By Barbara Bishop
Does this scenario sound familiar to you? My alarm rings. I’m still half asleep when I hit the snooze button. Please, 15 minutes more! Then after hitting the snooze button three times, I realize I’m going to be late for work and jump out of bed, running around to get ready.
I forget about my commitment to exercise, meditate, eat breakfast, sometimes even brushing my teeth, thinking I’ll be able to do some of it when I get to the office.
I glance at my cell phone. Shit. 73 messages. I have to at least scan them to see if there are any emergencies. 10 more minutes go by.
- I can check them at stop lights on the way. I fell asleep last night – again, neglecting to plan for the next day.
I feel stressed, behind, a little groggy, slightly hungry, and freaking out about the 73 e-mails.
This has to stop! This is no way to live my life. I consult WebMD. Guess what? I find I’m doing everything wrong. Here’s a partial list of don’ts that are listed on the site:
Hit the Snooze Button
That extra 15 minutes will help energize your day, right? Wrong. You’ll get better rest if you get up and go to bed at the same time every day. Hitting the Snooze Button will make you feel groggier that if you wake up when the alarm first went off.
Shoot Out of Bed Too Quickly
When you go from lying down to standing, gravity sends blood rushing to your legs, which can drop your blood pressure suddenly and make you feel a bit woozy. It can even make you pass out. Sit up slowly and pause at the edge of the bed to give your body a few seconds to get used to the idea, especially if you noticed some lightheadedness in the past. I guess the time I save from getting up when the alarm rings the first time will give me more time to wake up, instead of saying, oh shit! Gotta go….
Ditch Your Workout
Regular exercise helps your sleep, weight, heart, and mood, among many benefits. You may be more likely to stick with exercise if you do it first thing. It could even make it easier to control what you eat throughout the day and maintain your weight. Plan ahead and put your workout clothes out the night before. I used to do this, it worked really well. I went to class four times a week at 6:30 a.m. I need to get back into it. This week!
Skip Your Coffee
If you usually have a couple of cups of joe in the morning, skipping it can leave you groggy. You may not concentrate as well, and you might even become very tired with a severe headache, nausea, and flu-like symptoms.
If you’re trying to cut back on your caffeine, do it slowly to avoid these responses. Sorry, WebMD, no way will I ever cut back on caffeine. Even if I’m going to be late, I never miss my cup of coffee. I usually have 2 cups, so I can get the second cup when I get to the office.
Forget Your Teeth
A sticky film called plaque forms on your teeth each night. If you don’t brush it off in the morning, it can start to harden into stuff called tartar that you can only get rid of at your dentist’s office. If plaque and tartar are around too long, they can lead to swollen or bleeding gums, cavities, bad breath, gum disease, and other health problems. I am a stickler with my teeth; I brush every day and night, and get my teeth cleaned every three months. I think I’ve not brushed my teeth before work once. But I brought my toothbrush to work and brushed the minute I got to the office. (I know – gross; but I bet I’m not the only one who’s done that at least once!)
Check Your Email
If you constantly check digital devices, email, and social media, it can cause stress and anxiety. For example, you may feel more pressure to start work earlier if you check your email first thing. Take some time in the morning to stay disconnected from digital media like email. It may take some effort at first, but it can make you happier and may even help you get more work done in the long run. I am hooked on reading my e-mail. Sometimes it takes an hour or more to go through it. A lot of it is junk. I’m putting a sign on my cellphone before I go to bed that will say Don’t even think about checking it!
Start Your Day Without a Plan
If you start your day without a thought to why you do what you do, you may lose sight of what you’re trying to achieve and what gives your life meaning. Whether it’s work, family, or lifestyle, it’s important to figure out what’s most important to you and make sure the things you do each day help you get there. Set priorities, make a list, and check your progress at the end of the day. I’m pretty good planner; but sometimes I think that certain tasks will take less time than they really do. A couple of tasks than run double the time and I’m two hours behind in an 8-hour day that quickly turns into 10 hours. I hate that!
Forget Quiet Time
If your day is filled with work and noise, the morning is a perfect chance to clear your mind with even a few minutes of meditation.
You can simply focus on your breath and try to let go of thoughts that come up. The practice can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and may help ease conditions including anxiety, pain, high blood pressure, insomnia, and migraine headaches. Meditation and breathing is amazing, provided you slow down enough to breathe. I calculated that for more than ten years, I never really took a full breath. Now I meditate (with eyes open) in the car.
Bail Out of Breakfast
People who eat breakfast regularly tend to have sharper thinking and less body fat, and they are less likely to have Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. They also exercise more regularly and eat a healthier diet. So enjoy a healthy breakfast – it’s an easy and enjoyable way to get a good start on the day. Because I don’t “have time” to eat breakfast, I grab a hard boiled egg, apple slices and a whole wheat fig bar. I eat it in the car.
Thank goodness for hour-long commutes! But I’m working on it….
