One Habit Can Change Your Life

The One Habit for Wellbeing Programme, delivered in conjunction with ASCL Cymru and supported by positive habits expert Kat Thorne, is based on a simple but powerful idea: lasting change does not have to begin with a dramatic transformation. It can begin with one small, positive action, repeated consistently.

Kat Thorne’s approach focuses on improving wellbeing, resilience, energy and performance without adding further pressure to already busy lives. Rather than trying to change everything at once, the programme encourages us to identify one manageable habit and commit to it for just 10 minutes each day. Over time, that small action becomes part of our routine and can create a positive ripple effect across other areas of our lives.

Looking After Yourself Is Not Selfish

In education, we naturally focus on supporting others. Every day, staff care for pupils, colleagues, families and the wider school community. However, if we do not look after ourselves, we cannot continue to look after others effectively.

Protecting our wellbeing is not selfish or an additional task to feel guilty about. It is an essential part of sustaining the energy, patience, compassion and resilience needed to support those around us. Our own wellbeing must not always be the final item on an endless list of priorities.

The programme therefore asks us to pause and consider:

• What would help me to feel calmer, healthier or more energised?

• What small action is realistic within my current routine?

• When and where will I complete it?

• How will I know whether it is helping me?

• Who could encourage me or help me remain accountable?

The Power of Ten Minutes

Ten minutes may not sound significant, but repeated daily it becomes 70 minutes each week, more than five hours each month and approximately 61 hours across a year. The aim is not perfection. Missing a day does not mean that the habit has failed. What matters is returning to it and continuing.

A successful wellbeing habit should be:

• Small: It can be completed in around 10 minutes.

• Specific: It is clear what you are going to do.

• Realistic: It fits within your daily life.

• Repeatable: It can be completed regularly.

• Personal: It meets your needs rather than somebody else’s expectations.

• Positive: It supports your physical, mental, emotional or social wellbeing.

What Could One Habit Look Like?

Ten minutes of walking

A member of staff may decide to take a 10-minute walk at lunchtime rather than remaining at their desk. This provides an opportunity to step away from work, move their body, breathe fresh air and return with a clearer mind. The walk could take place around the school site, through a nearby green space or simply along a safe local route.

Possible wellbeing benefits: increased movement, reduced tension, improved energy and a clearer separation between different parts of the working day.

Ten minutes without a phone

Someone may choose to put their phone away for the first 10 minutes after arriving home. Instead of immediately checking messages or social media, they might make a drink, sit quietly or speak to a family member.

Possible wellbeing benefits: reduced distraction, calmer transitions between work and home, stronger personal connections and greater awareness of the present moment.

Ten minutes of reading

A person who previously enjoyed reading may commit to reading a book for 10 minutes before bed. This is small enough to feel achievable, even after a demanding day, and can gradually replace late-night scrolling.

Possible wellbeing benefits: relaxation, reduced screen time, improved sleep routine and renewed enjoyment of a personal interest.

Ten minutes outdoors

Someone may spend 10 minutes outside each morning, during lunch or after work. They may sit in the garden, walk around the block or simply notice their surroundings without completing another task.

Possible wellbeing benefits: mental space, a sense of calm, exposure to daylight and a welcome break from screens and indoor working environments.

Ten minutes of preparing for tomorrow

A member of staff may use 10 minutes at the end of the day to identify their three main priorities for tomorrow, tidy their workspace and then finish work.

Possible wellbeing benefits: reduced mental overload, clearer priorities, a stronger end-of-day boundary and less time spent worrying about unfinished work at home.

Ten minutes of connection

Someone may commit to contacting a friend, relative or colleague for 10 minutes each day. This could be a telephone call, a conversation over a drink or a short walk together.

Possible wellbeing benefits: reduced isolation, stronger relationships, emotional support and a greater sense of belonging.

Ten minutes of quiet reflection

A person may take 10 minutes to write down three positive moments from the day, record something they are grateful for or reflect on what went well.

Possible wellbeing benefits: greater awareness of positive experiences, improved perspective and an opportunity to process the day before moving on.

Ten minutes of movement

Someone may complete 10 minutes of stretching, yoga, gentle strength exercises or another form of movement that suits their needs and abilities.

Possible wellbeing benefits: reduced stiffness, increased energy, improved mobility and a greater sense of physical wellbeing.

Practical Ways to Support Your Wellbeing

Wellbeing looks different for everyone. The most effective habit is not necessarily the most ambitious one. It is the habit that you can realistically repeat and that responds to something you genuinely need.

Protect your boundaries

• Decide when your working day will finish whenever possible.

• Turn off unnecessary work notifications outside working hours.

• Avoid checking emails immediately before bed.

• Create a simple end-of-day routine, such as writing tomorrow’s priorities and closing your laptop.

• Remember that rest is a necessity, not a reward for completing everything.

Support your physical wellbeing

• Drink water regularly throughout the day.

• Take your allocated break away from your workspace when possible.

• Add short periods of movement between longer periods of sitting.

• Eat regularly rather than relying on caffeine or skipping meals.

• Maintain a consistent bedtime and create a calmer evening routine.

Support your mental and emotional wellbeing

• Speak to someone when pressure is beginning to build.

• Break large tasks into smaller, manageable actions.

• Focus on what you can control and let go of what you cannot.

• Use breathing, reflection or quiet time to create space during a busy day.

• Replace self-criticism with the same patience and understanding you would offer a colleague.

Support social wellbeing

• Make time for positive conversations that are not solely about work.

• Check in with colleagues without assuming that you must solve every problem.

• Celebrate small successes and recognise the contribution of others.

• Ask for help when you need it.

• Maintain contact with people and activities outside work that help you feel grounded.

Choose Your One Habit

Your habit does not need to impress anybody. It simply needs to support you.

Complete the following commitment:

For the next 21 days, I will spend 10 minutes each day ____________________. I will do this at ____________________, and I will support myself to continue by ____________________.

Try linking the new habit to something you already do. For example:

• After I make my morning drink, I will stretch for 10 minutes.

• When I finish lunch, I will walk outside for 10 minutes.

• Before I open my laptop, I will review my three priorities.

• When I arrive home, I will put my phone away for 10 minutes.

• Before I go to bed, I will read for 10 minutes.

Kat Thorne’s central message is that small habits create big change. We do not need to wait for a quieter week, a new term or the perfect moment. We can begin today, with one manageable action and 10 minutes set aside for ourselves.

Remember

One habit. Ten minutes. One commitment to yourself.

Small actions, repeated consistently, can help us feel healthier, calmer and more resilient. By looking after ourselves, we protect our ability to care for others and continue making a positive difference within our school community.