THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING YOUR DAY

Do you ever find at the end of the day that you’ve completed little of your to-do list? Or perhaps that you’ve achieved nothing noteworthy? If you find this happening, it’s likely due to going into your day without a cohesive and structured plan. We’re sharing our favourite tips for planning your day, staying focussed, and achieving your goals.

1.    Write Out Your Plan Daily

Step one of having a plan - unsurprisingly - is to physically write out your plan. This helps you with time management, time allocation and project management.

Be mindful not to overwhelm yourself, and to only write down what you realistically know you can achieve. Make a list of your top three priorities, and then any additional tasks that you’ll accomplish too. 

2.     Set Your Daily Plan At The Same Time Each Day

Planning at the same time daily helps to create a routine. It doesn’t matter whether you plan your day in the morning or the night before, but sticking to that allocated time fosters a positive habit that you’re more likely to stick to.

3.     Divide Your Tasks

Make two separate lists - one for work tasks and another for personal tasks. You can then allocate time for each task during the day in a single timeline, (e.g emails at 9 am, laundry at 10 am) or alternatively, you can create separate lists for each. However, if you choose to keep them separate, make sure to keep track of each and not to overlap your tasks.

4.    Start Easy

Beginning your day with 3 easily achievable tasks will help to set you up for success. Psychologically, if you’re able to complete a few tasks quickly in the morning, you’re more likely to continue your day in a productive mindset, believe that you can achieve what you set out to do.

5.    Refer Back Often

Actively referring back to your list and making mental notes of your time taken to complete tasks, where you’re at on your current timeline and whether you’re on track to achieve your goals helps to keep you focussed and productive. It helps to keep your list somewhere easily accessible, such as on a pad of paper by your computer, or on your phone notes app.

EXPLORING MELBOURNE AS AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT

As an International student in a new country, it can be daunting getting to know your unfamiliar surrounds. However, Melbourne is one of the best cities in the world to explore. 

It’s easy to get around with a regular tram service that follows the simple grid layout of the city, and if you’d like to spread your wings then the trains will get you further afield.

A great place to start is via a few websites that have a range of activities and tours from Arts & Culture to Food & Fashion.

Our favourite website include:

👉 visitacity.com  For an endless list of tours, activities, events and shops.

👉 stayatbase.com For young adventure seekers looking for action and cool hang outs.

👉 whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au  For a more current list of what’s happening in town and great for tips on freebies!

👉 broadsheet.com.au A great coverage of all things cool and cultural

The hard part will be deciding where to start. We suggest keeping it close to home base and focus on exploring the city on foot. You could familiarise yourself with the State Library and the Museum, two great resources for study and inspiration. 

When you're hungry then head to the little laneways that criss-cross the CBD, like Degraves Lane. If fashion is your thing then the Emporium is full of local and international labels. The Yarra River is lined with cool bars and live entertainment, or you could cross the bridge and head over to the National Art Gallery.

Here are our five favourites…

👏🏼 Start your morning with great coffee at Brother Baba Budan, 359 Little Bourke St, Melbourne. ☕️

Serving up the well known Seven Seeds coffee.

👏🏼 Visit Fed Square and explore the gallery with its many exhibitions, or the Roof Top Terrace with the amazing Future Food System project by Joost Baker. 

👏🏼 Wander back through the city via the many laneways. There’s Hosier lane, opposite ACMi for amazing street art, head down Flinders lane with a peek at the incredible florist ‘Pollon Flowers’, and take a right at Degraves Lane to find your next food stop. This is a great place to familiarise yourself with, because you’ll need more than one visit.

👏🏼The Emporium on Little Bourke St is a favourite for great fashion. Plenty of options and staples for everyone with a great food hall on the top level when you need a break.

👏🏼As the sun dips in the sky it’s time to climb the seven flights of stairs to ‘Rooftop Bar’,on Swanston Street, definitely Melbourne’s coolest rooftop drinking destination. Best to visit in the early evening before the crowds rush in, then you can enjoy a cocktail as the sun sets over the city.

👏🏼Explore the lights, sounds and smells of Chinatown and discover your favourite food destination. We love the ’Shanghai Dumpling House’, where they have been cooking up northern Chinese classics for generations. 

HOW TO BOOST YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

Productivity refers to the measure of the efforts you make towards accomplishing your goals.

How well do you manage your time? We have put together our top 6 tips for boosting your productivity in 2023. 

6 Top Tips for Boosting Productivity:

✏️ Track Your Time.

It’s difficult to plan your time if you don’t know how you spend it.Plan your study and your breaks, both are equally as important. 

✏️ Take Regular Breaks.

Rather than reading your material from start to finish, absorb it in small chunks, then reflect and review before you move on. It’s important to stand up and stretch, twist and roll your spine every 45 minutes. Then every 2 hours you should get outside for a quick walk, or a grab a cup of tea in a sunny spot, this will keep your mind clear and focussed.

✏️ Plan Ahead

Start by making a list of the key areas you will be tested on and decide which subject will focus on each day. Then write notes or make flash card on the key section you want to cover.

It’s also important to set up your study space. Make sure you have plenty of natural light, fresh water, clear work space.

✏️ Organise Your Time.

Set yourself strict deadlines. If you tend to get caught up in the moment then perhaps you should set alarms on your phone to keep on track. 

✏️ Eat Healthy.

When you have a busy day of study, exercise and work looming… get your body prepared. The best way to do this, is to fuel it with healthy whole foods.

✏️ Get Plenty of Sleep

The most important aspect of productivity, and often the one most neglected… SLEEP! Get plenty of it. This cannot be overlooked… and when we don’t get enough everything else starts to crumble. 

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ALLIED HEALTH ASSISTANT

A job within the Allied Health sector can come in many different forms. 

It’s a combination of health care professionals, assistants and support workers who offer and provide a valuable service across a wide healthcare industry. 

If you’re looking at becoming an Allied Health assistant, you’ve come to the right place. Did you know there are approximately 195,000 Allied Health professionals within Australia who work alongside doctors and nurses to provide them with optimum healthcare for their patients? 

But what exactly does an Allied Health Assistant do? 

A qualified Allied Health Assistant has a basic knowledge of medical terms and skills to assist with patient health care programing, treatment plans and therapeutic support. Communication within this role is KEY. It is crucial to be able to communicate between patients and professionals. 

A day in the life of an Allied Health Assistant may include: 

• Liaising with patients. 

• Supporting and helping Allied Health practitioners with day-to-day tasks. 

• Developing, implementing and keeping a close watch on health care standards and policies for Allied Health and administrative staff. 

• Updating and recovering patient notes to create exercise/treatment plans - written and verbal. 

• Producing reports, budgeting and ordering supplies for the respected organisation. 

• Overall management and direction of organisation or facility. 

Where can an Allied Health Assistant work? 

Usually based within clinics or physicians offices, the opportunities for Allied Health Assistants are almost unlimited due to the high demand.  It may be a general position, therefore working for a large group of Allied Health professionals, or a specific occupational group, depending on your choice of workplace employment. 

Becoming an Allied Health worker has its many rewards. It is also a strong pathway for other medical professions such as physical therapists, speech pathology, radiographer, occupational therapist and so many more opportunities. This is such a rewarding career choice, one where no single day looks the same.

To learn more about a career in Allied Health Assistance, click HERE.

THE BENEFITS OF MEDITATION

Do you have a regular meditation practice?

It’s worth establishing one for the immense benefits to your mental wellbeing. Don’t be put off by the idea of having to sit cross legged for an hour without moving. That’s not what it is really about, in fact you could do a walking meditation, or a moving meditation, or even a mindfulness practice like colouring-in. All you need to do is find a way that suits you best, we are all different and our needs are different too.

Many people start to meditate to manage stress, reduce anxiety, and to cultivate peace of mind. But there are thousands of scientific studies that document other, lesser known, mindfulness benefits accomplished through regular meditation. The key is to establish a practice that suits you and repeat it often. As little as 10minutes each day will have a profound effect on your state of being.

Here are some of the key benefits of daily meditation:

🙌🏼 Enhanced focus and decision-making

🙌🏼 Reduce our feelings of fear and stress

🙌🏼 Tone down intense emotions that can overwhelm us

🙌🏼 Reduce anxiety and lower our blood pressure

🙌🏼 Increase our innate immunity and over-all health

🙌🏼 Enhance our quality of deep restorative sleep

🙌🏼 Reduce psychological symptoms of depression and pain

🙌🏼 Increase levels of empathy and improve relationships

Clearly the benefits out weigh any excuse you may have come up with to avoid giving yourself 10-20mins of bliss.Like anything, starting out is the hard part, but if you stick to it and commit to 7 days of regular practice you will find it becomes the best part of your day. For many of us the challenge is clearing the mind and the constant chatter with have with ourselves. Pay attention to that voice, be aware of what it is saying. Often it is not particularly helpful or kind. Once you become aware of this voice it is easier to control it and quiet it down for a little while. Don’t be too hard on yourself, the thoughts will keep coming, but the key is to let them come in and let them go.

Sitting in silence can be very challenging, so we would suggest starting out with a guided meditation. 

There are some incredible meditation Apps out there, or You Tubes, and they can help you focus on one thing like your breath.

Here are a few of our favourites:

⭐️ Headspace

⭐️ Calm

⭐️ Buddhify

⭐️ Unplug

⭐️ Simple Habit

Get started… Bliss Out!

EATING FOR OPTIMAL COGNITIVE FUNCTION

We’re all heard the saying: “your brain is like a muscle and needs to be exercised regularly”, and while your brain isn’t actually technically a muscle, the principal is true. The average person will only ever use 10% of their brain’s true power, so it makes sense to spend a little time working on it.

For a long time, it was believed that the brain you were born with is the brain you would always have, but luckily for us, we know that’s not true. When you spend time actively engaging and exercising your brain, your cognitive function increases and you benefit from sharper thinking, a higher retention rate for new information and more logical thinking.

Here are three simple ways to boost your brain power and cognitive thinking for a healthier brain.

Nutrition

You are what you eat, and when you actively seek out to eat a nutrient-dense diet, you’re fueling your brain with everything it needs to perform highly. Some great foods for healthy brain cognition are:

~ Salmon - for a healthy source of omega-3 fatty acids which have been linked to larger brain volume and higher mental function.

~ Walnuts - for Vitamin E which has been shown to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

~ Eggs - for a healthy source of choline, a nutrient vital to maintaining memory and communication among brain cells. 

~ Spinach - for an excellent source of folic acid which has been shown to prevent dementia. In addition to this, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, and dark, leafy greens can also help improve memory.

FOUR WAYS TO COLLABORATE VIRTUALLY

Ensure You’re Using the Best Tools Available to You.

With so many top-tier tools available, there’s no excuse to not be using online software for team communication. A few of our favourites are Slack, Flowdock, Asana and Trello. These tools are not only great for keeping the conversation going, but also for managing workflows and shared tasks.

Check In Regularly

It’s important to remember that everyone is experiencing the same challenges when working collaboratively from home, and now more than ever with the disruption to our normal flow of work. Taking some time on a weekly basis to check in with fellow students or colleagues can make a big difference in not only their day, but also in the level of collaboration they’re able to commit to. 

Create Systems for Document Sharing

Working remotely requires a high level of project management, and calls for well thought out systems. One of the best ways to streamline document sharing and real-time collaboration is Google’s suite of apps. A few examples are Google Drive, Google Sheets and Google Docs. 

These apps update instantly with changes saved online. They also allow for comments to be made and edits to be suggested.

Structure Your Meetings

While meetings are essential to ensure you and your team are on the same page, they’ve also been found to contribute to time-wasting. Instead of scheduling meetings because you think you should (for example ‘Monday Morning Meetings’) instead, think of scheduling meetings only when necessary and with a clear objective in mind. 

FIVE PROTEIN BREAKFASTS TO FUEL YOUR DAY

Give your brain a vibrant boost with some ultimate ingredients to help clear the fog and fatigue.

Studies have shown there is a clear link between nutrition and the functioning of the brain, looking specifically at how certain foods can improve mood, concentration, memory and learning ability.

Too often we underestimate how much energy our brain requires. We think more in terms of physicality and our levels of exercise, but our brain, is in fact, the hungriest organ and requires high density nutritious foods to function at an optimum level. 

The key ingredient to include in your breakfast is quality FATS. Our brain is made up of 60% fat, and majority of that is made up of omega-3 and omega-6. So these are the good fats that we want to incorporate in our breakfast.

Here are some great examples of Good Fats:

🥑 Chia Seeds are a great plant source of Omega-3.

It is also the most stable of the essential fatty acids due to their natural occurring antioxidants.

Try make an Overnight Chia Pudding, perfect if you have an early start and need to grab your breakfast on the run.

https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-chia-pudding/

🥑 Flaxseeds (also called Linseeds ) are another power packed seed that should be in your pantry. A great source of fibre, magnesium, Vitamin B1, and essential fatty acids so definitely one to add to your favourite smoothie. 

Get creative with your smoothies, they are the best way to add plenty of colour fruits and vegetable with a combination of fats like nuts , seeds and avocados. 

https://www.emilieeats.com/vegan-smoothie-recipes/

🥑 Avocados are certainly having their moment in the spotlight, and thats for a good reason. Another awesome source of good fat and nutrients. Don’t pay silly money for Avo on Toast, spend the time to make your own version at home, add an egg, a pinch of sea salt and some chilli flakes…the best!

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019420-avocado-toast

🥑 Fresh Free Range Eggs

Natures perfect little packaged food. You cannot get a more nutritious single ingredient, and with so many options you will never get bored with eggs for breakfast. You can boil, scramble, fry and poach them. Serve them up with a handful of veggies and you have the ultimate meal that will keep your brain firing all day long.

https://www.australianeggs.org.au/recipes-and-cooking/spicy-scrambled-egg-breakfast-rolls

Make time for breakfast, it will the best new habit you can adopt this year.

HLT43021 CERTIFICATE IV IN ALLIED HEALTH ASSISTANCE

A career in Allied Health offers an incredibly broad range of work opportunities, so your day to day tasks will always be varied and interesting.

Allied Health assistants help professionals in the health sector such as physiotherapy, speech pathology, nutrition, occupational therapy and podiatry. Your duties can vary, but they would typically be focussed on caring for patients and assisting allied health professionals with other administrative tasks.

Your primary role would most often be to follow up the client/patients treatment plan and to assist in their recovery, such as mobility and independence.

Here is a list of general duties required of an allied health assistant:

👋🏽 Organising and filing patient reports

👋🏽 Gathering patient history and medical documents

👋🏽 Preparing medical equipment

👋🏽 Providing clinical support to patients

👋🏽 Monitoring patient health status

👋🏽 Providing administrative support to health professionals

👋🏽 Creating exercise programmes

👋🏽 Assisting client/patients with rehabilitation exercises

👋🏽 Caring for client/patients dietary needs and personal hygiene

👋🏽 Helping health professionals perform their daily tasks

With so many opportunities available amongst a wide range of health professions, it is certainly a valuable qualification to hold. 

During our course you will develop relevant skills through both study and real life work experience.

Some of these skills you will develop are:

Communication.

Good communication skills is paramount when dealing with a range of patients and scenarios. They may be times when you have to care for people with mental or physical disabilities. Practising good communication skills like active listening, and learning to respond to physical reactions will help you in this area.

Organisation.

As an Allied Health Assistant you may be involved in administrative support for your clients/patients. This may include gathering documents and compiling patient records. Being organised and managing your time will be invaluable.

Empathy.

Having a sense of empathy is almost a requirement in this role. Most days will see you caring for elderly patients, or assisting those with a disability. Empathy is to have genuine care and understanding of other people and what they might be dealing with.

Teamwork.

Allied Health assistants are usually working under an Allied health professionals and fellow co-workers. You would be taking directives from the professionals and need to be able to communicate effectively and efficiently. Having a good sense of teamwork can greatly help you carry out your duties and ensure a successful career.

HOW TO OPTIMSE YOUR TIME EACH WEEK

A well-structured study lesson can be the difference between retaining the information needed, or not retaining it and having essentially wasted a period of critical time. Here are five incredibly effective ways to structure your study sessions. 

Step 1: Find Your Study Style

Knowing not only how you like to study, but also how you study most effectively is an important first step in knowing how to structure your study sessions. Study styles can be:Visual Learning ~ learning through looking at informative images, diagrams and infographics.

Aural Learning ~  learning through hearing and listening. For example, recording and listening back to lessons, or listening to white noise or rain while studying.

Verbal Learning ~ learning through speaking and reading. For example, you might learn best from listicles and blogs.

Physical Learning ~ learning through doing. When it comes to studying, simply printing online resources and holding the paper, or holding your study books can be helpful.

Logical Learning ~ learning through creating systems. For example, mind maps and index cards may be the best study style for you.

Step 2: Set Realistic Study Goals

Knowing that you need to study, but not setting measurable study goals, can result in ineffective and potentially aimless study. Study goals don’t need to be large and daunting, and in fact, work best when they’re broken down into bite-sized chunks that can be tackled easily.

Study goals may look like:

~ Attend 5 classes this term

~ Take practice exam 1

~ Attend lecture 1

~ Read 5 class-relevant books

Step 3: Structure Your Study Time

Studying is an intensive activity, and breaking structuring it is essential to having a good and meaningful session. The key to a well-structured session is to include breaks. These breaks can be between 10-20 minutes and should be scheduled every 45 minutes to an hour. 

It’s important that during your breaks, you do nothing but relax and let your mind re-group. Picking your phone up and scrolling through social media can have the opposite effect to rest, and can cause strain on your brain. 

Step 4: Create Your Study Zone

When studying, you need to ensure that your environment is conducive to an effective session. In order to do this, you should establish a zone that’s dedicated solely to study. This zone should be away from distractions - such as the TV - and should be in a quiet area, either in your house or a library.

Leave your phone in another room (or put it on silent)  when in your study zone, and limit your accessories to only essential items ~ such as a notepad, pen, highlighters, a ruler and your computer. This will help you avoid not only distractions but also clutter.

Step 5: Track and Review Your Progress Daily

The only way to ensure you’re improving is to make note of, and track, your progress. A few helpful methods are:

Study Planners

Blocking out study sessions in a study planner, and allocating time to each (such as maths - 45 minutes) can help you stay focussed and on track. Ticking off completed sessions and reviewing your daily progress is key.

Evernote

If you work best in a digital environment, you can use online tools such as Evernote to plan your sessions and keep track of all online references. In Evernote, you can take notes effectively in a style that works best for you.

These steps are all simple and easy to implement, but when used together can help with creating - and maintaining - an effective study session.

BENEFITS OF PRACTICAL LEARNING

Everyone learns differently, and learning styles can vary from person to person, from visual, to aural, verbal, physical or logical learning styles. But there’s one type of learning that benefits most students, and that’s practical learning.

When studying, it’s important to get a hands-on understanding of your subject and how the theory you learn applies to real-life situations. Practical learning allows you to learn quick adaptations needed for daily challenges and scenarios and allows you to get a better understanding of your course topic.Here are 4 benefits to practical learning in the context of your studies.

Improved Skill Set

Practical learning, as mentioned above, has the unique ability to help students apply their skills in a non-classroom environment. While it’s important to learn the theory of a topic or subject, getting out and applying the theory to a practical situation enables you to build upon existing skills ~ such as problem-solving.

It also allows you to apply your technical knowledge in the field, which is incredibly beneficial in all subjects but particularly in subjects such as horticulture, aged care and disability care.

Increases Your Understanding

There are some things that need to be experienced to be understood, and this is true for most subjects. For example, a certificate in aged care may prepare you theoretically, but working one-on-one with a senior citizen in need of your help will give you a better understanding of how to care for something, and the best way to do certain tasks.

Creates a Deeper Impact

Interactive education ~ in the form of practical learning ~ can strengthen your understanding and comprehension on a subject. While theoretical education utilised textbooks and research papers, practical learning allows you to learn things first hand. This learning is a fundamental part of education and works incredibly well to improve a student’s learning level and understanding. 

Better Knowledge Retention

Taking a hands-on approach to learning often results in more ingrained knowledge, with the ability to retain information quickly and for longer periods of time. The reason being that when learning in a theoretical, text-based style, our brains attempt to remember words. However, when learning in a practical environment, we’re remembering actions and scenarios which our brains find easier to retain.

It’s for these reasons that we at Stirling Institute have partnered with top-tier facilities to offer our students the best practical learning experience to complement their studies.

To learn more about our domestic courses, click here.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN STUDYING A DIPLOMA OF MENTAL HEALTH

Over the last few years, there has been an increase in the demand for careers within the Mental Health industry. If this is something of interest to you, let us make the decision process a little easier by guiding you through the career opportunities a diploma in Mental Health can offer you.

Mental Health includes a person's emotions, as well as their physical and social well being. Studying a mental health course will provide you with the practical skills you need to assist people affected by Mental Health on their recovery journey. 

Throughout the duration of this diploma, you will help people with mental health issues find solutions, and implement skills in a real work environment. 

Here are just a few career pathways you can take once having graduated: 

1.     Community Rehabilitation and Support Worker 

As a Community Rehabilitation and Support Worker, this is one of the more hands-on careers a diploma of Mental Health can offer you. In this role you will support individuals of all ages, helping them to develop new strengths and adjust to their more recent limitations. A day-to-day role in this position is helping to enable individuals to live and work independently post-injury, which may have left them debilitated.

2.     Mental Health Outreach Worker 

Working as a Mental Health Outreach Worker provides self-directed recovery support for people affected by mental illness and disabilities. A career in this role involves implementing local and community-based activities focusing on mental health and how it can be improved by the individual.

3.     Welfare Coordinator

 A welfare coordinator is a role within any particular business, who is responsible for the overall well being of staff members. With the intention to improve the working conditions and listen to the staff's requests, the welfare coordinator can perform their job in almost any field of work. 

One of the most common fields a welfare coordinator works in is within a school environment. 

Depending on the specifics of this role, a Welfare Coordinator is responsible for making sure all staff are provided with the tools and support system they need to perform their jobs correctly and teach their students.  

If a career within the Mental Health industry is right for you, give us a call on 1300 790 265 to speak with someone today.

Let’s kickstart your future, today. 

EXPLORE MELBOURNE ON FOOT

Embrace the crisp Autumn weather and explore the best of Melbourne’s walking tracks.

Summer is fading over the horizon, but do not despair… Melbourne comes into its;’ own during the Autumn months.

The sun is still shine, the mornings are crisp and invigorating and the daytime temperature is perfect for long walks or adventurous hikes.

Every student needs some time away from the books, to clear your mind and keep your feeling refreshed and motivated.

So grab a friend, a hat, a water bottle and maybe a few dollars for a coffee stop…and hit the track.

We’ve put together some of our favourite walking routes to suit all abilities…

Altona Wetlands 🌳

19km from CBD

This is one of our favourites, maybe because it was completely unexpected, and pretty amazing that we could see the city from the wilderness. This is a 10km circuit through the Truganina Swamp, where you will be surrounded by flittering butterflies, ducks, pelicans and spoonbills. The tracks are suitable for foot or bike, and wind their way along the Laverton Creek over bridges and around towering gums and grasses. If you don’t have a car you can get the bus from Laverton to Williamstown.

Heidelberg to Templestowe 🌳

14kms from CBD

Looking for something a little longer? This is a 17km circuit that will take a full day to complete, so a backpack with snacks and water is good idea. The track follows the main Yarra Trail and winds around the Banyule Wetlands, so you have the joy of discovering the native wildlife, numerous water birds, and Aboriginal scar trees. It truly is a step into another dimension that rubs right up against the city and suburbia. The set-off point is close to Heidelberg Railway station, and you start the walk at Westerfolds Park in Templestowe.

Bells Beach & Ironbark Basin 🌳

104kms from CBD

Ready to leave the city limits and explore the Victorian coast? Make a day trip of it and plan a walk, followed by lunch and trip tot he beach. This is an 11km circuit along the sandy beaches under the towering cliffs, arriving at the reserve area known as Ironbark Basin. The best tip for this one is…check the tide times! You can find them on the Willy Weather App. You want low tide for late morning so you have plenty of time to complete your walk.

Barwon River 🌳

80kms from CBD

Ready to take it up a notch and dedicate the whole day to your walk?

This is a 20km walking trail that follows the mighty Barwon River through the Yollinko Park.

This area is known as the Aboriginal peoples winter base, it then scoots around the Buckley Falls, which were named after the famed convict escapee.

You will need a car to reach this walking track.

HOW TO BOOST PRODUCTIVITY

Prioritise Your Time ⏰

It’s hard to organise your time if you don’t know how you are spending it.

So start by tracking your time, know how much you can achieve in an hour or two hours. 

When you are given a task to complete, you could start by breaking it down into to manageable individual tasks.

It can be useful to start using an App to track your productive time. Whenever your mind wanders, or you need to get up for a break, clock off and note the time.

Eventually you will be in the habit of predicting how long it will take you to achieve certain tasks, then you can plan your study sessions more accurately.

Following this method will lead to less time wasting and help you to feel more confident about what you can realistically achieve.

It’s a great habit to master know, as you will carry throughout your entire career.

Take Study Breaks ☕️

As a part of your time management you should also consider study breaks.

Taking regular breaks will actually increase your productivity. Our brain can only handle so much new information before it starts to overload and eventually crash. You mat think studying into the early hours of the morning is impressive, but all that work you did will not be retained for long.

Pushing our mind beyond its’ capabilities will only create more stress and anxiety.

Aim to stand up from your desk every 45-60 mins even if it is to stretch and move around the room, or just grab a cup of tea.

After every 2-3 hrs you should take a longer break, perhaps planning to have a lunch break or walk the dog around the park. Getting outside into the sunshine and fresh air will make your next session a lot more productive.

Set Yourself Deadlines 📗

When you are planning the week ahead, and you feel confident that you have allocated the correct amount of time to each task… focus on the deadlines.

Give yourself some breathing room, incase obstacles pop up along the way. If an assignment is due in 2 weeks, then set your deadline for 10 days. This will allow extra time for editing, changes or unavoidable commitments.

Sticking to deadlines will help you avoid stressful last minute scrambling, more often than not resulting in ordinary results.

Avoid Distractions ☎️

Where you study will also have an impact on your productivity.

Create a calm and tidy work space, clear of clutter and mess, with only the items you will need for your study session such as: Notes, pens, notebook, water, laptop and snacks.It’s a good idea to get yourself an analogue clock to keep track of time, then you can remove your phone entirely.

This is a tough one for some people, so if it make you break into a cold sweat… then latest put it on Silent and turn off Notifications.

If you are only able to study in library or a busy environment, then try some noise cancelling headphones.Try and find a cubicle or a corner of the room where people are less likely to be wandering passed you. P{lay some relaxing music, preferably without lyrics and zone into the task at hand.

Eat Healthy Snacks🍏

Keep your brain fuelled with healthy snacks and plenty of fresh water.

Hydration is key for optimal concentration levels. That means, not only plenty of water, but fresh fruits and vegetable throughout the day.Plan your snacks early, whether that means chopping up veggie sticks in the morning, making a sale wrap for lunch, or perhaps you are going to meet a friend for a study break lunch at the cafe.

Avoid too much sugar, processed foods and caffeine. The best options would be brain boosting foods like: Nuts & seeds, fresh salads, fresh fruit, green smoothies, vegetable soup, boiled eggs, or avocado on toast.

You’d be surprised how much energy a thinking brain burns through.

FIVE GREAT BREAKFAST IDEAS

Your Mum is always right… Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

So make sure you get it right. 🍏🍓🥑

Breakfast is a great opportunity to create a nutrient dense meal that will keep you going through the most productive part of the day.

We all know how much food affects our energy levels, and our ability to focus for extended periods.

So if you know you have a busy day ahead, with study, work and socialising… put some thought into how you are going to fuel those energy levels.

We put together some of our favourite breakfast ideas to get you bouncing through the day.🙌🏼

🍓Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries

https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/269838/spinach-egg-scramble-with-raspberries/

Eggs are a great way to start your day, and adding a few veggies and fruit will boost your fibre and antioxidants. This is so simple and easy to prepare in the morning, with only 4 ingredients and a skillet needed. 

🥣Overnight Oats & Chia

https://www.thespruceeats.com/overnight-chia-seed-oatmeal-4151799

If you know you have a busy morning, or you’re going to squeeze in a gym session before study or work… This is the ideal breakfast to prepare the night before. We like to make a few of this in mason jars and have them ready to go in the fridge. You can top with a handful of mixed berries and a drizzle of nut butter for extra protein too.

🍌Healthy Banana Bread

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/healthy-banana-bread

Have your cake and eat it too.

Another great idea to make ahead of time. If you love baking, you could make this on a Sunday night and serve a slice every morning. We like to spread our with nut butter and top with sliced pear, add a coffee and you’re good to go.

 🍏Green Dream Smoothie

https://simplegreensmoothies.com/best-green-smoothie

Surely the best way to get all your greens in one hit…stuff your blender with anything green like:

Spinach, apple, zucchini, grapes, then add some sweetness with banana or pineapple.

This website has a great range of variations, so work your way though them until you find your favourite combination. You’ll be glowing from the inside out.

🥑Avo on Toast Your Way

https://cookieandkate.com/avocado-toast-recipe/

Not just pretty pictures, this website will keep your morning interesting for weeks with every way to have your avo. Whether you like it smashed, smeared or sliced, avocado is often the breakfast champion. Full of nutrients and good fats it is the ultimate brain food.

We love it with simple sea salt and chilli flakes, but always on good quality sourdough toast.

GREAT DAY TRIPS IN MELBOURNE

Need to escape the city and breathe some fresh country air?

We all need a change of scene every now and then, to reset and re-evaluate. 

Taking a day trip is like a mini holiday, here are a few of our favourite destinations to explore:

🌳 Mornington Peninsula

While the sun is still shining, and let’s face it this is the best time of year, head down to the Peninsula for a huge selection of stunning beaches and cafes. Start with Sorrento for a great coffee and maybe some shopping in the Main Street. Spend the day swimming and paddling around the front beach or doing ‘bombs’ off the Portsea Pier. If you love a walk, then try the Millionaire’s Walk along the cliff tops. To finish off the afternoon, perhaps a sunset drink at ‘Audrey’s’ (@audreys.Sorrento) in the newly renovated Continental Hotel. (@thecontinentalsorrento)

🌳 Castlemaine 

If you’d rather hit the countryside,then plan a trip to this beautiful town, always one step ahead with festivals, exhibitions and eateries. If you love a fossick amongst antiques and old wares then head straight to The Mill (www.millcastemaine.com.au). In recent years it has also become a giant hub for food and artisan manufacturing. There’s a cellar door, a Vietnamese coffee house and craft beer, to name a few.  Spend your afternoon wandering the old streets and immerse yourself in the country vibes.

🌳 Yarra Valley

Only one hour out of the city and you’ll find yourself cruising through the rolling green hills and vineyards. This is the region to explore if you love fine wine, food and art. Tarra Warra Estate is a great place to start, with its world renowned Museum of Art ( @tarrawarrama) and incredibly designed winery. There’s also Yering Station, one of the oldest winery’s in the region, and very popular for weddings and events. Why take a birds eye view and book a sunrise hot air balloon tour, certainly a great way to see the amazing and scape. You can book via www.klook.com

HEALTHY LUNCH IDEAS

Start the year off with a commitment to bring your own healthy lunch 🍏

It’s not hard to pack your own lunch each morning, set the alarm 15 minutes earlier each morning, and create something that will sustain you throughout the entire day. You’ll not only save your health but your money too. . 🥦 🌶🥕

We’ve put together 4 Healthy Homemade Lunches…

🍏 Chop Chop Salad

We love this one from Jamie Oliver

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/jools-s-chopped-salad/

Simply chop up the following…

• Carrot

• Celery

• Cherry Tomatoes

• Lettuce

• Fresh Mint

• Feta Cheese

• Dress with-

• Balsamic Vinegar

• Dijon Mustard

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

🍏 Healthy Lunch Wraps

This is worthy of an Insta Story..

https://www.loveandlemons.com/healthy-wraps/

Make a yummy dressing- Mix together in a small blender…..

• Dijon mustard, honey, vinegar, salt and maybe some Parmesan cheese.

• Mashed Chickpeas

• Lettuce

• Spinach

• Capsicum

• Cucumber

• Avocado

• Wrap in a large tortilla.

🍏 Leftovers for Lunch

Make this for dinner and you’re sorted for a few days.

https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/broccoli-salmon-cottage-cheese-frittata-recipe/

Here’s your shopping list…

• Eggs

• Onion

• Potato

• Broccoli 

• Parsley

• Spinach

• Smoked salmon

• Ricotta

• Olive Oil

FUN ACTIVITIES TO DO IN MELBOURNE THIS SUMMER

Summer in the city… stinking hot and sweaty or frosty cool.

Melbourne certainly gives us everything, and this Summer has already shown us sweltering heat only days after a snow fall in the hills.

So don’t hang all your plans on the weather forecast, it will change 5 times in one day! That is the only guarantee… Instead, plan around some fun activities, because offers them up all Summer long.

We’ve put together our TOP FIVE FUN TIMES 🙌🏼…

🌞Australian Open Tennis Jan 16-29th

https://ausopen.com

Cheer on the best in the world, as they battle it out on the courts of Rod Laver Arena.

Best deal is the $19 ground pass, or take up a seat in Fed Square and watch on the big screen.

🌞Zip Line across the Yarra.

https://fireflyzipline.com.au

It’s back again for Summer, the 130 metre Zipline across the width of the Yarra River.

Strap into a harness and take flight, a good one for the thrill seekers.

🌞Join the Midsumma Festival from Jan 21st

https://www.midsumma.org.au

Midsummer is Melbourne’s premium queer arts festival, full of colour, flare and excitement. Enjoy some of there best film, theatre, cabaret and social forums and join 50,000 people in the extravagant Pride march through St Kilda on Feb 5th.

🌞Outdoor Cinema.

https://www.moonlight.com.au/melbourne/program/

When the evenings are warm there is nothing better than watching a flick under the stars with your mates.

Grab the popcorn, your favourite bean bag, maybe a bottle of wine and head to any of these great locations:

• Moonlight Cinema

• Lido Rooftop

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN STUDYING A CERTIFICATE IV AGEING SUPPORT

Aged care in Australia is one of the fastest-growing industries. Within many rewarding career opportunities. 

At SIA our course is designed to prepare you to be fully competent and prepared for a rewarding career, either caring for seniors in a residential facility or their own home.

Job opportunities in the Aged Care industry are expected to increase by 25% over the next five years, with an estimated 179,000 open positions.

So now is the perfect time to become qualified in an industry that is in demand for workers.

Our Certificate IV in Ageing Support offers many career opportunities and new skill sets, such as:

✏️ The opportunity to apply your skills in our practical training.

At SIA we have great facilities, like our practical room, where students can get some hands-on experience with our experienced trainers in real-life simulations.

✏️Organised industry work placement of at least 120hrs.

Get great experience and a clear understanding of the industry with individual placements. This is the best way to truly understand your qualification, and work out where you would like your career to take you.

✏️Learn and provide first aid and CPR training.

The skill everyone should learn, whether it is for your job or life in general. 

Knowing what to do in the event of an emergency is invaluable. The ability to save a life or offer assistance in a critical situation is incredibly empowering, and a skill that stays with you for ever.

✏️Frontline support

Being involved in Aged Care can mean many different things. Some days may see you organising card games with patients and encouraging socialising, the next day may call on your first aid skills. At SIA we provide you with qualifications and the experience to handle a multitude of circumstances, so you can be adaptable and efficient. Your career in Aged Care will allows vary and one you will never be is bored.

✏️Corporate and Managerial roles

Be involved with the operational side of care-giving, organising individual service planning and delivery. No two days will be the same, as you may be dealing with staff, patients or families. Learn the skills needed to communicate clearly with empathy and understanding.

A career in the Aged Care industry is both challenging and rewarding, and our course will give you he skills to work with confidence in an environment that values its’ workers.

CREATING MEANINGFUL GOALS IN 2023

Did you know that when we create meaningful goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relatable and time-bound we are more likely to achieve them?

So let’s dive deep into how you can create impactful goals this year and why setting goals can help you to achieve the results you want to see in life.

We put together 4 great tips to get you started…

🙌🏼 Start Big & Broad then get Specific.

Put it down on paper and let your mind go, without judgement or self correction. The more crazy and wild the better, you can always come back and refine the ideas.

Write at least 10-12 big ideas down then pick your top 3.

It could be things like:

• Master a difficult skill…maybe it’s roller skate dance??

• Become an inspiration to others.

• Volunteer some spare time to a charity.

• Plan an overseas adventure with bare essentials.

• Double your personal income.

• Introduce yourself to a stranger every day.

🙌🏼 Only set Goals that bring you Joy.

It sound obvious, but how many times do you set goals that actually make you feel miserable and you end up failing. Your goals should make you happy, so follow your passions and always consider the things that inspire you and make you smile. Be create, we are all creative beings and we feel our best when we are creating. That doesn’t mean we have to be artistic or paint a masterpiece…it could be learning to dance, cooking a new meal, making the perfect coffee, building a veggie garden or writing a new programme.

🙌🏼 Make your Goals Time-Specific.

When we give ourselves deadlines we get more done. Ever heard of the saying, “if you want something done give it to a busy person”?

If we give our goals some limits then we are more inclined to get the work done, otherwise it is just another thing on our ‘To Do List’ that gets shunted down the line and before we know it the year is over and we never achieved what we set out to do. Some give yourself some realistic time restrictions, whether it’s 1 week, or 3 months, it should suit the task at hand.

🙌🏼 Keep Goals Realistic and Achievable.

Start with small bites. If you know your goal is a bit of stretch then think of how you could break it down into to smaller chunks. before you know it you’ve worked your way through a few mini goals and are closer than you though possible to the bigger picture.

So if the Major Goal is running the 2023 Melbourne Marathon, perhaps start with a 5km circuit, then sign up for a few 10km fun runs, when you can achieve that without stopping then you’re on your way to finishing a marathon.

So before the year gets away from you, grab a pen and paper and let your thoughts flow, don’t stop until you’ve filled a page. You’ll be amazed what comes up when you don’t let the thinking mind take over!