It’s a cold morning.  You’ve had your coffee, now it’s time to get to work.  But there’s still a chill in the air and you need motivation to sit at that desk and get started.  Let’s make a cup of tea.

Tea is a Sensory Experience

Unlike coffee, Tea is not about speeding up and starting your day with a racing heart.  Tea is about centering.  Tea is about focus.  When you’re stressed or scattered, just the act of stopping, boiling water, putting that tea in the cup, and breathing the steam from the kettle as you fill your cup means that you’re giving your mind a brief and much needed reset.

Let it Steep

It takes 5 to 10 minutes to make a good cup of tea.  Take it back to your desk and let it steep beside you while you work.  If your hands are cold, hold the mug to warm them while you read emails.  Lift the cup and breath in the steam.  Smell the aroma of the tea as the flavor develops. 

Take a Sip

You’re working, so a citrus or a mint tea will sharpen your mind and help you focus.  Take a sip.  Taste the complex flavors, feel the warmth of the liquid.  Notice your mind letting go of the swirl of tasks and demands, and zero in on the cup in front of you. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Now Conquer the Day!

Put the cup down, it’s really too hot to drink fast anyway.  Direct the mental focus you have gained onto the task at hand.  Repeat as needed with another cup and rock this day!!