Well, this morning I turned the heat on for the first time. That's all I have to say about the weather.🥶
I also found out (thank you, Alexa) that January 1 is just 75 days away. That's about 10 weeks.
I've never been a big fan of New Year's resolutions, but I AM a big believer in the power of small daily habits. And I like the idea of using January 1 as the finish line rather than waiting for it to be the starting line.
So what am I going to work on over these next 10 weeks?
Well, in my case, it's actually about breaking a habit I've developed. One that I fear has become a bit of an addiction.
Reaching for my phone first thing in the morning. And in particular, scrolling social media.
I use the excuse that social media is "part of my job," which is true. But there is absolutely no reason I need to head down that insidious rabbit hole at 6:30 in the morning. 🙄
So I've come up with a plan for myself that I'm calling The 10 Before 10.
Now hear me out…These aren't 10 new things I'm trying to squeeze into my mornings. They're things I already do most days, or at least eventually get around to doing.
The problem is that my phone has a way of turning what should be a pretty straightforward morning into a drawn-out, distracted affair. I'll start one thing, check my phone, get sidetracked, and before I know it, half the morning is gone. (Can anyone relate??)
So the goal isn't to DO more. It's to get the things I already want to do DONE, without letting my phone hijack the morning.
And that's where my 10 Before 10 comes in.
Ten simple things, done before 10 a.m. and before I allow myself to get sucked into my phone.
And why the 10 a.m. deadline? Because I also have a tendency to drag out my morning routines and delay the actual start of my day. I want to get these things done and get on with it!
But I'm also NOT interested in some regimented 5 a.m. morning routine. That's just not realistic for me.
Here's my personal 10 Before 10:
- Wake up at 6:30 a.m. Same time every morning.
- Make my bed and brush my teeth. Already on autopilot.
- Put on my chilled eye mask. I keep it in the fridge.
- Drink my green pre/probiotic drink along with creatine and take my meds/supplements. Also on autopilot.
- Do 50 air squats while my coffee brews.
- Do my quick journaling and read my daily devotional. A ten-year habit that's now automatic and takes just a few minutes.
- Do my BEND stretching routine.
- Do a quick kitchen cleanup.
- #justgetdressed. Usually into workout or tennis clothes. Then, after exercising, I use my daily outfit formula to get into my "real clothes" quickly and easily.
- Get out the door! Head to the gym, take a walk, or play tennis, depending on the day.
So that's my plan for the next 10 weeks. Not a major life overhaul, just a little structure and a few small daily decisions that I hope will add up to a better morning routine by January 1.
And the beauty of this is that everyone's 10 Before 10 will look different. Yours might include walking the dog, reading, making breakfast, or tackling one household chore.
The point isn't to copy someone else's morning routine. It's to figure out what YOU want to get done before the distractions of the day take over.
Anyone else have a habit they'd like to build (or break!) before the new year? Maybe January 1 could be your finish line, too.