One Minute Activities For A Better Day

If you don’t have a minute, then you don’t have a life.

I heard from Tony Robbins that “if you don’t have five minutes, you don’t have a life”, but I realized, that even if just a minute, people think that they’re too busy to do what would help them.

I’m too busy, or I don’t have enough time.

If you don’t make time for what will help you, and what will get you to realize what’s important for you, then you’ll never get the life you want.

Even if it’s just a minute.

What are some one-minute activities that you can do for a better day – and hence, a better life?

 

Meditate

I watched this youtube video about Buddhist monk Mingyur Rinpoche sharing how to meditate – that it’s not about concentrating too much and having no thoughts.

To meditate is to notice your breath, to focus on your breathing, and to be present in the moment.

Even if it’s for one breath, two breaths, your mind and body learns to focus on being present in the moment, creating a sense of calmness.

It’s not about not having thoughts, it’s about noticing the thoughts, acknowledging them, and letting them float away.

I’ve found meditating allows me to have a better sense of calm and control, and keeps me grounded in the moment and in what’s happening now.

 

Stretching

I start my days with a stretching routine, to ensure that my back and muscles are stretched out and ready for the day.  This all started with a quick 1-minute routine.

Physically, it’s getting your muscles used to their range of motion, and preparing them for a day ahead.  It gets you loose and lessens chance of injury when your muscles are warmed up for the day.

It also has an effect mentally.  I like to join my meditation with stretching, so there is a both a mental and physical aspect of stretching my limits and capabilities.

Hold the image of warming up my body and mind.

 

Exercise

If you can stretch for one minute, then you can exercise for one minute.

Much has been said about the benefits of exercise, but just because we know it, doesn’t mean we do it.

“I don’t have time” is the most commonly used excuse not to have any exercise.

But if you start for one minute, then you can go on longer.

One minute plank, or plank for how long that you can until you get a total of one minute.

Do as many pushups, or pullups, or squats for one minute.

Take a short walk for a minute.

It’s not about the impact right away.  It’s just about getting started, and doing what will benefit you for one minute, first.

 

Journal

I take a minute in the morning, and in the evening to journal.

There is a therapeutic and life-giving effect to being able to write down your thoughts, dreams, feelings, and aspiration

Being able to put your thoughts on paper, and set them apart from yourself, and look at them objectively, to be able to make sense of them, accept them, and move on from them.

I take time to journal not only my past – what has happened to me, but also my future – declaring what I want to happen today, what will happen, and what I will contribute to make those thoughts and plans into reality.

This greatly increases the chances of making it happen, and of ensuring the commitment and energy on my part.

It also serves as a bullshit dump.  Just being able to get all the ugly and unproductive thoughts and to set them aside so they don’t hinder me.

Even just a minute – take time to write your thoughts, dreams, and feelings down.

 

Message a friend

In one minute, you can send a message to a friend that you hold dear, was once close to, or to one of your closest friends.

Let them know how much you care, or that you just thought of them.

Or ask them how they’re doing.

just shoot a short message to reconnect.  Relationships don’t take care of themselves, and, as I’ve learned the hard way, you do fall out of touch of people who you once considered close friends.

It takes effort to keep relationships alive, but not alive of effort.

Pick on friend whom you haven’t contacted in a while, and send a message.

Pick a close friend with whom you haven’t reached out in a while, and send a message.

 

Imagine your day

You mindset, your beliefs, are what determine what you find, and what you do.

Instead of always looking at the past, one great use of your minute is to imagine what needs to happen in your day, what you ned to do, and what outcome you want.

Imagine what you need to do, to get the result that you want.

Imagine what your day went, and how you felt.

Imagine things going your way, and you using your strengths and abilities.

Imagine yourself removing any obstacles and roadblocks.

I’m imagining how my day is going to go, and am thankful for the minute that I spend preparing.

Start small, but keep on going.

 

What’s a productive use of your one minute?  Please share in the comments below!