Amp Up the Joy of Your Morning Routine

Three micro-steps to reduce stress and increase good vibes as you start the day.

Photo by Farsai Chaikulngamdee on Unsplash

It’s a truism: mornings can be stressful. This is especially true if you are racing the clock to get to work, to get kids to school, or to get your groggy self into a space where you can take the polar plunge into the work of the day.

It is probably impossible (and maybe not even desirable) to completely eliminate morning stress. But here are some steps you can take to reduce hassle and increase your well-being.

1. Make a list of all the things that can make mornings hard for you

Be as granular and specific as possible. Here are some categories to get you started:

• Getting out of bed
• Getting into the headspace of the day/having a little bit of you-time
• Nourishing yourself (breakfast and potentially lunch)
• Managing other household members’ routines (especially kids or pets)
• Getting yourself ready
• Packing up what you need
• The commute

Here are some examples from my list:

• I am pretty good at waking up…