Prepare Yourself for the Day with a Relaxed Morning Routine

Mornings don’t have a great rap, and no wonder. We’re usually so busy dragging ourselves out of bed, feeding the kids and getting them ready, looking for our presentation folder, and trying to do something about the hair we didn’t have time to style, it feels like we can’t find a spare second to cultivate peace and serenity.

But although it doesn’t feel that way, having a crazy morning is actually a choice. This is great news, because it means you can also choose to overcome the hecticness and stress, and replace them with something much better: happiness and love. Here’s how.

Wake Up a Little Earlier Than You Need To

One of the easiest ways to feel less stressed in the morning is to create more time, more wiggle room. Most people balk at the idea of waking up earlier, but it’s easy enough to accomplish if you take two steps:

1. Get up at a regular time, even on the weekends (where possible). This will put your body into a rhythm and you will start to wake up naturally much more easily.
2. Go to bed a little earlier. Most people balk even more about losing their evening Me Time, but transferring a bit of that time to the morning can immeasurably improve your day.

Choose a Morning Stress Relief Routine

Use part of your newfound time for a you-centered stress-relief routine. Take a cue from Stress Free Mama and choose a morning routine that will relax you and fill you with centering energy. She suggests the following:

• Journaling
• Stretching
• Meditation
• Singing
• Self-Massage

… and others. Whatever you choose, try to pick something that truly makes you feel better. Going after another aspirational activity because you “should” is not the point of this exercise.

Keep a Level Voice

Raised voices adds a lot of pressure to your morning. In fact, being an angry mama can make your kids feel bad and make you feel guilty. Instead, find other ways to get what you want. Explain your motivations to your kids, remove privileges if they consistently disobey you or “forget” to follow household rules, praise good behavior and where possible, remember that kids are kids and they just aren’t as conscientious as adults. While you may not succeed every time, keeping yelling out of your home will impact every part of your day, not just mornings.

Find the Fun in Mornings

If you know where to look, mornings can actually be fulfilling and fun. Perhaps your younger daughter loves the sound of the birds. Maybe your older son is on the track team and would enjoy an early jog with you. There are special things the morning offers – sunrise, cool air, hot tea, other family members asleep – so make the effort to look for and appreciate them.

Yeah, mornings are tough. It’s best to just accept it. But with these tips, you can consciously tweak your AM routines to maximize calmness and tranquility. Once you do, you’ll likely find that your entire day becomes easier, smoother and more centered. All thanks to your morning routine.