Give me three minutes to show you how just 15 minutes can change your wellness, your work/volunteer/household work, and your life. Just 15 minutes. 

Listen, I know we all have to-do lists that seem to grow throughout the day. We also feel like we just don’t have enough time to do all of the things we want to do. 

So, let’s create time for YOU and the most important things in your life! 

When do we have the time to fit in 15 minutes?

The morning before the rest of the world is awake, or at least the rest of your household or others who rely on you are awake. 

In the morning, our brains are primed for productivity. Our willpower is at its highest. We are more inclined to stick to goals. And, tending to our own needs before others is more likely to happen in the morning before others can get to you. Since my calendar program details how we can set boundaries, this is a key part of our lesson plan: boundary your 15 minutes. 

Waking up 15 minutes early can be your keystone habit. (In The Power Of Habit, Charles Duhigg shares the idea of a keystone habit.) It is essentially the routine or habit that leads to others. 

For example, if I wake up 15 minutes earlier every Monday and Wednesday for a walk around the block, I can attach several new habits to that time like, 

• Add time in five-minute increments to my walk

• Add a meditation at the end

• Add ten push-ups

• Add a load of laundry

• Add ten minutes to prepare and review materials for an important meeting that day

• Add another day of waking up 15 minutes earlier

You get the point…Once I’ve mastered the Monday and Wednesday habit, I can attach different things to it. 

We can also use this morning time for projects. We can be less distracted and more singularly focused. 

In our calendar module for our soon-to-be-released wellness course, our lessons are jam-packed with ways we can strategize to help you structure your days for what matters most: YOU! You’ll be surprised at how much time we give away to activities that would not pass our core values test. 

How much of your day is spent on things that truly matter to you? 

I know what you’re saying. “I’m so busy.” Yes, we all seem to have more on our list than we have time to accomplish them. 

Yet most of us can wake up 15 minutes earlier and use that little bit of time to do something for ourselves.

To sum up, adding 15 minutes, preferably in the morning and before others are awake, gives us 1 hour and 45 minutes each week to make time for what matters most to us. You do the math. That is a lot of time over the course of a year! 

Here are my top 3 ways your life can change by ditching the snooze button and adding 15 minutes to your morning. 

1. Mentally and Spiritually: The morning is a great time to invest in what matters to us – and activities that align with our core values. By waking up earlier and creating 15 minutes of “extra time,” we can prioritize wellness and other meaningful responsibilities. This can lead to a greater sense of well-being, productivity, and overall happiness.

2. Physically: By putting ourselves first as soon as we wake up, we can ensure that our physical needs are met, which can improve our overall health and well-being. For example, 15 minutes of movement or meditation can greatly improve our mood and give us the energy to take on our busy day ahead. 

3. Emotionally: Embracing the morning as a time to prioritize those things we value helps us focus on the things that matter to us. When constructing our calendars, prioritizing our core values, and putting ourselves first can lead to a greater sense of wellness, purpose, and happiness in all areas of our lives. We can even achieve the wellness we’ve dreamed of and reclaim our bodies and our lives.

Focus on what’s important and forget the rest. Set boundaries, protect your time, and put yourself first – your brain and body need you to do this if you want to have an abundant midlife!

Are you struggling to feel good in your body and looking for answers to your questions about perimenopause and menopause? I have created an online course to help women THRIVE during midlife. Be one of the first to get access to my 5-module course that teaches the importance of holistic wellness and lays out core strategies to help you MASTER Menopause NOW! www.adriencotton.com