Someone commented on my recent post about morning habits that cause stress. So it seemed only natural and fitting that I share information from another timely article related to morning habits - good ones that are helpful and that we should adopt.
Apparently there are prescribed methods for working with our busy schedules and we’re advised to do these first thing in the morning. According to “experts”, mornings can feel tough when we’ve got a mammoth day to get through ― whether it’s work-related or just general life. There are lots of things we can do, we’re told, to keep ourselves energized, but we might find the following tips helpful if we need to “hype” ourselves up for a busy day.
Work with our ‘hypnopompic’ state
This is a natural state of hypnosis we experience just before we wake fully, explains Leah Larwood, a clinical hypnotherapist. During the hypnopompic, our brain creates alpha waves, making it a good place to explore the mind in a relaxed state. “Once you have an inkling that you are surfacing from sleep, try to hang onto the thread that connects you to sleep and wakefulness,” she says.
“When you wake just roll back into the position you were in and try to re-enter the relaxed sleepy state you were in ― at this point, use it to explore what comes up for you on that day.”
Larwood says this state is good for discovering new insights, finding clarity or inspiration for creative projects. So if we wanted, we could drop in a burning question that’s been on our mind: How should I approach this meeting/conversation/email, etc? The idea is that we’re more connected to our unconscious mind and more likely to have those beneficial lightbulb moments.
Open the window coverings right away
Lindsay Browning, a psychologist, neuroscientist and sleep ambassador for And So To Bed, says as soon as we wake up, open the curtains wide to let light into our bedroom.
“Bright sunlight will help your circadian rhythm know that it is morning and make you feel more alert and ready for the day,” she says.
Write down what we’re worried about
Dreading certain things about the day, like a big meeting, hard task or difficult conversation? The first 20 mins after we wake are a window of opportunity, Larwood says. “You’re still experiencing the relaxing world of alpha waves and you have a strong connection with your subconscious. Try writing it down.”
“Start with something specific,” she continues. “Write your question or statement at the top of the page and use that as a springboard for exploring what’s on your mind. At the end, make a note of any findings or insights. Try some free-writing around how you’re feeling. Simply write unedited for 15 minutes. Often you can start to unravel what’s going on, and sometimes, discover the final piece to the puzzle.”
Or make a to-do list for the day
“Prioritize things based on whether they are time critical, important or nice to do,” Browning says. “Start with tasks that are time critical and important ... and then get to the rest.”
Another method is to make “4D decisions” with our to-do list, says Alkta Patel, a lifestyle physician and general practitioner. “I look at my to-do list every morning and convert this into a two-by-two matrix to make 4D decisions. Write your tasks in the best quadrant: Do – Defer – Delegate – Delete.”
Organize the day depending on if we’re a ‘lark’ or ‘owl’
If we’re a “lark” who tends to be early to bed and early to rise, then tackle the most difficult tasks of the day in the morning, when we’re at our peak functioning, Browning says. Leave the more mundane tasks for later in the day when we start to feel tired.
If we’re an “owl” who tends to want to go to bed later and get up later, then our peak work time will likely be later in the day. Owls should start the working day by tackling tasks that don’t require much brain power (like email checking) and leave the difficult jobs for later in the day when we’ll be more alert.
Slow down our breathing before we start work
Patel says before she turns on her computer, she takes 60 seconds to slow down her breathing. “Slowing down your breath rate to six or less breaths a minute activates your parasympathetic nervous system, giving you calm and control for the rest of the days decision making,” she says.
“The simplest way is to breathe in for a count of four and out for a count of six and repeating this six times. It’s a great technique to use through the day when you notice the day’s stresses mounting.”
Take a late-morning break
Browning says it’s a good idea to take a break around late morning by getting outside and having a brisk walk around the block (or wherever we can). She points out that we may feel like this is a waste of time, but the natural daylight will help us to feel more alert, plus the exercise from the walk will also help to energize us.
Most of these tips are methods many of us already use and that we’ve come upon naturally, through trial and error. But it never hurts to hear advice again from people who are professionals in certain fields – sort of reinforces what we instinctively found out on our own. And I love the “lark” and “owl” categories. Can we be both – like a morning owl and a night lark!?!
Courtesy Amy Packham
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