15 Minutes A Day

My clients are busy, successful people. They have high-powered jobs, they are members of professional organizations and they serve on non-profit boards. They are daughters, sisters, wives, and mothers. They are sons, brothers, husbands, and fathers. Because of the many hats my clients wear, some of them initially have a difficult time believing that they can find 15 minutes a day to focus on themselves, let alone find time to contemplate what their big dreams are, create a blueprint to achieve them, and begin to transform their lives.

Here are 5 things I ask some of my clients to do each day, for a total of 15 minutes, in order to get unstuck.

1. Clear out mental space when you wake up.

As soon as you wake up take 3 minutes to write down what is on your mind.  For some it might be a to-do list, for others it might be something that made you mad yesterday, or thoughts regarding an upcoming meeting.  Whatever it is, take time to get those thoughts out of your head and onto paper.  This way, you are letting go and in doing so you are clearing mental space so you can be more present at the start of your day.

2. Turn off the radio.

When you get in the car to head to work, do not turn on the radio right away. Instead, take 3 minutes to reflect on the following: How do I want to feel after this day is over? For example, you might want to feel like you accomplished something great, solved a problem and/or served people. Maybe you want to feel good about a work presentation or about how the advice you gave a child in your classroom will impact his or her life. This mental exercise will bring some intention to your day.

3. What do you love about yourself?

Three minutes before you take a lunch break, close your eyes, take 3 deep breaths and write down 3 things that you love about yourself. It could be anything from the fact that you are patient, kind and thoughtful to writing about how you love reality TV, cashews, and your awesome hair. Write down whatever comes to mind. It is important that you take the time to reflect on what you love about yourself because you matter.

4. Today’s accomplishments, tomorrow’s goal.

Three minutes before you leave work, write down 2 things that you accomplished during the day and 1 goal you would like to accomplish tomorrow. This will put you in a space of acknowledging your accomplishments and provide you with an opportunity to plan for tomorrow.

5. End the day with gratitude.

Three minutes before you go to bed, write down 3 things you are grateful for.  Do not limit yourself. Feel free to include anything from your children to the sunshine. This gratitude exercise is important because it will give you the opportunity to go to bed focusing on what is good in your life.

Now it’s your turn. Take 15 minutes a day to do these 5 things and before you know it you will be letting go of the old, reflecting on the new, planning for tomorrow, and living a life of gratitude. All of these are components that will activate your capacity to begin to create and live the life you truly desire.