Now I am back at work full-time I have had the fun and games of trying to come up with a routine that fits being back in work and still helps me get plenty done, some nights I have exercise classes but other nights I am either productive or just relaxing which is very much needed. It has been a bit of a shock to the system returning to work and honestly I function better the next day if I have a good night the night before and it also turns out I now struggle to sit still as my brain likes to work 24/7 so I try have a routine in place to make sure I don't end up burnt out with a lack of motivation to do anything which has happened too often recently. Juggling a full-time job, 3 blogs and life in general hasn't been easy but I seem to slowly be working out a routine that works for me. 

A typical night after work where I don't have to leave the house tends to go 1 of 2 ways, I am either extremely productive or just relax and have some much needed me time. So here is how a typical productive evening after work will go...

I start off by walking home which is a bit of a new addition to the routine as previously I would rather wait around for a lift which was just lazy of me, now though I get straight off and have a nice stroll home. Once I am in I will finally change out of my work clothing and put on something a lot more comfortable which is usually a pair of shorts and a football shirts no matter how cold it is, I just prefer feeling comfortable when at home and I really don't care what I look like at this point either. I will then either set up my laptop in the spare room which is now a bit of an office to get some content done in my own space or I will turn on my PC in the games room if I need two screens and a bit of company from Liam. Sometimes I work a lot better alone but other times I would rather have a bit of company as Liam usually makes sure I am getting on with what I need to do rather than me being sat alone procrastinating which happens more than I would like to admit. I get home quite a bit before Liam so I have a bit of time just blogging away working through my to do list before he gets home and I usually blog for another 45 minutes when he has got home just to finish anything off I need to. 

Then it is dinner time, Liam is the cook in the house as I am useless in the kitchen, so whilst he is cooking I will be doing some bits for the blog like taking pictures or tidying up a little bit before it is time to eat. We have got into the unhealthy habit of sitting in the games room for our food but I want to change that and have us sitting at the dining room table together for a change so that we are separating what each room is for and we can actually sit and talk whilst we eat. Once food has been eaten it is back to the laptop or PC for an hour or so to make a bit more progress on the to do list before calling it a night on the blogging side of things. 

Once I am done blogging I will go run myself a nice warm relaxing bath which is needed most nights these days. With me working out a lot more my muscles are starting to ache a lot so baths are a bit of a relief for them and it just helps ease any aches and pains. I more often than not end up with a bath bomb in my baths too just to treat myself a little bit. If I can't be bothered with a bath though I will end up just jumping in a nice cold shower which I am also starting to love. 

When I am out of the bath and getting ready I will start to prepare for the next day which involves putting anything in my work back that I need to take with me the next day, I never used to do this and used to rush around in the morning instead so now preparing it the night before saves me time and I tend to not forget things for a change which is great as I have always been so forgetful. I will also use this time to get an outfit put together for the next day if I haven't already got one hung up. I tend to do this more if I am off work  the following day and have plans because if not I usually have a weeks worth of work outfits ready to go on a Sunday night. 

Finally once all that is sorted I am ready to really settle down for the evening and start to get ready to go to sleep. I tend to spend this time just catching up on YouTube videos that I may have missed or have just been uploading as I find it is the best time for me to watch them as I don't really have any other distractions going on. I do want to start to swap a bit of this YouTube time for some reading time though as I know if I read just before going to sleep I will sleep much better plus I have so many books that are currently unread that I would love to finally read. I used to love reading so maybe now is the perfect time for me to get back into it and just relax a bit more. 

For those nights where I don't fancy being productive my routine is a bit similar but minus all the blogging. Those unproductive nights go one of two ways to be honest I will either spend all night watching the TV or playing some video games. So here is how one of those nights will look.

I have that nice stroll home that I have started to love and will go get changed into some comfier clothing for the evening. To be honest it is still usually a pair of shorts and a football shirt but sometimes I will go for some tracksuit bottoms and a gaming hoodie just as they are a bit comfier for long gaming sessions. I will then switch on one of the gaming consoles or the TV downstairs and either game or watch TV until Liam gets home. Once he is home he will make us our dinner for the evening where I will either be sat on the sofa to eat it or in front of the game I am playing, on these days I really don't tend to move much when I get home. 

When I have finished my food or had enough of playing games or watching TV I will end up going and running myself a bath where I will spend far too long listening to one of my favourite gaming podcasts at the time. I will eventually get out and get ready and fire up my laptop to watch a whole lot of YouTube before heading to bed and getting at least 8 hours of sleep which is what I aim for every night. Again I need to start adding some reading time into this routine but for now it isn't included. 

So there you have it that is what a typical evening routine is like for me whether I am being productive or just relaxing, I definitely do a lot better with routine in place and this helps me stay on top of the blogs and finally have some much needed me time. 

What does your after work routine look like? 

One thing I love about the summer months is the amount of time spent outdoors or just lounging around. I tend to listen to a lot more music in the warmer months too as certain songs just really seem to get me in the summer and party mood. Each year I have plenty of new additions to my summer playlist and this year is no different as there have been some great songs released just to get me in that summer mood. I even think these might end up being played in my car too especially if I get my hands free fixed if not I will have to rely on the radio playing them. Music just puts me in a good mood and that is why I am forever making playlists for different occasions, my summer playlist is already pretty big as it has been going for a few years now but here are 10 of my favourite new additions for this year so far...

Don't Play Games - Anne Marie & KSI

I love KSI as a musician as well as a YouTuber so there was no doubt he was going to be on at least one of the 10 songs. As soon as I hear Don't Play Games I end up turning up the volume as it is a really good and catchy song and all the artists on the track work so well together. I am sure there will be plenty more KSI songs been added to the playlist over the next few months too. 

Body - Russ Millions, Tion Wayne

This is a fairly new discovery thanks to my family listening to Kiss whilst in the car and me going out with them a lot more often. I love this song as it is just so catchy and honestly it gets stuck in my head for far too long. I think this could easily be one of my most played songs this year. 

The Business - Tiesto

'Let's get down, Let's get down to business' thanks to my nephew's love for this song I have listened to this song more than I would have previously liked to but thanks to him always wanting to listen to this I have actually grown to like it a lot. I am never normally a Tiesto fan but this song really seems to be an exception. 

Leave The Door Open - Bruno Mars 

I used to absolutely love Bruno Mars but over recent years I drifted away from his music but as soon as I heard Leave the door open I added it to my playlist and have listened to it a lot since. I actually found this song through some Instagram reels and even just the start of the song was catchy enough for me to add it then radio stations played it a lot more and I ended up really loving it so I played it on my Spotify a lot more often and I just can't get enough of it. 

Enough For You - Olivia Rodrigo

I loved High School Musical the series and Olivia's voice really stood out throughout series 1 and I ended up listening to the series soundtrack over and over but then I discovered Olivia's own music and fell in love with it. I just can't get enough of listening to Enough for you it just has an old school vibe which I love. It really gets stuck in my head too and I know that poor Liam is soon going to be sick of hearing this song. 

Friday - Riton, Nightcrawlers

 'It's Friday then...' the song has been stuck in my head for far too long and I have woke up singing it far too many times but it is just one of those really good songs that gets stuck in your head far too often. Again this is partly due to my nephew that I listen to this song as he really seems to really like it too. I think this is definitely going to be a song that is played a lot over the summer months especially when it comes to our BBQ's.

Peaches - Justin Bieber

I went off Justin Bieber a while ago but his latest album has really got me back into listening to him more often. The album has been on repeat for far too long and Peaches has made it onto my summer playlist. This song is just such easy listening and was an easy choice to add to the playlist. To be honest I think a lot more of his latest album is going to be added to the playlist too but for now Peaches is a great start. 

Montero - Lil Nas X

I normally don't bother with Lil Nas X but I have heard this song so many times it is one I am really starting to love. Granted I aren't too keen on the video for this song but just to listen to it is great. I don't think that I am going to get fed up of this song either but again poor Liam might need to. I wonder if I am going to listen to even more of his songs in the future due to this one. 

Astronaut In The Ocean - Masked Wolf

Oh look another song on the playlist that is influenced by my nephew who might only be 2 years old but can sing the opening of the song brilliantly. Not only does my nephew love listening to this but thanks to Instagram reels I have heard this song so much that there was no way I wasn't putting this onto my playlist. I just absolutely love this song and I just know it is going to be up there as one of my most played due to the nephew requesting it and my love for it combining. I didn't think that I would actually be so into this song but it is a nice surprise that I am. 

Greece - Drake

This is a song I really got into towards the end of last year and I was always going to be adding it to my playlist as I love it that much. Drake s an artist that I actually really like but never listen to much of due to listening to other bits but Greece is one of those easy listening songs that is perfect for relaxing to in the warmer months. I think there is going to be more Drake added over time but for now Greece is the perfect start. 

I never really bother with chart music so mos of these new additions make for a nice change. I am hoping to have plenty of time out in the garden again this year either alone, with Liam or with family having drinks and BBQ's so I know this playlist is going to be played to death and I just can't wait. What songs would make it to your summer playlist this year? 

Now the back garden is finally almost complete with just a few finishing touches to add I can finally start planning what I want to do with the side garden which has been massively neglected. When we bought the house we were told there had previously been planning permission to build a house in the side garden so there is plenty of place for us to play with and I have actually had a few ideas in mind for it for a while now, in fact most ideas have stuck for 3 years so I think it is about time we got stuck in and sorting this area out and actually using it for a change. 

One of the big changes to this area is going to be us removing the garage, this has been in a state of disrepair since we purchased the house so it has been a long time coming for it removing. Once this is gone we can extend our driveway a little bit more if we wish but I think we are also going create a little decking area that is fenced off just so we can sit and relax while the nephew plays in the garden if we wish. The driveway will be getting redone at a separate point but if for now we can just have a nice area to extend the side garden and have some seating that would be great. We could get a nice seating set that stays up here so the nephew can play and have us in close proximity without us just stood watching him hopefully this will create a nice relaxing atmosphere all round. It is just going to be nice not having to look at the awful old garage every time we step out of the house. 

The side garden is definitely in a stage of disrepair and needs a lot of work doing to it, there are concrete flags in random areas that I want to lift up and get rid of. This will just be safer and also means it will all be be grass which is perfect for what I will be using the garden for. As you all know I love my football so this area is going to be my training area with plenty of equipment for me to practice with, it will also help me when it comes to reviewing products etc for my football blog as I don't have to go to fields anymore I can just head out into the garden. To do this though I want all the garden to be grass to limit injuries and the surface will need to be leveled and either grass seed put down or be re-turfed to create a level area for me to practice and for the nephew to play. 

There are also plenty of random fence posts dotted around the garden which are all rotting so I want to rip them out, they aren't needed as we have hedges enclosing the garden however, in the future I would really love to replace the hedges with a fence to provide us with more privacy but that is still in discussion as I try to convince Liam this is a good plan seen as I really just don't like the hedge. There is also a little tree at the top of the garden that is going to be removed completely as it is just totally random. 

This garden is going to be for sports and playing really so the old brick BBQ is also going to be ripped out and who knows the bricks might end up being repurposed. The placement of the BBQ is just so random and we are never going to use it so there is definitely no point in having it, plus I don't fancy me or the nephew running into it. There are going to be no plants in this garden so I can finally get rid of the flowerbed at the side of the garage which again is going to create more space for us and just tidy it up a whole lot more as nothing is going to be overgrown and we won't have to keep cutting back the rhubarb either which I can't stand. I think it is going to surprise me with how much space we gain from having this removed alongside the garage as I think it is just going to open up the area a whole lot more. 

Once these steps have been done and the decking area has been created it is just going to be a case of giving it a good tidy up to make it look a lot nice than it is, I think once we have done all this it is really going to bring the area to life a whole lot more and is going to help me get out in the garden for working out too which will be fantastic. 

Currently I have a few toys for the nephew to go into the area and a football training aid and goal for myself but I am sure I will end up getting more football bits to add once the garden is on its way to being complete. I have also taken a liking to basketball quite a bit lately so I am hoping that I can get a basketball hoop somewhere in the garden so I can just take myself outside and shoot some hoops whenever I like, I have seen a few online I have been tempted to pick up so maybe soon I can actually get one and play whenever I like. Fingers crossed I can also add a punch bag into this garden too as again I have wanted one for a while but have had nowhere to put one, I have recently started box fit classes and I have loved the punch bag work so to add on to use at anytime would be brilliant and they aren't too expensive either.

The side garden is definitely going to be a place for sports and playing and I can see me and my nephew and possibly even Liam having hours of fun out there in the nicer weather and who knows if I like it that much I could even end up out there if it was raining. Having this side garden is going to be great as it means our back garden is going to be just for relaxing, having gatherings and just having a nice time with a few drinks which should keep it looking nicer for longer and if the side garden is just for sports it doesn't really matter if it looks worse for wear at the end of summer as it can always get better when we aren't using it as often and it wont have cost us too much in the first place.

I am really hoping that we can make a good start on this over the summer because it would be nice to actually spend some time out there for a change and I think between me and Liam we could end up getting a fair bit done. Plus it would be nice for my nephew to have a nice big space to play in whilst we have BBQ's. Lets hope before the end of summer I am showing you some progress as this space needs to reach its potential and is going to be a great space for me to work on content for my football blog too. Would you add anything to this garden? 

Well May has been an absolutely fantastic for me in terms of my weight loss. For the first time in ages I seem to have noticed a change on the scales and after being between 15 stone 13 & 15 stone 10lb for so long I am finally out of that bracket which is a huge relief as it is somewhere that I have been stuck for so long which was starting to get to me but now I am away from it I am happy. I am also noticing that my clothing is starting to get bigger on me too which is fantastic and it is starting to make me see that the hard work is starting to payoff at long last. So here is how last months goals went...

So here is how my weight loss went on the scales...

It has been a month of me trying to stick to my skincare routine and to be honest it has really been hit and miss for me. The month kicked off with me going on a long weekend away and I just forgot to pack half of the items I required to carry out my full routine which I am glad I did really as it saved me some space in my bag. I then kept forgetting quite a few nights to carry out my routine as I was home late or just far too tired and I just wanted to crawl into bed.  On a morning to the days I forgot are the days when I wanted some extra time in bed or when I just had to rush about in the morning instead of having my usual morning routine play out. I wish I managed to do the full month of the skincare routine but what I did manage to do seemed to have started to do the trick for me. 

I have definitely noticed that over the course of the month my spots have definitely been reduced, especially the ones around my eyes and down my cheek. The new routine mixed with my acne cream seems to have made them look a lot less angry and took a lot of the redness out of the area. When I look at my face now I am definitely impressed with how much clearer it is looking at the moment so it gets me wondering what it will be like a few months down the line. My skin also feels much softer after the month than it did previously I don't know if it is the effect from the creams I have been using or just the fact my skin is definitely a whole lot softer now. 

In terms of my diet whilst trying to stick to the routine I have to say it has been a whole lot better than before. I have eaten a lot less fast food and processed food this month than I have done previously due to my weight loss journey been stepped up a whole lot. I have also had less fizzy drinks and alcohol too and mainly stuck to water throughout the month which I believe has been a big factor in my skin really beginning to clear up. I used to think that drinking water etc was just a lie for clearing up your skin but I really think after doing this for myself for a month my eyes have been opened and I really do believe now there is a connection between your diet and your skin and it is something I am now going to be focusing on a bit more often alongside continuing with the skincare routine I created for myself. 

I managed to get sunburnt a few times during the month because it seems like my skin just has to see the sun to end up burnt to a crisp and it is driving me mad. I think if I could really prevent my skin from burning so much I could have my skin in much better condition. I am determined that over the summer I am going to take a whole lot more care of my skin to try stop any further damage being caused. I really do think if I took more in the sun my skin would be in much better condition so now it is definitely time to take more care of it. 

This past month has definitely taught me a lot about my skin and even how my lifestyle effects it so I am definitely going to always keep this in my mind when it comes to improvements if my skin takes a turn for the worse again. I didn't really stick to the routine as much as I would have liked as I said earlier but honestly a habit is definitely forming and I think if I keep to this routine for a few months I am going to make a massive difference on my face as by skipping a routine a more than a few times has made a bit of a difference so just how much would a full month improve its condition? I am definitely excited to see how my skin changes over the coming months. 

Well that is May over and done with and minus the dreadful weather it has actually been a pretty good month. Some more lock down restrictions have been lifted here in the UK and it has been great getting out and about a little bit more. My first full month back at work has been completed and it was a lot easier to get back into a routine than I thought it would be. So here are my favourite things from May...

Fashion

Trying Different clothing

Lifestyle

Home

Spare Room 

Health & fitness

Seeing Progress On The Scales 

Boxing