Tea Ritual

How to complete Tea Ritual

This is a single-tasking exercise disguised as a drink: the point isn't the tea, it's giving your attention one undemanding thing to rest on. Herbal (caffeine-free) keeps it usable in the evening without disrupting sleep.

1. Pick a caffeine-free blend you actually like the smell of (chamomile, peppermint, rooibos, lemon balm) so you look forward to it
2. Boil water and let it steep the full time on the box, usually 5 minutes, instead of yanking the bag early
3. Sit somewhere you don't normally rush through, with your phone in another room or face-down and silenced
4. Hold the warm cup, notice the steam and smell, and take the first sip slowly before drinking the rest at an unhurried pace
5. Stay until the cup is empty without reaching for a screen, a book, or a task

Tips

• If your mind races, let the warmth of the mug be the thing you keep returning attention to
• Make it the same time each day, like right after dinner, so it becomes an automatic cue to slow down
• Loose-leaf in a small pot stretches the ritual longer than a quick bag if you want more of it

What counts as done

You've finished a full cup of herbal tea having done nothing else the entire time, no phone, no multitasking.