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Stress is the worst. It can cause a plethora of things from weight gain to weight loss, acne and hair loss, along with an enormous amount of other health problems.
It sucks to feel overwhelmed and like you have no control of what is going on around you. I used to feel like this, and sometimes I still do.
But, something that drastically improved how I felt for the rest of the day was implementing my morning routine.
I used to wake up to the sound of my screeching alarm and then….
1. Roll out of bed
2. Run to the shower
3. Make and down my smoothie
4. Get dressed
5. Run out the door
I gave myself so little time to get ready in the morning that I rarely did my hair and it was in a perma-bun.
Having a morning routine where I am organized and give myself more time has allowed me to feel more positive in the morning sets me up for a better day.
SCENARIO TIME:
Think about having a presentation. When you are organized, you feel prepared, less anxious and less stressed. You can still feel nervous, but you feel way better than if you were to show up to the presentation not having looked at your notes, rehearsed or learned how to use that clicker.
This is the same for your day. Routines and organization are definitely the best way to deal with stress. So imagine starting your day off with a routine that is (nearly) foolproof?
When you set a tone for your day, you will feel much better and much more prepared for what lays ahead.
Here are my favourite tips for combating stress in the morning with a healthy morning routine:
1. Stop with the snooze button
I used to be the worst for this! I would snooze for 45 minutes to an hour EVERY DAMN DAY. It is such a strange concept as well because you are basically awake the whole time anyway. It also gives you less time to get ready and organized for the day and how do you think your cortisol levels are doing when the thing has gone off 5-7 times this morning? Not good.
Set a time, and wake up when it goes off. You will seriously thank yourself.
2. Give yourself a moment
Just pause before you go and get ready. Whether that is breathing, stretching (my personal favourite), or meditating, giving yourself a moment to do so helps to keep you calm and chill you out before you begin.
3. Do something you want to do
I firmly believe that if I am waking up for the sole purpose to run to work, I am way more grumpy and stressed out. So I try to do something that I want to do, even if it just for ten minutes.
Some things I like to do include: reading some of my book, sitting and having tea or coffee, watching some of my favourite show, or writing in a journal.
4. Organize the night before
This has changed my life. I can definitely say that I am forgetful person. I feel like I am always doing five things at any given moment and that leads me to forgetting things. I used to always get to work having either forgotten my lunch, my gym clothes, my tea or my wallet. I then decide to make lists of tasks I need to do in the morning and paired it with packing my bags as much as I could the night before.
So whether it is making a list or packing your bag the night before or both, organizing yourself the night before can help you especially if you are someone who tends to be on autopilot for the morning.
5. Eat a good breakfast
Eating a breaky full of protein and healthy fat (and some carbs if you so wish) will keep your blood sugar stabilized, keep you full and increase your brain function and reaction and allow you to focus more on the tasks you need to tackle each day. A breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, sauteed spinach and half an avocado is great. Alternatively you can try this smoothie:
*serves 2
– 2 1/2 cups water
– 2 cups kale Leaves
– 1/2 avocado
– 1 banana
– 3 tbsp chia seeds or ground flax seeds
– 1-2 tbsps raw honey for sweetness
6. Don’t check your emails
If you are in a position where you can avoid checking your phone until at least an hour after waking up, you can reduce your stress levels. Whether it’s your emails or social media, it can cause you to stress more and wake up faster. Try to not check your phone until you’re on your way out or about to leave. It will allow your mind the time it needs to wake up on its own: naturally and in a more calm way.
So, that’s what I try to do every morning so I have a great start to my day. By implementing a healthy morning routine you can combat stress and improve your day.
What does your morning routine look like?
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