Another Monday is on its way. And sometimes just thinking about the word 'Monday' brings your mood down.
Last year, waking up for the daily 8-5 was something I dreaded. I started my mornings feeling cranky - and well, you gotta feel sorry for the poor souls that had to deal with me for the rest of the day...
But making a few alterations to the way you tackle the, like changing the habits of your morning, can at least make life a little easier when your day begins. And when you wake up on the right side of the bed, you'll be surprised how it can help keep up your happiness through the day.
8 ways to start your day feeling happy:
The night before - plan a great outfit.- Two things stress me out when looking through my wardrobe. One, trying to find something something nice to wear to suit the weather. Two, trying to find something nice to wear under time pressure. So I've made it a habit that one of the last things I do before bed is pick my outfit for the next day. I'd check Metservice for the Auckland city weather, think about what I've got planned for the day, plan my outfit accordingly, and then have it ready on a hanger for me to grab on the way to the shower in the morning. It saves me that annoyance of 'What do I WEAR' in the morning, and gives me good vibes for wearing my favourite things. Even doing stuff like wearing a nice dress - just because I like my dress, can make a difference.
Set your alarm earlier so you can hit snooze a bit more.
- I'm not one of those 'jump out of bed' right away sort of people. I enjoy the comfort of my sheets and daydreaming in bed where it's warm. So to ease myself into the day, I give myself an half hour earlier wake up time (than I actually need to) just so I can hit snooze 5 times before I actually get out of bed. It also give me my me-time in the morning to do some of these things;
Try not to check Facebook or Twitter, or your work emails.
- Try and avoid doing this for the first hour of the day. It's tempting to see what notifications you got overnight - but do you really expect to have any notifications from 11pm-6am? I found that Facebook and Twitter were places that people openly complained, or where a lot of negative news would be - which in turn just introduced my morning into a path of negativity. I don't need to see people's complaints, see in the news what's wrong with the world, or even see updates in my feed from things and people that annoy me (why are they in your social media feeds in the first place?!).
- The same can be said about work emails. A big problem with society today is a 24/7 internet connection to work means we complain about work/life balance. Leave work for 8am when you're actually at work. Keep that morning getting yourself ready.
Read and look at something inspiring.
- Why do you think quotes are so popular on Instagram? You'd notice that I said to avoid Facebook or Twitter and not Instagram. That's because Instagram's platform focuses more on beautiful and positive images than the more newsy and opinionated Facebook and Twitter. So spend a few minutes reading positive words and positive images to encourage your day.
Watch something that makes you smile or laugh.
- Things like watching cute babies, funny skits, or a great music video is an easy way to lift my mood and wake me up. It doesn't need to be a whole TV episode, just pick a three minute clip on YouTube to give yourself a reason to laugh and feel good. Not sure what to watch? If you like Queen + Interpretive Dance, I totally suggest this one.
Wake up to good smells.
- Coffee, toast, or shampoo - smelling things like this for me can perk up my mood and relax me. So pick shampoos and body washes that you love the scent of, and indulge in the smell of caffeine.
Spend your morning thinking about the good things you're looking forward to.
- Sometimes a reminder of what highlights you've got planned for the day is great motivation for getting through the day. For example, if you've got a lunch planned with your workmates, or if you've got activities planned for that night - you gotta get out of bed for it!
Listen to a song to make you feel like you can kick butt in your day.
- The few minutes before I walk into my work building, I listen to a song on Spotify that makes me feel good and energised. For example, I really love 'Free' by Broods because Georgia Nott is a bad arse babe and this song just gets me fired up. In the morning when you need the motivation and energy the most, getting beats pumping through your eardrums does the trick.
So after all that morning prep for myself is done and I'm ready to walk into the building, I'm feeling good. Bring on the rest of the day!
[Photo: Unsplash]
