The first hour of your day has a lot of power, and how it goes can affect the tone of the rest of the day. It’s so easy for one thing to tip the scales and throw you out of your good mood and comfort zone, resulting in a not-so-delightful day.
Taking control of the reigns is possible; just as possible as beating your stress and anxiety to the punch with some preventative measures.
In other words, you can start your day on a positive note - mindfully - to prevent negative thoughts and moods from seeping through and into the later hours of the day. How do/can you start your day on a positive note?
Here’s what we recommend!
Don’t let anyone in your personal space for at least 1 hour when you wake up.
We’re not just talking about physical contact here; we’re talking about closing the door on your availability to even people who are calling you or texting you in the morning. There was a time where digital communications happened only by phone call and by email.
Now? We’ve got Facebook Messenger, text messages, WhatsApp, direct messaging on Instagram and TikTok, the works! Over the years, these apps and platforms have trained us with read receipts to respond immediately, but you won’t always have the bandwidth to respond immediately! That’s okay!
Spend 10 to 20 minutes journaling your gratitude.
Studies have shown that gratitude journaling is a great method of stimulating and improving your mental wellness. By starting your day with gratitude journaling, you’re paving a path of comfort and relief. With the focus on gratitude having positive results, it can influence your day to be positive as well. It’s all about your mindset!
Use different methods of self care to tap into your senses.
In our own experiences, tapping into every sense (smell, sight, etc.) in the morning can set the tone for a delightful day. With a hot shower in the morning, you refresh yourself and the act of grooming and pampering can be calming before you take on your day. With a hot cup of coffee or tea, your sense of smell is stimulated and you feel prepared to take on the world.
Make sure your plans are organized and planners are up to date.
The last thing you need is to lose track of time and plans. During a pandemic, it seems like cake to let things slip through the cracks! At the start of each day, sit down with your planner to review what’s on deck for work or personal matters and also update your planner.
Do something that makes you feel good!
For some people, that might look like getting dressed, fixing your hair, and doing your makeup even if you’re working from home. For others, it might look like doing core yoga and pilates before a shower. Set aside at least 15 minutes for this “something that makes you feel good”. You’ll be grateful for that 15 minutes that helped you kick off your day!
BONUS: Don’t forget these starting steps for your morning routine!
You’re all set for better mornings! This is a sampling of what blog posts are available at Lovet Planners. Don’t miss new blog posts and subscribe to our newsletter today! CLICK HERE NOW
