Healthy Tea Habits
Feeling frazzled? You’re not alone. It happens to the best of us!
Life’s juggling act can sometimes feel like a full-on circus show. They keep throwing in chairs and flower vases and plates... and it’s all you can do to keep everything in the air without having it come crashing down.
Why Does Self-Care Matter?
You might feel like life is too busy for you to indulge in self-care, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Think of the oxygen mask theory. If you’ve ever flown in an airplane, you’ve seen the safety demonstration where they tell you what to do in the case of an emergency. If oxygen masks drop from the ceiling, you’re instructed to first put on your own mask before helping children or others with their masks.
The message is clear: If you don’t take care of yourself first, you won’t be able to help anyone else. Another way to say that is: The more nourished, happy, and rested you feel, the more you’ll be able to give to your family, your work, and your community.
So what are we waiting for—let’s put on those oxygen masks and get started!
Self-Care With Tea
Self-care doesn’t have to be big and fancy, like a weeklong spa retreat. It can be as simple as creating a daily habit to boost your mental and physical well-being. In fact, the smaller and easier the habit, the more likely you’ll be to stick with it on a regular basis.
Here are a few ideas for using tea to build some healthy habits into your life…
Take 10 in the Morning
Start the day off right with a steaming cup of tea, and take 10 minutes of "me time" to relax before the day begins. You might like to write down your goals for the day (or week, or month), or just relax and savor your tea. Soak in the moment, perhaps enjoying the sunshine peeking through the window as you inhale the fragrance of your tea and appreciate its complex flavors and nuances.
Whatever your 10 minutes entail, it’s all about enjoying the moment and creating a positive note to start the day on. Then once your teatime ends, and you launch back to the craziness of life, that quiet moment will stay with you through the rest of the day. It may even make your stress seem a little more manageable.
Take Tea Outdoors
When the pressure is on, you might be tempted to just power through. But if powering through isn’t getting you anywhere, it might be time to step back and give yourself a mental break. A change of scenery and some fresh air can do wonders to restore focus, creativity, and perspective.
If you’re at work, brew up some tea in a handy travel mug and take a quick walk outdoors. Or if you have the time, go for a hike and bring a friend. Connecting with friends is another great way to de-stress. Combine socializing with the rush of endorphins you get from exercise, and you’ll feel much more prepared to take on the stresses of life!
Create Tea Rewards
Sometimes it’s all you can do to get through the day. Incentives help keep us motivated by giving us something to work towards. Start by deciding on a small, manageable activity, such as spending 30 minutes on that chore you’ve been putting off. Then decide on a reward. Perhaps your reward is brewing up a new tea you’ve been looking forward to trying, or making yourself a matcha green tea latte as an afternoon tea break.
When you sit down to enjoy your tea, it’ll taste even better since you earned every sip. Plus, you’ll have a sense of accomplishment knowing that you reached your goal!
Get Good Zzz’s
Getting good sleep (and enough of it) is easier said than done, but it’s an important element of your mental and physical well-being. If you’re feeling wired when you go to bed at night, you might try cutting cut back on caffeine later in the day.
Before bed sip a soothing caffeine-free herbal tea such as chamomile, a popular bedtime sleep aid. While you enjoy your tea, take some time away from your TV, computer, and cell phone to give your mind time to decompress before bed. You might have to say "no" to some activities in order to make time for enough sleep, but it’s an important priority.
Learn to Say "Yes" to Yourself
Self-care is about acknowledging that yes, your well-being is important! It gives you permission to be a little selfish and make time for things that are important to you. That could be as simple as setting a tea date with a friend, making time for yoga class every week, or relaxing with a pot of tea in the evening.
Of course, none of this is intended to be medical advice, and if your stress level is problematically high it may be best to consult a doctor. But for many of us, building small self-care habits into our lives can make a big difference.
What are your favorite self-care tips? Have you found a perfect tea that helps you de-stress? Share your tips below, and help others build healthy tea habits into their lives!
Tiffany Picard is the Digital Marketing Maven at The Tea Mavens, the premier business consulting agency for the tea industry. Tiffany has worked in the tea world for over 10 years, and loves nothing more than a steaming cup of Yunnan Gold black tea.