How to De-Stress Your Morning

This one is obvious, so we're not surprised if you've heard it before. Nonetheless, a great practice for both kids and working adults is to prepare for the next day the night before. From your lunch, down to what you’re going to wear and what paperwork is needed, preparing everything you need to take or do can take the burden and stressful, rushed feelin out of mornings. Now, there’s more time to enjoy your cup of Joe!

This is a tactic that may sound cliché and totally useless, but wouldn’t you rather pass smiling faces in the office rather than blank ones? Smile at yourself in the mirror while you’re getting ready in the morning and flash those pearly whites to your coworkers as you first greet them. This may not make you get all your to-dos done directly, but you will be completing them with a better attitude and friendlier peers.

Many people start off the morning by checking their email and phone notifications to wake them up. Instead of having nerve-wracking news headlines to welcome you into another day, try to go free of electronics. Lay down a blanket or yoga mat and simply stretch out all the tension and well-rested muscles to get your blood flowing. It’s no secret that yoga and meditation calm your nerves and helps reduce anxiety. You can choose to follow a “workout” routine or simply freestyle to what feels best for your body. Eliminating any screen time throughout the day will do you justice.

Have too many tasks on your list? Your mind doesn’t have to represent an overstuffed closet. While you may have many tasks to overcome in a day, keep just one at the top of your priority list and don’t stress so much about the rest. We know, it's not quite that simple. Though, having a single to-do for the day takes pressure off of rushing to work to get squeeze multiple things into your schedule. Once you accomplish your single goal for the day, you will feel productive, motivating you to move on to the next task in your planner.

Rushing out of bed in the morning after snoozing your alarm clock a handful of times is never a positive way to begin the day. We're grumpy just imagining it! Now, we’re not saying get right out of bed on the minute the clock buzzes. Instead, set your alarm clock for 10 or 15 minutes before you normally wake up and just be. Sit in bed or stretch it out. Give your body and eyes the time to register a new sunrise. This may be the one time during the day that you can do nothing.

A commute anywhere could be a hassle depending on a lot of factors – location, time or distance, to name a few. Well, spice up your morning travels by stimulating your brain and learning about topics that interest you by listening to podcasts. There’s an endless amount out there as this media format is on the rise. Whether it’s a celebrity podcast, self-help/advice podcast or one for mere entertainment, it’s a worthy change from overplayed background music and a great way to wake you up. Once hooked, you’ll be looking forward to waking up and spending some time in your car!