We all have areas of our lives that we’d like to improve or find ways to make our days a little smoother, a little easier. And we don’t need to make big change either. There are lots of little ways to add ease, make things more efficient and adopt new habits. These simple habits that take 10 minutes or less and have big impact.
I am a huge believer in small, consistent change and I love, love, love quick wins. Things that are easy to implement and quick to do but have BIG impact. We all need things to be easy sometimes or where it can be. Parenting is hard and doesn’t leave a lot of time for ourselves. It is hard to juggle everything but when you set the bar low and aim for small steps, it becomes much easier to make progress.
Habits that take 10 minutes or less
1. Don’t leave the room empty handed
Build tidying into your movements around your home. Just carry things back to their homes as you pass them. Bring a glass with you to the dishwasher, grab those socks on the floor or pop a handful of books onto the shelf. It doesn’t need to be much but those little actions will add up and make tidying overall, easier.
2. Wake up earlier
Okay this one might not be easy but it GIVES you time. If you feel rushed or overwhelmed an extra half hour in the morning does wonders. It’s quiet, you have time to think and set the tone for your day. Waking up before everyone else gives me clarity and helps me approach my day from a grounded place. Otherwise I feel like I’m just launched into busyness. It allows you time to plan, organize or work on what fills you up; exercise, journalling, reading or a morning walk.
3. Meditate
This is such a transformative practice. Download an app, take 10 minutes and allow yourself the gift of being present. It’s an incredible feeling when you really feel present, are actually tuned into the moment. I can vividly recall moments that have been like that for me, simple ones, but it’s really just joyful. And 10 minutes a day will really make a difference.
4. Make a smoothie
You can throw so many nourishing things into a smoothie, they are easy to digest and yummy! Plus they are quick to make. You can feel good about getting nutritious food into your body and giving yourself an energy boost (I would argue this is a time giver as well). I share here my five favourite recipes, if you are looking for inspiration.
5. Pause before doing
Take a breath before you respond, buy or consume. It will save you lots of money, conflict and stress. Being mindful about our choices helps us be mindful in shaping the life we live. Give yourself a moment before making decisions, the more you practice the more automatic it’ll become. Then you are living with intention versus reaction.
Remember when you want to start something new, set the bar low so you can’t fail and build from there. If it’s 2 minutes of meditation, awesome! Or you wake up 5 minutes earlier, then wake up 6 minutes earlier the next day. Progress is progress. Thank yourself each time, acknowledge the good you are doing for yourself and your life. And what you’ll find, is when you make your change attainable – it sticks. And then it grows and soon they are habits you don’t even think about.
What’s a tiny change you’ve made with a huge impact?
