Most people know what a hectic morning looks like and feels like. You need to get to school or work, and you're rushing around to take care of all the things you need to do before that while thinking about what you need to do in the evening. Hurrying through eating, drinking coffee, showering and all the other grooming required to prepare yourself for a day at the office or in the classroom is no fun. In fact, many people dread facing the start of the day. Stress hormones are typically higher in the morning, which is your body's natural way to gear up for the day ahead. Fortunately, mornings can be a lot easier with the right strategies to decrease chaos and manage your routine. Here are a few ways to improve your morning routine.
Plan the Night Before
Much of the stress experienced in the morning is due to poor planning. You may have a lot of things to do, but in what order? What if you forget an important task? How can you make sure the kids are getting ready for the day while you get ready yourself? Poor planning, which leads to hurried decision-making and rushed activities, is even more dangerous behind the wheel.
According to Viles & Beckman, between the constant switching of hands, looking down at your food and attempting to steer with your legs, eating while driving can be dangerous. Consider making a list of to-do tasks for the morning in the order you need to do them. Even better, provide certain amounts of time for each activity so that you can keep track of how you're progressing throughout the morning. After you become familiar with how long each activity takes, such as taking a shower or drying your hair, you will find planning for the morning even easier than before.
Get Up Earlier
Many people hit the snooze button on the alarm once or twice each morning. Getting up out of your warm, comfortable bed to face the challenges of the day can feel daunting. However, setting a firm time for waking up and sticking to it will increase your self of self-discipline and encourage you to move forward through the day knowing that you can make the right decisions, even if they seem uncomfortable at the time. To ease into the morning after waking, many people find meditation helpful. Consider the many benefits of meditation in the early hours. For example, according to The Women's Federation for World Peace USA, morning meditation can help you to be more focused throughout the day.
Don’t Multitask
Being pressed for time forces many people to squeeze their morning routine together, often juggling two or more activities at once. This can be dangerous and counterproductive. The human mind was designed for multitasking to a certain extent, but often it's simply not a good strategy for success. Avoiding memory impairment, lack of focus and higher stress levels are among the reasons to limit multitasking by focusing on accomplishing one thing at a time.
Work these strategies for stress-free mornings into your routine. You will likely notice a significant boost in calmness, well-being, and productivity as you begin your days.
Here’s another article you might enjoy: Journaling to Help with Stress