I totally believe that engaging in self-care is one of the best ways that you can manage your stress before your stress manages you. And one of the best ways to ease into a self-care practice is by creating a soothing morning routine. Before I created a routine for myself, I was completely guilty of hopping out of bed (at the last possible second), grabbing breakfast (or not), and running out the door. And if you’re doing that probably already stressed before you even make it out of the front door and you don’t have to ask, “Am I stressed?” link to other blog post. Read below for 5 ideas to care for yourself in the morning without taking too much time out of your day.
"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love." Marcus Aurelius
Read
Setting your alarm for a few minutes earlier gives you the chance to catch up on your reading. It’s even better if you can find a book that is inspirational and helps motivate you for the day. You can read a few pages or a whole chapter, depending on how much time you have. This can be while you are having your morning coffee or tea, when you’re still in bed or right after you’ve gotten dressed. Take advantage of these quiet moments and become absorbed in your favorite book. But not too absorbed, because you’ve got to get to the rest of your day 😊.
The other thing that I like about reading first thing in the morning is that it gives me the rest of the day to absorb and reflect upon what I’ve read. Instituting a morning routine of reading has also helped me to make it through the ginormous amount of books that I have in the house which in the past I kept saying that I would get to, but usually never did.
Have Quiet Time with Tea (or even Coffee)
I happen to LOVE tea, but whether you enjoy tea or coffee in the morning, you can make this time part of your self-care ritual. Try to have your first cup in the morning when you’re all alone and enjoy it in silence.
Use mindfulness techniques, such as savoring each sip to increase your enjoyment of the beverage and decrease your stress. If you want, this can also be a great time to can read a paper, write in your journal, or listen to the sounds of the world around you or some soothing music as the sun comes up. This is great reason to wake up a little earlier than everyone else in your household. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel with just a few minutes to yourself.
Put down that phone (and your other devices)
When you’re trying to start a new calming morning routine for self-care purposes, you should put away or unplug all devices. Don’t try to enjoy a few minutes to yourself by using your cell phone, checking email or checking social media as any of these things can make your morning more stressful. A good practice to start is to turn your cell phone off after the alarm wakes you up in the morning.
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Practice Meditation
Even though I’m not what you would really call a morning person, one thing that I really enjoy during those times that I do wake up at the crack of dawn is the stillness and peace to be found because the world is asleep. That’s why I feel that the morning is the ideal time to meditate and/or repeat mantras. Mantras are sayings or words that help to center you so that you can focus, and they can make it easier to meditate. If you’re a person who likes being active, consider walking meditation where you can take a walk and repeat your mantra to yourself.
Breathe Deeply
Another great way to increase your morning self-care is to create a routine out of breathing exercises. Because we’re often so stressed in today’s hectic world, many of us don’t take the time to breathe deeply and fully. Making a conscious effort to practice deep breathing in the morning can help start your day off right as it can help soothe and relax you and ease you gently into your day.
So as you can see, starting a self-care routine in the morning doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant. You can pick one idea and build from there. The important thing is to start. It’s a great way of helping to lower your stress levels and you know that’s one of the things that this blog is all about – taking time for making time for you.
What one thing are you gonna do to give yourself some self-care tomorrow morning? Please let me know in the comments section.
Breathe photo by Tim Goedhart on Unsplash