Day 132: Taking 10 Minutes

Recently I discovered a habit that has now become an important part of my every day life. I did a blog post about the book Atomic Habits yesterday and I have been implementing the things I learned in those pages with this new habit. This habit is simply this, sitting still of ten minutes and allowing my mind to wander.

For ten minutes every day I try and find a seat near a window and simply look outside. I keep a notebook and a pencil close and usually have a cup of tea in my hands. This simple practice is beneficial in several different ways.

How often do you find yourself sitting still for longer than a couple seconds? How often does that sitting still involve time on your phone? I have found that if we do indeed sit still for longer than a couple seconds, we tend to instantly reach for something to do while sitting (most likely our phones). This habit allows you to disconnect with everything and reconnect with the moment right around you.

Not only do you disconnect from the constant rush of social media, you would be amazed at how many ideas you can think up. The main reason I keep a notebook with me during this habit is because I usually end up with 3-5 ideas every time. Both some good ones and bad ones. Often times they come in the form of questions or certain areas I need to look into. But this brief moment of rest is great of activating your creativity and engaging in thinking big thoughts.

More often than not we do not allow ourselves the proper amount of rest and creativity. In order to have original and unique ideas, we need to take a break from social media and the constant busyness of life. Try taking ten minutes every day to simply sit and enjoy looking out on the world while allowing you mind to run in whatever direction it needs to go it. You will be surprised by all the ideas you come up with and how refreshed you feel afterwards.

Until Next Time,
Lillian Merritt