I am a romantic. A smile comes across my face whenever I think of picnics on the beach, a candlelit bath, or enjoying a sunrise with the robins and chickadees. I love collecting things with a history and admiring the craftsmanship of generations before. So, it is only natural that I would develop a love for collecting pretty teacups and appreciating the slowness and tradition of tea time.
I currently have a morning ritual of coffee and journal time thanks to my morning basket, which has been an amazing way to start my day with self care. But, I was in desperate need of some afternoon self care as well. Without some sort of ritual to encourage me to make a clean break from work to home, I tend to keep working until the last possible second before it is time to make dinner. Or worse, my kids or husband are trying to share their day with me while I am distracted by my to-do list and I am unable to give them my full attention. So, I decided to make a plan for an intentional break at 4:00. That is where tea time came in.
I decided to incorporate tea time into my afternoon routine as a way to take a break between my work-at-home day and my evening tasks of cooking, cleaning, and tending to the family. These are the last moments to myself before I shift back into the role of wife and mother. They allow me to decompress and move into my evening with intention.
How to Begin Your Own Tea Time Ritual
Choose Your Tea Time
Choose a time you naturally need a break for some self care. This could be mid-day or after dinner. Any time you want to be intentional about slowing down and resting. You can make this a daily ritual or just something you do on Sundays.
Brew Your Tea
Brew some tea. This is where some real creativity can come into to play. You can be as fancy or simple as you like with your choices. Brew a pot or brew a cup. Use fine china or your coffee mug. By the bag or use loose leaves. The choice is completely yours.
Enjoy Your Snacks
Have some snacks. This is the perfect time to have a before dinner snack. I am partial to a cookie or two (or three) but, again, what you choose doesn’t matter. What matters is you are taking the moment to stop and be intentional with your break.
Here are some snack ideas:
- cookies
- cake or pie
- scones or muffins
- toast and jam
- fresh fruit
- chocolate
Appreciate Your Moment
Appreciate this time to rest. Enjoy the moment. Take your tea out into the yard or wherever you can get comfortable. Read, listen to music, or enjoy your tea time with someone else. The most important thing is to be present in the moment and allow yourself this time to rest.
Want a bit more inspiration? See my Tea Time Pinterest board for tons of ideas.
A Few Notes About Self Care
Often times in our fast paced lives we forget about the living part of life. We go from one “productive” thing to the next forgetting to pause in between. We become tired, feel unappreciated, and end up wondering where the time went. Let’s stop the cycle. By being intentional with our breaks in between our tasks we can recharge our batteries and go back to our to-do-list with renewed energy. If you believe you “don’t have the time”, edit your to do list. Begin to look at your self care breaks as just as productive as everything else. I mean, you wouldn’t ignore a tired child who needs a bit of snuggle time on the sofa, would you? Why not tend to your inner child with just as much urgency, as well?
Have you taken an intentional break today? A break away from the computer or phone? One where you can just rest and be in the moment?
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