5 Things You Can Do As Soon As You Wake Up To Prevent Stress From Taking Over Your Day
The morning is probably the most crucial time of your entire day, because it's your one chance to set the tone for whatever the next several hours have in store for you. If you do it right, you can ensure that your whole day is stress-free. To say the least, figuring out how to avoid stress in the morning is something that should be handled with mindful consideration and care, as everything you do during those early hours has the potential to affect your overall mindset later on.
To put it simply, a stress-free morning pretty much means a morning devoted to self-care, at least in part. I know it's very difficult to jump up and into productivity when you can barely open your eyes, but a morning sans stress starts with a very intentional self-care routine.
According to Shane Evans, founder and CEO of popular spa retreat, Massage Heights, it's important to start your morning by setting good intentions and reminding yourself about how you feel when you put your wellness first -- whatever that means for you. For some, she tells Elite Daily, that may include meditation for centering your mind, a beauty routine that improves your sense of self-image, or anything else that promotes relaxation and serves you.
Overall, what works for some may not work for you, but if you're not sure how to get started on your journey to stress-free mornings, here are five ways to wake up feeling way too blessed to be stressed.
1. Don't Check Social Media
I know you've heard this time and time again, but it honestly cannot be said enough.
Your morning should be a time of personal peace. Logging into the happenings of the world as soon as your eyes are open automatically takes you away from tapping into a sense of calm and peace.
Evans tells Elite Daily that one of the keys to self-care is to limit distractions. If the first thing you do when you awake is tap into social media, then you are literally awaking to chaotic, digital distraction.
2. Move Your Body
I personally wake up with a lot of pent-up energy, so to get my day started with movement really helps me to release whatever anxiety I'm carrying.
It's actually a muti-win, because I release emotional and physical stress, and I'm able to breathe a huge sigh of relief that lifts the weight from both my heart and my limbs.
3. Write It Out
Journaling is another way for me to release anxious energy when I awake. Sometimes, when I first wake up in the morning, my thoughts literally feel heavy on my mind, and I need to sort through them in a careful, mindful way.
So I open up my cute little notebook (Target is your friend, guys), and I free-write, without judgment of myself, and as if no one will read it. Sometimes, by the end, I'll discover something new about myself, or I'll come to a conclusion independently, which means that I don't have to call a friend and vent.
If nothing else, being in touch with myself and my thoughts and emotions fills me with a sense of pride, and let me tell you, that feels downright amazing first thing in the morning.
4. Put On Some Music
Dancing in my room has to be my favorite past-time. I literally start my morning with a party sometimes, Jamaican dancehall music being my sound of choice. I'm sweating, I'm happy, and I have an adrenaline rush to start my day.
Music makes it so that you don't have to force yourself to get your body moving -- you naturally move with the rhythm, you don't take yourself too seriously, and you enjoy the hell out of your time.
5. Masturbate
In the amazing words of YouTuber Shameless Maya, all you need is two fingers and some coconut oil.
Kit Maloney told Bustle that masturbation is the best way to start your day. Yes, it may sound a little out there, but for real, it can reduce stress, help sharpens your focus, and even improve your work performance later in the day.
Don't knock 'til you try, feel me?
