More often than not it feels like we’re in Zombie mode: We wake up to the sound of the alarm on our phone, quickly put on our clothes, check our emails, grab a coffee and head to the office with rising anxiety levels. We feel stressed, drained even, before the day has even begun. While stress is not inevitable, we can reduce the amount of stress we experience during the day. Starting by creating a morning routine that makes you feel fit and ready to face the days challenges.
We hear and read it all around us: Stress is bad for our health. Correction, chronic stress is bad for our health. And still, nothing really seems to change – until now! It’s often said that the way your day begins usually mirrors how it’s going to be. So if you wake up feeling rushed, stressed and unmotivated – you can guess how the remaining hours are going to look like. Why not start with changing your morning routine?
So, what should your morning routine contain? Well, there is no “one size fits all” – it depends on you and your lifestyle. When coming up with a routine that suits you, you need to be honest about your lifestyle: how much time do you have and how good are you at managing it? How high are your energy levels? Etc.
While we can’t create your perfect routine for you, we can give you a few tips to help get you started:
Before you begin creating the perfect morning routine for you, there are a few things to consider beforehand.
A big factor in this case is whether you live alone. While many couples strive to have the same “going to bed and waking up” – times, it’s important to know that you and your partner may need different things at different times. If you have a family, there are even more people you have to think about and around of. In this case, if you have children, try getting up before they do, to get in some time for yourself. Do you have pets, and do they need special attention as well? Although, taking your dog for a morning walk around the block is a great asset to a morning routine – you get fresh air and light movement early in the morning! When it comes to working out your perfect routine, write down all the extras you need to consider. Including everyone you live with, your commute and how much sleep you need to function properly.
Our first tip begins the evening before. Put in some extra time to write down a To-Do list before taking a shower and brushed your teeth. Why? Because writing them down before you go to bed gets it out of your head, one thing less that might bother you in your sleep. The best morning routine begins with feeling well rested.
The second tip we want to give you is planning ahead in general. Lay out your clothes for the next day, pack the things you need, Meal prep if you can… all of these will help you save time in the morning. Time you can use for yourself.
Our third tip starts when you’re already lying in bed. Reflect on the day you’ve had. What happened? What went well? Did you learn anything new? Reflecting on the previous day also helps you get stuff out of your mind and your brain less things to think about during the night. Our last tip before going to bed is prepping your bedroom for the best sleep possicle. Reduce screen time and try not to look at any screen at least 30min before going to bed. Keep your phone at a distance to you at night, or at least put it in night mode or flight mode, so you won’t get disturbed by notifications during the night. At best, try to have little to no electronic devices in your bedroom at all, since EMF exposure is bad for your sleep.
Turn the temerature in your room down, as we tend to sleep better if we have the bedroom at a bit of a cooler temperature. Also, try to darken your room by installing light blocking curtains, especially if you live in the city, where there is usually a lot of artificial lighting outside. You want to be in a darkened room to sleep. And lastly, stop eating shortly before going to sleep. It’s best not have your stomache having to work and digest while you’re sleeping.
There is nothing better than waking up with the sun. Try to get as much sunlight as you can – it will make a huge difference in your energy levels. A great tip from us if you’re in the office all day: seat yourself next to a window, so you can sneak in a little extra sunlight.
One of our best tips for you – get hydrated right away! Keep a glass of water next to you on your nightstand so you can grab it first thing in the morning.
Another great tip: Plan in some extra time in the morning. Even if it means having to go to sleep earlier.
Before heading off to kitchen, we recommend adding in meditation. Meditation truly is a magical tool to rewire your brain and can have a huge impact on how your day is going to go. While you’re at it, why not benefit even more? Combine your morning meditation with a Red Light Therapy session! The best thing about them both – you don’t need to plan in hours for them. 15 minutes of RLT and mediation (even a 5-minute meditation) are enough to make a change.
Once you’re done with your meditation, how about some breakfast? Breakfast is known to being the most important meal of the day. Start your day fueling your cells with good and healthy foods! Adding in some nuts, seeds and fruits to your yogurt will provide you with more nutrients and keep you full and energized for longer. Also, nuts are great sources of natural protein and fats – your cells will love you for it! If you live on a vegetarian or vegan diet, getting enough protein is crucial – so nuts and seeds are a good and easy way to fill your body’s needs. But be careful not to overload on food early on in the morning – it’s a common “mistake” we see. You want to start the day feeling fueled, not stuffed. Add supplements to your diet, such as Vitamin D or B Vitamins. They will help you keep a clear head throughout the day.
If you’re running late or don’t have time for a proper breakfast – which, to be honest, happens to all of us – why not try a bulletproof coffee? Consisting mainly of coffee and butter (or plant based fats), it will help quash your appetite and provide calories to fuel your morning. It is rich in calories, contains valuable nutrients from the butter (or plant based fat) and is easy on the gut.
If you’re having troubles with managing your time, you can get started by figuring out your focustimes. For example: you might be more concentrated during the earlier hours and have your creative highs in the afternoon – or the other way around. Figuring out when and where you work best and during what times you work best, can help you manage your day better, boost productivits and reduce brain fog.
Set clear working hours and make sure to clarify that you can only be contacted during this time. Also, during your working hours, turn off any other notifications that might distract you.
So, to sum up everything we’ve discussed above, here are our tips for creating a “less stress” morning routine:
Of course there is much more you can do and there are all kinds of “miracle morning” routines out there – but the best routine is one you can easily and continually follow. The best routine is one that doesn’t feel like one. And the best way to get started is by starting somewhere. Building a routine takes time and is not always perfect straight away. The important part here is to keep on doing it, until it feels normal to you.
Speaking of sunlight, these Articles might interest you as well:
Sunlight VS Red Light Therapy: Which is better for healthier skin?
Sources:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/de-stress-school-mornings_n_2932268
https://www.inc.com/the-muse/how-to-make-your-mornings-less-stressful.
htmlhttps://medium.com/in-fitness-and-in-health/how-do-you-relieve-stress-29d7fff29811
Disclaimer:
This blog is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to be used for medical diagnosis, treatment or prevention of any disease, illness or health issue.
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