The Art of Taking Time Off

I'm sure that many of you are aware that I study from home; I made the decision not to attend a University in another town or city, but rather to check in once a week with the lecturers at my local University Centre.. many people penalise me for doing my degree the 'wrong' way, missing out on the real student experience, but that suits me just fine. Alongside studying, I work as a sales assistant at Topshop leaving me with very little free time to switch off; over the past few weeks I have been making an effort to spend time with my family, and do things with friends (as well as taking full advantage of having Jack back for the Summer!) meaning that sadly blogging has taken a back seat. 

Although I am still passionate about growing my blog and producing content, I feel that when I am going through a period of lacking inspiration, there is very little point in posting- after all, who wants to read something that hasn't been a pleasure to produce? It is so easy to tell when a post has been written in a hurry, with very little care and attention; I however have several posts scheduled for the next few weeks, so hopefully I can get back into the swing of blogging just in time for summer! More light, means more photo-ops. 

Most people think that time off means time away, and although I'm sure that a lot of us would jump at the chance to jet off to a new place when life starts to get us down, sadly the reality is, it is just not possible. Whether it's retail therapy, or simply switching off your phone and watching a good film, it is so important to have some proper time off.. As somebody who spends a lot of time checking social media, interacting with other bloggers and checking out their latest content, I find that I don't fully switch off until my phone is out of reach; it is sometimes hard to grasp the fact that those posts aren't going anywhere, and whether you reply to comments now or in a few hours time, it's not the end of the world! Reading this back, I sound just like my Mum, but it is the (not so) harsh reality. 

Sadly I don't have any holidays booked for the Summer, saving my pennies for some closer to home relaxation, however I am in the process of planning a September get away- I have my heart set on Sicily. Last years trip to Rome has me desperate to explore other areas of Italy and it's surrounding areas, but in the mean time I am more than happy with a few mini breaks in *sunny* England! I'd love to know your favourite ways to take time off, especially those that are a little more purse friendly!