How I Changed My Feelings About Mornings
Or, a less anxiety-inducing Morning Routine guide from the worst morning person in the world.
If you’re anything like me, mornings are pretty much the worst part of your school day. In fact, mornings used to be the most anxious part of my day. I’d stay in bed past my alarm, rush to get ready, eat “breakfast” in 5 mins, and drive to school with what I call, “Morning Traffic Anxiety” (you know the feeling). But a few years ago, I came to the conclusion that although my anxiety would never truly go away, I did have the power to make my mornings feel a little more like “me time”. Here are my tips on how to start off your day in the best way possible.
I don’t care how confident you think you are; You need alarms. That’s right- alarmS- plural. This isn’t just to wake you the hell up; I’ve learned that setting several alarms is the best way for you to keep track of how much time you’ve spent doing something. And, if you’re anything like me and know you like to stay in bed past your alarm, set your first alarm even earlier. For example, my first alarm for “waking up” is 5:30, the alarm for actually physically getting up from bed is 6:00, out of the bathroom by 6:30, downstairs by 6:45… you get the picture. Not only are alarms for waking up, but they’re also for timing yourself. My alarms are set in 15-30 min. increments away from each other, but do whatever floats your boat.
Commit to your sleeping/waking up schedule. I love sleeping-in on weekends as much as the next girl; but please don’t torture yourself by over-sleeping. You’ll just regret it by the time it’s monday morning. Stay (somewhat) consistent and your body will thank you for it.
Listen to music while you get ready. This is one of the best and mose effective tips I’ve ever come up for myself, self-care wise. If I’m feeling particularly anxious, I’ll put on a peaceful, calming playlist to get ready to. If I want to wake up more energetic and am getting ready for a busier day, I’ll play more fun and upbeat songs. Whatever music you choose, I promise it’ll change your mood. (If you need some morning music recs, you can find my playlists here!)
Plan out your Tomorrow Outfit. I know, I sound like your mom. But trust me, it really does help and it saves you so much time! If you don’t want to physically put out your outfits, at least have an idea in your head for the next morning.
Please. For the love of God. Eat breakfast. Even just a little bit. I never understood how some of my friends and classmates could, dare I say, SKIP breakfast and survive class. This concept leaves me in awe. I personally feel like I’m going to collapse if I don’t eat breakfast. Please eat; even if it’s just a little bit! Find the time to actually make a good breakfast, or even pre-make a good breakfast the night before. Bagels, toast, and oatmeal are great quick and wholesome-enough breakfast choices. Also, remember that your morning is YOU time- take this time to enjoy your favorite coffee/tea without rushing! It feels good, trust me.
As you can see, a lot of working on bettering your mornings is about time. Speaking from experience, I can confidently say that rushing is not fun. I hate being late, and being in a hurry just makes my anxious mornings even worse. The best tip I could ever give is to find a morning routine that works for you, practice it, and stick with it. Just like any other struggle, making your mornings more enjoyable just takes commitment; but it’s 100% do-able!
