7 tips for a more relaxed morning

I, too used to start my days off with stress. Before I even sat up in bed in the morning, I’d be running through my to-do list in my head, anticipating the potential issues I’d be met with along the way. And so I was tense form the very start. In the end, I imploded. A burnout turned out to be a blessing in disguise, strange though it might sound. It forced me to change my life, for good.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results”. Einstein was right. In order for something to change, I needed to do something. And so now, I start the day very differently. I begin with my own needs and priorities. Of course, I didn’t master this right away. It was a learning process with plenty of falling down and getting up again. But as result, I have a better grip on my work, am a lot nicer to be around and most importantly: I am so much happier.
But how to you turn a stressful morning into a relaxed start to your day? Becoming aware of the stress is a good start. All you need then is a plan of attack and the discipline to implement that plan.

Here are my 7 tips for a relaxed start to your day.

Tip 1: Live in the moment. Even whilst carrying out your daily morning routine. Do you usually mindlessly spread butter onto your sandwiches? Break the routine and try spreading it with the other hand. This will make you stay focused on the task in-hand.

Tip 2: Whenever an animal wakes, the first thing it does it stretch out fully. This prepares the body for a new day of activities. Get up ten minutes earlier to do some stretching exercises. You’ll start the day off with some care for you and your body.

Tip 3: Physical exercise is important for both body and mind. Raise your heart rate, grab the bike or walk to work. This will relieve the body of tension and produce endorphins. You’ll also be stimulating your metabolism and will feel a lot fresher and brighter. And don’t let that red light or the cyclist who cuts you up annoy you. If you can’t walk or cycle to work, set up a little circuit with four different exercises: do each exercise for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds’ rest. Repeat twice.

Tip 4: Meditate. Take 10 minutes to meditate. Feel how it is in your body. Notice what it is that you’re worrying about and follow your breath. If you struggle to do this alone, there are plenty of guided meditations on YouTube.

Tip 5: Enjoy the simple day-to-day. Take time for it. Anything that happens on a daily basis soon becomes routine. Admire how special your kids are at breakfast. Enjoy the walk with the dog. Look around you, start to notice the details.

Tip 6: Put the phone away; turn the computer off. The emails and messages can wait until you’re back in the office. Or before you know it, you’ll have your head in work again and forget all the good intentions you had.

Tip 7: Plan some leeway into your morning. If necessary, go to bed a little earlier and get up a little earlier. That way, every day you’ll have time to fit one of the above tips into your morning ritual.