Hello, friends!

It’s time for our weekly Five Minute Friday writing prompt and blog link-up!

(If you’ve just come off of the Write 31 Days Challenge you might be feeling ready for a break or at least a nap, but what better time to keep the momentum going, right? If you’ve done it for 31 days you can write one more post!)

This week’s writing prompt is: REPEAT

Join the @5minutefriday writing community as we write for five minutes on the prompt, REPEAT.
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Setting my timer for five minutes, and . . . GO.

I’m not great at sticking to routines. I’m busy and productive, but not very structured. And yet I know I can be more productive and effective if I just make a plan and stick to it.

So this past few months, I’ve tried to make a few very simple changes to my day-to-day routine:

1) On at least three weekday mornings, I try to write for thirty minutes before work. I find that my mind is freshest right after my shower and breakfast, so I try to tap out something useful during that time.

2) I’ve been trying to read for pleasure before bed. This sounds simple enough, but since I own my own business and work from home, it’s so easy and tempting to just be working all the time, right up until it’s time to go to sleep. Also, I often get asked to read books for reviews or endorsements, so I’m trying to read books before bed that I just feel like reading for fun.

I’m sharing this with you because these are not major or significant life changes, but these “tiny habits,” as my friend Asheritah Ciuciu likes to call them, have made a significant difference in my own stress levels. I find that writing for myself first thing in the morning gives me a sense of satisfaction and joy, and reading for myself in the evenings helps to get my mind off the cares of the day and helps me wind down so I can sleep faster when I turn out the light.

Repeating these habits has gotten me into a pleasant rhythm with unexpected rewards.

What small changes can you make in your routine that could make a big difference? 

+++

I haven’t read this book yet, but I’ve got a lot of respect for the author,
Dorcas Cheng-Tozun,
and since the title goes along with this week’s prompt
I thought I’d leave a link here for those interested:

Start, Love, Repeat

{BUY NOW}

Affiliate links to Amazon used in this post

Looking for a writing prompt? Try @5minutefriday! This week’s prompt is: REPEAT
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Now it’s your turn! Join the fun with your own five minute free write, then visit your link-up neighbor to read theri post and leave an encouraging comment!

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