I slept in this morning. Accidentally. I rolled out of bed at 9:17 a.m., annoyed that I didn’t get my morning workout in or have a chance to eat my normal breakfast. Instead, I threw on my work clothes, ate a quick breakfast, and was out the door by 10 a.m. (that’s early for a college student on summer vacation). Oh, and I had also missed Good Morning America, Live With Kelly, and I didn’t even have a chance to read my daily news email from theSkimm. Needless to say, I was starting the day tired, bed-headed, and ill-informed. Not part of the plan. And definitely not my normal morning routine.
Some people love mornings. I don’t. Especially when they don’t go according to plan. But it wasn’t until I was actually in the car on my way to work that I realized how terribly I had handled my atypical morning. Because my schedule was thrown off by an hour and 17 minutes, I was somehow entitled to a day of crabbiness, lethargy, and feeling rushed even in the slowest of moments.
If you’re anything like me (or even if you’re not – calling all you early birds out there), you’ve hit the snooze button one too many times before and inadvertently set yourself up for a very rough morning – one that can easily snowball into a rough rest of your day. The good news is, even if you did press snooze too many times (or if you just plain woke up on the wrong side of the bed, spilled coffee on your brand new white t-shirt, etc.), there are a few things you can do to offset your crappy morning and guarantee that you’ll still have a pretty A-okay day – before you even leave the house.
1. Lay in bed for a while.
This might seem really counter intuitive (especially if you wake up an hour and 17 minutes late). But we all fall into that trap of feeling rushed when our alarms go off in the morning, and rushed mornings lead to stressful days. Take a few extra minutes while you’re still in bed to embrace the day ahead of you. I am a firm believer in the power of sleeping in. So if lying in bed for a while means setting your alarm five minutes earlier, do it. It’ll give you a chance to slow down and not feel so rushed when you get out of bed in the morning.
2. Drink water.
Water is way underrated. Even though everyone and their mother will tell you how important it is to drink enough water, most of us seem to fall so short. From clearer skin to a strengthened immune system, water does your body so many favors, and having a glass of it in the morning is more than enough to get your metabolism running and your blood flowing. Your doctor has been telling you for years that you should be drinking at least eight glasses of water in a day. Let’s start that now.
3. Eat breakfast.
As a self-proclaimed breakfast extraordinaire myself, I don’t understand people who wake up in the morning and just “aren’t hungry” or “don’t want” breakfast. (You’re lying, right?) Eating breakfast has an unbelievable amount of health benefits, like heightened strength and endurance throughout the day, improved concentration, and discouragement from mid-afternoon bingeing. Pro tip: Ditch the Toaster Strudels, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Poptarts as your go-to morning meal. Instead, opt for a breakfast with real, whole foods that will keep you full and energized throughout the day. Oatmeal with Greek yogurt and fresh berries, avocado toast with egg whites, and smoothie bowls topped with chia seeds and coconut are just a few examples of simple but nutrient-dense breakfasts guaranteed to give you that little extra boost that you need in the morning.
4. Exercise.
Early morning exercise isn’t for everyone, but you don’t have to pump any serious iron before 5 a.m. just to give your day a little boost. Things as simple as a walk with your dog, a short bike ride, or a jog on the treadmill are enough to get your blood flowing and endorphins released. ICYMI, endorphins are those cute little things in your blood that make you happy. Typically released by things like seeing puppies, eating dark chocolate, and – you guessed it – exercise. So, if you have time to get in a short walk in the morning (or an intense HIIT workout, if that’s your thing), you are quite literally making your body happier. #science
5. Tell yourself that it’s going to be a good day.
Attitude is everything. If you wake up telling yourself that it’s going to be a terrible day, it probably will be. Even if your day really did kick off on the wrong foot, make the conscious choice to turn the rest of your day around. Say it out loud if you need to. Don’t underestimate the power of positive talk.
You don’t have to run a marathon or cook yourself a five-star breakfast just to have a better day. Tomorrow morning, take some time for yourself, drink a glass of water, eat a nutritious breakfast, and go for a little walk if you have time. The snooze button is your friend. But so are happy days – and you can make them happen.