Ahh, Black Friday. The day Americans freeze outside for 14 hours to buy a cart full of $2 towels. Or answer nature’s call in a Best Buy dryer to avoid waiting in line again after leaving for the restroom (yes, this happened). Or risk life and limb at a Walmart doorbuster.
Thankfully, at Loose Leaf Tea Market, we’ve made Black Friday Weekend shopping a whole lot more pleasant, especially with a whopping 40% off online for four days straight (psst…there’s still time!). But one risk shared by all Black Friday shoppers is that of getting really, really excited and buying up a lot of things that eventually become junk. And while your teas stay fresh for a full year, we wanted to spare you the problem of opening up your tea cabinet next Thanksgiving only to be left with the very stressful question of how to finish up several pounds of tea before the Black Friday sale begins. So, here are some tips to save you from buyer’s remorse, get your money’s worth, and become super healthy in the process.
- A lot of people start to feel really healthy when they buy a lot of vegetables or teas. Don’t worry- I’ve done it too. But when the fridge is full of rotting vegetables or the you find that the expiration dates on your teas and supplements have passed, it’s the worst feeling ever. Here’s the takeaway: don’t let the excitement of buying something new take away from the excitement of using it. Remind yourself that the true reward of buying something to improve your life only comes after you use it.
- Leave your tea canister in a place where you’ll see it upon waking. According to Charles Duhigg, the author of The Power of Habit (which, by the way, I highly recommend), in order to form a new habit, you first need a cue- that is, something that triggers a habit and reminds you to do it. So, do something that reminds you to drink tea, first thing in the morning- and it can be as simple as leaving your tea canister on your nightstand. If you like cold-brews, you can also set a reminder on your phone to make tea the night before and let it steep in the fridge.
- Make a satisfying or easy ritual out of drinking your tea. The second step of the habit loop is the routine. I like to cold-brew my tea in the fridge, so when I wake up, it’s simple for me to go to the fridge and pour myself a nice mug of it. If you like hot brews, you can start your electric kettle, start your steep, and go about your morning before pouring yourself a nice cup. Make it enjoyable by adding your favorite elements (like hazelnut milk) and watching or listening to something you like while you drink it. I like to drink tea in my fuzzy onesie. This gives you something to look forward to, and motivation to leave the comfort of your bed.
- Remind yourself what an amazing thing you’ve done for yourself after you drink your tea. The last step of the habit loop is the reward- the most important step. It can be as simple as showering yourself with praise for doing this simple but extremely powerful ritual- basically, anything that keeps you hooked and coming back to it. Or maybe you start filling up the tub before you drink your tea and have a hot bubble bath ready by the time you are done. Whatever you choose, make it count.
It’s really as simple as that! Cue, routine, reward. Once it’s a habit, you won’t need to think about it ever again- and you’ll reap the many benefits of your tea every single day. Now, doesn’t this make you want to dump more of your hard-earned money on tea? Well thankfully, you still have time to save: use the code CYBERWEEKEND and get 40% off your purchase! Happy shopping!