I don’t know about you, but for me there never seems to be enough time in the day. As a mom, I sometimes struggle to prioritize and get all the things done. Since March, when COVID-19 drastically changed our way of life here in the Midwest, I have struggled even more. Sometimes even simple tasks take a herculean effort to accomplish.
Time to Breath and Prioritize
Thanks to my amazing husband, I was recently able to have some time away from the grind of everyday life. I had a Saturday to drive 45-minutes out of town with some dear friends and business partners. I had an opportunity to train with the company I partner with for my home-based business, and to take a moment to just breathe.
We arrived at our destination, got set up with snacks and comfy clothes for our virtual sessions, and settled in. This training session included everything I love: connecting with friends, learning new skills, and growing as a person. All of this feeds my soul.
Just 15 Minutes
Part of our training was done by Tommy Newberry, a motivational speaker, businessman, and author. He challenged us to make time for 15 minutes a day to focus. The optimal time is in the morning (not my strong suit, I am not a morning person), but this could be done at lunch time or other times of the day. The important thing is to find a time that works for you.
He called it “The 15 Power.” This caught my attention and my frazzled mom brain thought, “I think I can do that.”
I can do 15 minutes a day. It doesn’t sound like much, but it adds up. For example, 15 minutes per day adds up to one hour and 45 minutes each week, 7.5 hours each month, and 90 hours each year!
Find Your Time
Fifteen minutes at the beginning of the day (hopefully before your littles wake up) can set the tone for the whole day. This could be 15 minutes to pray or meditate, to set one goal for the day, or 15 minutes to focus on an intention for the day.
If mornings don’t work, you could find 15 minutes during your lunch hour or even at night. Take time to relax and reset, whatever that looks like for you. It could be 15 minutes to take some deep breaths, work on a hobby, read a book, or to learn something new.
Fifteen minutes feels doable to me and I was shocked at how much time it adds up to when you do the math. What could you do with 15 minutes set aside each day?
Find Your Goal
Another aspect is to think about one simple goal that, when achieved, would create a positive ripple effect throughout your life. This is a big question that requires some thought and this can be asked in different categories (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, family, etc.).
What if you coupled those two concepts together and used your 15 minutes a day toward that yearly goal?
This year has thrown a lot at all of us so far and we still have several months left. No one knows what the future will bring and so much is out of our control. I needed these reminders. I needed something to focus on besides COVID-19, politics, and the general atmosphere of our world right now. Maybe you do too.
Questions to Answer
Hopefully, this gives you a place to start. A question to really ponder that makes you dig deep and hopefully dream a little. What do you want to achieve that would create the greatest positive ripple effect throughout your life?
What would 15 minutes a day do for you mentally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually?
Does that feel like a simple step you can take to do something for yourself?
Imagine what you could accomplish in a month with 7.5 hours, or in a year with 90 hours of focused time.
Take a breath, mom. We all need it, especially right now. And when things feel out of control and like you don’t have enough time in your day, make time for just 15 minutes.
I hope this speaks to you like it did to me. Sometimes we need to take baby steps in life and before we know it, we are halfway up the mountain or halfway to our destination. Celebrate the baby steps, celebrate the progress, and really celebrate when you reach that goal.
Right now, my aim is to set my one yearly goal and make the time for my 15 minutes each day. What’s your goal? What positive ripple effect are you looking for?
You got this, mama. Take your 15 minutes and focus. You can do this!
