Meanwhile Habits are those habits that you can fit into tiny pockets of open time you have - while you wait for something.
You can use it to read a book, ideate, practice mindfulness etc. I like to use waiting time to feel grateful for different aspects of my life.
Here are some instances where Meanwhile Habits fit well:
At work - while waiting for your laptop to start up, while waiting for attendees to log on to a call, while waiting for your laptop to shut down
At home - while waiting in the bath for the water to turn warm, while waiting for the water / milk to boil, or the pan / oil to become hot, while waiting for the tea to brew
Outdoors - while waiting in a queue for your turn, while waiting for your Uber to arrive, while waiting for the traffic light to turn green
These pockets of open time are ripe ground for creating Meanwhile Habits to be grateful.
Gratitude has the power to ease despair, and even to bring relief when you’re feeling down and out.
In the words of Robert Emmons a world recognized expert on the science of gratitude, “In the face of demoralization, gratitude has the power to energize. In the face of brokenness, gratitude has the power to heal. In the face of despair, gratitude has the power to bring hope.”
Here’s a Tiny Habits recipe I use for Meanwhile Habits – While I wait for my laptop to boot up, I will take a moment to think of something I'm grateful for.
What instances from your routine can you think of where you can squeeze in a Meanwhile Habit?
Image: sinseehophotos @ Canva