Coffee. I really enjoy a cup or two or three or four as part of my morning routine.
Oatmeal, coffee and the news.
Someone I knew went in for major surgery not long ago. The post-op required a few overnights in the hospital. There were lots of things that could have made that stay tough – surgical pain, hospital bed, noise in the hallways – but it was something else that made those days most difficult … lack of good and plentiful coffee.
What controls me
Coffee has become such a determining factor in my morning routine that on the days I have an early morning flight I need to carefully configure where the coffee comes from … home, airport or on the plane.
I enjoy coffee, but I don’t enjoy the way it controls me.
What motivates me
There are thousands of personal finance articles that recommend giving up daily rituals as a way to save a few dollars. You can use this calculator to see who how much you will save when you quit smoking. You can also just use a calculator Cost of Coffee from Starbucks x Number of Days = money you are spending on coffee.
I buy the cheapest, darkest off-brand coffee at the grocery store. I make it in a pot that is 16 years old. I use tap water. So coffee quality isn’t important to me.
The motivator for me – not cost, not less but better – was simply to see if I could reduce my coffee consumption.
What I have done
The recipe is pretty easy – each day gradually less grounds, less water. In about three weeks I have cut my consumption in half. I am not sure how much further I will go. One cup of coffee seems about right. And no one has been hurt or injured in the process.
I am glad I was able to do this my own. But I realize that some addictions require way more willpower, professional assistance and lifelong struggle.
What is the result
The cost savings are negligible. I can’t tell you if I feel any better and I don’t have a daily set of vital signs to see if there is a change in my heart rate or blood pressure.
Perhaps the most important result is knowing that I control the coffee. And the coffee doesn’t control me. I like to look for levers – what can I pull, push or adjust – to make changes.
#InternationalCoffeeDay you say? pic.twitter.com/MLnGFKkU2n
— MedicNow (@MedicNow) September 29, 2016
