Monday morning starts at my desk. In a dark wood paneled office at the back of the house, I am sittting at my MacBook Air (named Zoe) answering emails. Lots of emails. Logged off since Saturday, I am trying to make my way through product pitches, newsletters I forgot I signed up for and client questions. The real fun, in the gym, is still a couple of hours away. I just have to get through my inbox first.
Does your workday start in a similar fashion?
There is something special I do to make it more enjoyable. While it won’t get you to Inbox Zero, a cup of the right tea in a special teacup will make the drudgery of email (or expense reports or editing) a little cheerier. I’ve got three teas to cure the Monday blah’s. (With cups to match!)
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Pu’erh
If you’re a regular coffee drinker, I suggest you try pu’erh tea for it’s bold caffeine kick. Pu’erh tea can be steeped multiple times, making it an excellent choice for Mondays, mornings of conference calls or never ending spreadsheets. To keep mess to a minimum get a brightly decorated cup with a built in strainer. Here’s my personal favorite, featuring bold blue and gold, that I purchased at Chabom Tea + Spices. Try some Choco Shou from Amoda Tea to make the morning extra delicious.
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English Breakfast
Perhaps you’re already a tea drinker but you’re used to grabbing whatever black tea is in the break room, drinking it out of whatever ceramic mug you can find. You deserve something better than that. Have a proper cup of English breakfast tea in a dainty tea cup. I love my English Rose cup from TJMaxx but you can easily go vintage with one from your local thrift store for a few dollars. Make it easy with loose leaf tea in a bag, for example Mighty Leaf Organic Breakfast tea.
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Matcha
Maybe it’s just all too much and by 10 am you need a Zen break. Now is the time for matcha. I have a lovely handmade Matcha bowl from a local artist, Mari Moore. (Find her at mudbugcreations.com.) Find a quite corner of the break room, slowly whisk your organic matcha and breathe before you go back to your desk.
Changing your attitude can change your actions. Treating yourself with a cup of tea, isn’t just about making drudgery work better. Treating yourself is also a willpower booster. If you treat yourself “just because” you’re less likely to feel deprived. Treating yourself with a cup of tea on Monday morning (or anytime for that matter) will make you less likely to indulge in something destructive later on in the day. Don’t tie it to a time or goal, do it just because. Do it because everyone deserves to have something special about her day. And spam emails that say “Special Offer – Act NOW!” don’t count.
How do you make Monday special? What’s in your cup while you read this post?
