Two Minutes Du Jour

Nobody wants or needs more things to do, yet there are so many little things we can do that will have a big impact on our happiness and well-being. You have the power to infuse your day with joy, meaning, and purpose in just two minutes.

A friendly warning: WordPress says this is a five-minute read, but I assure you, this is a two-minute skim!

I thought it would be fun to create a menu of bite-sized activities. This ever-growing list of thought-starters is designed to inspire moments of positivity without overwhelming your already full plate. So come, let’s indulge in these delectable morsels of happiness. Check out the new page later this week.

Brainstorming and Creativity

• Spend two minutes doodling or sketching as a creative outlet – choose a colorful Sharpie or two or some Prismacolor pencils
• Set a timer for a two-minute stream-of-consciousness writing session

Joy, Meaning & Purpose

• Create or add to your joy list
• Visualize your life’s purpose and aspirations
• Research a local volunteer opportunity you could participate in later
• Write down things you’re grateful for
• Take a few deep breaths
• Silently or aloud, mindfully repeat a positive affirmation
• Listen to a favorite song that uplifts your mood

Destinations

• Browse trailers or clips from a foreign film to watch later
• Make a list of dream destinations and start thinking about the possibilities
• Identify a nearby neighborhood or town to explore on your next outing
• Look up a new destination you’d like to visit and learn a fun fact about it
• Daydream about your next vacation and what you’d like to do there
• Browse travel photos online to inspire your wanderlust

Exercise, Yoga, Walking, Movement, Hiking

• Do jumping jacks – Livestrong has a great post on the benefits
• 2-minute cardio with Lizzie Williams – This one is for stress and anxiety relief
• Do a wall sit – your quads will burn!
• Check out a new yoga series — I love: Yoga With Adriene, Yoga with Kassandra, Boho Beautiful, Yoga with Tim Senesi – you might want to try one of their 30-day yoga “challenges” to jumpstart your practice
• Block time on your calendar for taking a noon-hour walk
• Research a nearby hiking trail or park to visit in the future

Food & Nourishment

• Open a cookbook to a random page to find a new recipe for this week. I just found a summer recipe for chilled tomato-basil soup with mussels—yum!
• Make a reservation at a new restaurant you’ve been eager to try or at one of your favorite restaurants – especially a place you haven’t been to in a long time
• Create a weekend menu with seasonal foods
• Create a grocery list – check out Anylist – my husband and I swear by this app for groceries, but also for packing and other lists
• Research easy-to-grow herbs for your windowsill or balcony garden
• Find a recipe for an unfamiliar cuisine to try cooking later
• Drink a glass of water to stay hydrated – or make a pitcher of spa water: lemon slices with fresh mint are one of my go-to infusions

Friendships

• Make plans for a future catch-up, even if it’s just penciling in a tentative date.
• Share a funny meme or joke with a friend.
• Reflect on a cherished friendship and jot down what you appreciate about them.

Hospitality

• Choose a date to host a dinner party, brunch or picnic – it’s as much for you as it is for guests to anticipate an upcoming gathering; sign up for RSVPify, an online service that handles all the details
• Invite out-of-town friends to visit for an upcoming weekend
• RSVP to any invitations you’ve recently received
• Pick up a beautiful potted plant -perhaps a colorful annual or flavorful herb – to bring as a host/hostess gift
• Send a handwritten thank-you note to someone who recently entertained you or did something nice – even if you told them in person or sent a text or email, you can’t beat the joy of an unexpected note in the mail

Relationships

• Learn how to say “I love you” in a new language to surprise a loved one later.
• Reach out to long-distance friends to set up a reunion
• Text your teenager or college kid
• Save a contact on your phone so it’s easy to reach out
• Delete a contact on your phone of someone you no longer need to contact

• Brainstorm a few lines for a short poem expressing appreciation.
• Send a quick message to a loved one to let them know you’re thinking of them.
• Give a genuine compliment to someone nearby.
• Look through old photos and recall a happy memory to share with a friend.

Reading

• Download your local library app
• Add a book or three or four to your library list
• Find inspiration from podcasts like What to Read Next, Friends & Fiction, Goodreads or NPR’s Book of the Day
• Read the first two pages of a new book, so you’ll want to read more later

Self-Discovery and Personal Growth

• Two-minute stream-of-consciousness writing in a journal
• Write a quick journal entry about how you’re feeling right now
• Reflect on a recent experience and what you learned from it
• Spend two minutes brainstorming personal goals or dreams
• Read an inspiring quote and reflect on its meaning – USA Today published a wonderful list
• Take a moment to set an intention for the day
• Learn a new word and find a way to use it in conversation –Merriam-Webster has a word-of-the-day calendar

Weekends

• Look at your Summer calendar to block out dates for your summer activities – the ones that you’ll regret missing if you don’t intentionally make time

Taking just two minutes can help you initiate or follow through on something that will make a positive difference for you and the people you care about. Choose one of these, and if you like it, do it more often or make time to do it longer next time. In just two minutes, you’re initiating positive progress in your life!