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If your mornings often begin with rushing around and stress, I am sharing ways on how to eliminate that and start your day off right. Having your day begin that way is bad for your mood, productivity, and overall mental health, and it’s so important to alleviate that stress as much as possible.
I’ve definitely been guilty of pressing my snooze button a few too many times, till it’s too late and I’m rushing around, running late, and starting my day with a cloud of anxiety and stress.
It was so unpleasant, and I realized that it wouldn’t require that much extra effort to change a few things around so I could have relaxed morning instead. Since changing things up I have been SO much happier, and can’t tell you what a relief it’s been to not start every day with stress.
I’m sure none of these will be revolutionary new ideas or anything, but these are the few things I’ve done that have made a big difference in my mornings and made me feel like I’m starting my day off right.
Just wanted to give you jumping off point on a few different things to incorporate, even if it’s just one, that I’m sure will make a difference in your mornings as well.
Prep As Much As You Can Ahead Of Time
I used to think that I didn’t have that much I needed to prepare in the mornings, and leaving it all till the last possible second was totally fine. Except that I was always rushed trying to get it all done!
Make a list of all the things you need to do to get out the door, I bet it’s longer than you realize. Now, which of those could you do the night before, or even on Sunday to prep for the week? You don’t need to do them all if that doesn’t make sense for you, but changing a few of them to prepping ahead of time will be really helpful. It will alleviate some of the “rush” mornings tend to have and help you start your day off right.
Need some ideas of where to start?
- Plan what food you’re going to have
- Prepare and pack up your meals and snacks
- Shower
- Set out whatever you need to make breakfast in the morning
- Dry, curl, or straighten hair
- Get your coffee maker ready to go so all you need to do is press “brew”
- Iron or steam your clothes
- Put on your bathroom counter the makeup you’ll use in the morning
- Pack up your work bag or purse
- Put your keys in a spot your remember
Plan Your Outfit The Night Before
This has been something small that has helped my mornings go a lot smoother. I always run through in my head what I’m going to wear the next day. I personally don’t lay it out, but that’s another thing you could do to save yourself some time.
I just mentally pick out 1-2 options of what I think I’m going to wear, and make sure I know exactly where those items are. If your guilty of the laundry pile, then it’s definitely helpful to locate the items the night before lol. Then when I wake up all I have to do is grab them and put them on!
Set Your Alarm A Few Minutes Earlier
I was as reluctant to do this as I’m sure you are, but am really glad I’ve made this switch. I typically work on my blog before I go to nannying in the morning, so I wake up pretty early anyways. But, when I don’t do that, I set my alarm for a time that allows me to not have to rush. It’s added some much needed leisure to my mornings and helped start my day off right.
If you’re someone who hates waking up in the mornings, maybe try even just 5 minutes and see if that makes a difference in your mornings. Add on 5 more once you’ve gotten used to it, or keep it at 5, whatever works for you.
Also, using the app Sleep Cycle for my alarm has made a difference in how I feel when I first wake up. It wakes you up in a 30 minute window when you’re in the least deep sleep, so you don’t have that jolted awake feeling. Scott and I have been using this for years, and I’ll never go back to my old alarm!
Leave 10 Minutes Earlier Than Usual
I’m SO guilty of running late, even though running late makes me really anxious. Why am I like this?! Anyways, I am really bad at knowing what time to leave, and I never allow enough extra time for traffic or anything. So, I’ve been forcing myself to leave 10 minutes earlier than I think I should and it’s probably made the biggest difference out of all of these, for me.
I used to always be so anxious on my drive to work, worried I was running late. Now, I get to enjoy my drive, have some quiet time to myself before I go and watch the kids.
Have Something Small You Do For Yourself
This won’t save you any time, in fact, you’ll need to carve out time for this, but you’ll be glad you did.
Is there something small that only takes a few minutes you could do for yourself in the morning? A little “me time” before starting your day type of thing.
Maybe it’s taking a few minutes to leisurely drink your coffee, read the paper, do a face mask, write in your journal, or take a short walk. Doesn’t matter what it is, just something small that brings you joy and relaxation, and an easy way to start your day off on the right foot.
Go To Bed At A Reasonable Time
I’m looking at all of you night owls, and evening scrollers (myself included!) If you’re staying up late watching TV, on your phone, or doing anything that isn’t absolutely necessary, cutting it out or shortening the time so you can go to bed earlier will definitely help.
Maybe it allows you to wake up earlier, snooze less, or even just get a better nights sleep. Either way, it’s not a decision you’ll regret!
Listen To Something You Enjoy On Your Way To Work
This doesn’t require any extra time at all! But it’s another small way to add a little bit of enjoyment to your mornings. Jam out to your favorite songs, listen to your go-to podcasts, or whatever else it is that brings a little bit of joy to your mornings.
Alright, that’s all I’ve got! None of these are drastic changes you need to make, but small and simple ones that will have a big effect on your mornings and how you start your day.
Don’t feel the need to do them all, at least all at once! Try one a few, see what works for you!
If you have any other tips or things you’ve tried to eliminate stress from your mornings and start your day off right, please leave them in a comment below to share your wisdom with the rest of us!
