am “filling my cup before anyone else's”, which is something you may have heard me talk about before in my time management blogs. The main idea is to do something you enjoy first each day to energise yourself and take care of yourself before spending energy on your responsibilities. 

At 8:30AM, I leave the house as it takes me around 20 minutes to walk to work. I really enjoy this walk and take time to listen to music and start my day on a positive note. My work day usually follows the regular 9-5 structure.

When I start in the office, I usually set up my workstation and begin by catching up with emails. The rest of the day is usually spent attending meetings and working on my research projects. I eat lunch in the office and most days, I will have brought a homemade lunch with me (watch out for my meal prep vlog coming to YourTube soon!). 

Once the day at the office comes to an end, I make my way back home where I will have an early dinner around 6PM. This is because most evenings I have things planned, such as Table Tennis Training at a Local Club that I take the bus to get to, a language course (Italian, if you are curious), a chess social or a trip to the local theatre!

Bristol also has a great music scene with lots of concerts and events to explore. It does not matter where you may be on placement however, my main piece of advice is to engage with the community and local area of where you live. Even in the smallest of places you will always find like-minded people and things to do that are to your liking! And if you are unsure as to what you might like, try things out! If you are not quite comfortable just going for it, there are also many online spaces where you can attend virtual events, socials, games and more.

When I have a “free” evening, I like to catch up with friends of mine from home or from Portsmouth via video chats. And if my social battery is running low, I will do a night-in, watching my favourite films or TV shows.

Saturday

On Saturdays I also have a table tennis training session during the day, so I spend most of my time before and after on chores. For example, I usually do my laundry on Saturday mornings and clean my room when I come back from training after which I have a shower and do a self-care evening including face masks and snacks to end the week on a relaxing note.
 

Sunday

As a German, Sundays will always hold a special place in my heart. This is because Sunday is a rest day in Germany, where noise is held to a minimum and work is laid down for the day. Stores are closed most of the time and people usually get together for coffee and cake.

I continue this tradition by doing something special on Sundays. Sometimes, my friends from Portsmouth come to visit me over the weekend and we go out and explore Bristol together. Last weekend some of my friends stayed over for the weekend. This weekend my dad and my aunt are coming to visit as well!

When no one’s free, I like to go out and explore by myself. I used to do this while I was studying too, where I went on day trips to places close by such as London. Special occasions like this deserve at least a day dedicated to them and for me that is usually Sunday.

Monday

This is usually my day off, where I spend some time on other work such as creating social media content like this. When I am not working, my Mondays are usually spent relaxing and spending time on hobbies. This is because it allows me to calm down and spend some time on myself before I enter the work week again and mainly to allow myself a break after spending most of the weekend on chores! 

I make sure to prioritise me-time on Mondays by making time for it in my schedule. I also try to plan a fun activity for myself beforehand so that I have something to look forward to during the week.

That being said, I do think it is really important to also block out time in my schedule where I have nothing planned! Working 4 days a week is a big change up from being at university and to make that switch easier for myself, I like to keep some free time where there are no plans. This way I do not feel guilty about doing nothing and I am more flexible to go with my mood on the day.

Now you have a good overview of how I structure my week while on a placement. While this works for me, I want to stress that this may not work for everyone! Everyone’s energy levels and priorities are different. So find what works best for you and most importantly, enjoy yourself!