10 Minutes A Day

“Did you make your bed?” my mom would ask me every morning when I came downstairs to leave for school. I never really understood why she asked me that, I didn’t really see the point in making my bed if I was just going to get back into it that night. One morning I asked her to explain to me why she was so interested as to if I made my bed or not.

“Emily, it’s all a part of your daily routine, I am a firm believer on sticking with one because it helps create a sense of stability in your life.” I didn’t really think of making my bed was an important part of my daily routine but as I moved from high school into college, I realized how important it was for me to have a daily routine and to be consistent with it.

In talking about consistency, when I had to change the way I ate, I also had to change my daily routine. I had to start buying groceries and taking the time to prepare my food. Since most fast food places don’t serve items I can eat, I had to learn to switch up how I got food when I was in a rush. That meant eating leftovers or finding quick recipes that would take a little under 20 minutes or so to make. Once I fell into the routine of doing this, eating on the fly became a breeze for me.

As I have been living alone, I have also realized how important it is for me to take 10 minutes out of my day to stop and make time for myself whether it was me sitting down and organizing my upcoming week, or taking the time to listen to some music and to get up and stretch. All of these things help me to find a balance in my mental health.

If I am not consistently in some type of daily routine, it really messes with me mentally and physically. For example, I make it a priority to go to the gym during the week. That means as long as I get my work out in, no matter the time, I feel a lot better. The more days I miss exercising, the harder of a toll it takes on my body. If I skip two or more days at the gym I start to feel like I am in a fog. My body gets all sluggish and I am consistently tired and my motivation levels are low. If I hit the gym five times a week though, I feel at my peak mentally and physically.

I am also a huge believer in positive thoughts as well. Every morning when I wake up, I try and think about a few things I am grateful for. I also put on music every morning because that helps to put me in a good mood. Putting this as a part of my daily routine helps me to get myself in a positive headspace as I take on the rest of the day. Growing up, that was something I struggled with because I would make a big deal out of issues that were so small, but as I got older I’ve learned to take a step back and appreciate everything that I go through.

“Remember Emily, 10 minutes a day is all you need and I promise it will make the biggest difference in your day.”