THOUGHTS
Is There Any Better Way to Start the Day?
How I take a few minutes for myself every morning.
In a fast-moving world, where our responsibilities seem to be endless, we often find it hard to take time to think, relax, and focus on ourselves.
A cup of coffee? A cup of tea? A can of sugary soda? Everyone seems to have their go-to morning beverage. (I, myself, am usually a coffee guy.) Besides the obligatory caffeine fix, we tend to have some kind of routine when we wake up too. Emmett, for example, cheerfully greets everything in his apartment before he starts his hygiene routine.
In a fast-moving world, where our responsibilities seem to be endless, we often find it hard to take time to think, relax, and focus on ourselves. For me, it’s difficult to wake up and plow headfirst into chores and “adulting.” I’ve got to do laundry. I’ve got to make phone calls. Is there an email I was supposed to send? What about that upcoming assignment?
Just stop. Breathe.
Life can be daunting and overwhelming sometimes. So regardless of what’s going on and what I’ve got to take care of, I try to make a point of following a very simple start-up routine in the morning.
After I’ve woken up and brushed my teeth, I make coffee and look into my backyard while I slowly drink it. Yes, there are definitely days when the weight of tasks and responsibilities are enormous, but I’m hard-pressed to find a reason why none of that can wait 20 to 30 minutes.
In those 20 to 30 minutes, it’s just me, my coffee, and nature. It’s a time to appreciate the simple things: the rustle of the leaves, the birds chirping, a few squirrels chasing each other up and down the trees, maybe an occasional Procyon or neighborhood cat. It’s the same routine, but the mornings are never the same.
As I near the end of my coffee, I flip on my favorite news podcast, and start to go through the day ahead. I’ll check my messages, I’ll map out what needs to be done, I’ll take a deep breath, and start doing. After that, it’s just like any other day. I do the work. I accomplish what I can. I worry about tasks that are still unfinished, and what I’ll need to do the next day.
But I don’t worry when I’ll have time for myself. I’ve got that scheduled for the very next day.
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