Having our morning cup of coffee is a pivotal moment for starting our day on the right foot. But a rushed morning just makes the rest of the feel like an avalanche of crazy.

We’re firm believers that you should wake up feeling like your best self in order to kill it at work every day. Rather than rushing to get ready in the AM and running to check your email inbox, make it a point to take some time for you, clear your mind, and get right on track.

Have you ever thought about what you typically do while your coffee is brewing?

While it may not be the longest amount of time, those few minutes can be used for the greater good. We’ve teamed up with our friends at Stumptown Coffee for a list of activities that you can accomplish while brewing your morning cup of Joe to help get your mind right for the workday ahead. Pop some coffee into your drip brewer or French press and try one of the following activities.

Write a List of Affirmations

Jotting down a few positive affirmations is a great form of practicing self-love, and it’s simple enough to do while waiting for your coffee. If you’re in a funk, or just need a better start to your day before work, remind yourself of the things that bring you happiness and that you’re grateful for. Check out some examples targeted towards confidence and success below.

I am so grateful for my life.
I feel happy and enthusiastic about my life
I will be successful in all of my endeavors
I am confident in my future

Make Your Day’s To-Do List

The team here at C&C lives and breathes by to-do lists. Seriously, we use them for everything and don’t know how we would accomplish any of our tasks without them. As you wait for your morning coffee, take a minute to jot down all of your tasks that must be accomplished for that day. You can write down everything from the day’s list of meetings and calls to your own personal assignments and errands. It’s a great idea to use the notes section on your mobile phone during this short amount of time if you don’t have a pen and paper lying around for you to physically write everything down.

List One Thing You’re Grateful for That Day

If you’re not into the idea of executing a full list of positive affirmations, you can always take the time to think of one thing you’re grateful for that day. Believe it or not, this can change every day depending on certain circumstances or events occurring throughout your life. This could be anything as big as your overall health or something as small as the delicious cup of coffee you’re about to drink.

P.S. we have a special offer for all of our C&C Chicago attendees! Stumptown is offering a gift to anyone who’s in Chi-town during the weekend. Swing by their Chicago cafe with your Create & Cultivate conference pass for a FREE cold brew or coffee to enjoy between August 24th - August 26th!

Stumptown Coffee Roasters Chicago

311 N. Morgan Street

Chicago, IL 60607

Open 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day