Starting off our day the right way

What’s your morning routine? Whether we’re planning to set the world to rights and get a tonne of work done today, or take our time with things and look after ourselves, how we start off the day can have a big impact in our mood, energy levels and the kind of day we end up having.

With modern life as busy as it is, we’re not often taking time for ourselves and easing ourselves into the day. Maybe we’re rushing around sorting everyone else out and in the car for the school run?

Maybe we’re up so early for a commute that we tell ourselves we’ll just eat something on the way? Maybe we work from home but we’re trying to get on top of things that Need Done in the house before work starts that looking after ourselves takes a back seat. Are we being kind to ourselves and setting ourselves up for a good day, or are we stressing ourselves out and feeling miserable before we even get out the door?

How we start off the day matters, and I want to pose of bit of a challenge to you: What changes can you make to your morning routine to start the day off better?

I don’t mean doing MORE. I don’t necessarily mean morning exercise (although that can give us a boost). I don’t mean adding many more things that we feel we have to do or we’re not being productive, or “wasting the morning.” I mean making changes that give us a better start and the best possible chance of having a good day.

Our parents probably told us at one point that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and we’ve scoffed at them like typical teenagers, but there’s some truth to this and how it impacts the rest of our day. Are you actually eating a regular breakfast? What are you having? Cereal? Toast? Are we drinking lots of caffeine instead of having some water as well? A cigarette and a cup of coffee may feel okay in the moment, but are we going to be crashing mid morning?

What are you doing as part of the breakfast routine? Do you have the radio on? Listening to favourite music? Are we in the garden or a quiet space? Reading a book? Are we sitting looking at our phone or at the laptop? Think about how what we do impacts how we feel, particularly when it comes to things like the news or social media. Remember the designers are doing everything they can to upset us and keep us engaged and talking about them.

Time and again I hear from clients that little changes like reading a book with breakfast and purposely choosing not to be reading the news or engaging with social media can make a huge difference to anxiety and their mood in general.

So, over to you! How do you start your day off, and what changes might you make to give yourself a better chance of having a good day?

Some starting points:

• Eat something and think about water instead of just coffee or tea.

• If time is a factor, not showering in the morning before work is not a crime. We can shower after work, or later in the evening.

• Is exercise doable in the morning, or are we planning that and making the morning even more stressful? What’s actually possible?

• Can we keep our world small at breakfast? Remember the days before the internet? What difference might an internet-free breakfast make to your morning and the rest of your day?

If you’re having a problem with your mental health and you would like to discuss it with a BACP-accredited professional, you can get in touch with me via the submission form on the website or drop me a message directly at mckellarCBT@gmail.com