feeling behind before you even begin

Do you start the day feeling behind before it even begins? In a panic about getting everything done that you need to get done that day? You are not alone. Feeling harried and under the gun first thing is very common and highly detrimental, emotionally (feeling stressed), and physiologically (by flooding your body with stress hormones before you have even cleaned your teeth). Feeling behind before you even begin sets the tone for a stressed-out day to follow. Obviously there is the “I don’t have enough time” thing, but if you are a regular reader you will know you actually have all the time you need, you just have to prioritise what you choose to do with it.

If you are feeling stressed and under time pressure in the mornings you have two options — 1: Get up earlier/press snooze less/go to bed earlier. Or 2: Streamline the morning by making something more efficient or don’t do it at all and stop feeling like you ”should”.

Most people I work with are generally operating from a sleep deficit position as it is, which makes option 1 even less palatable, putting option 2 way out in front. If you are currently feeling like you don’t have enough time in the morning, what would you like to deliberately choose to do today so you can start your day with more focus and calm tomorrow? Where can you be more efficient? Set out your gym kit the night before? Leave your yoga mat in the car? Buy a stash of protein bars so there is always one to grab on the way out?

Or what can you decide, on reflection, just isn’t adding enough value to your morning to justify the time stressor it creates? Maybe you can delegate it (“I’d like you to stack the dishwasher before you leave please; you are 45/17 years of age: does that seem reasonable to you?”) or just not do it at all? Perhaps that morning walk with the neighbour or rushed dinner prep actually creates more stress than relieving it? What can you adjust in the mornings as a permanent way of making you feel you have just a little more time and breathing space? What could you deliberately choose today so you can start your day with a little more focus and calm tomorrow?