Despite the shutdowns all over the world — or rather, because of them — it’s safe to say that 2020 brought new levels of anxiety and chaos into family homes. While sworn to a life of the comforts (or torments) of home, many of us have surprisingly become far busier than before. Some are working a second job as teachers. Others are working endlessly because home and work are now synonymous.
I wish had the cure for Covid so we could all go back to our lives. At the very least, I wish I could offer instant relief to the stress and anxiety we are experiencing.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a magic cure-all pill to send us back to the way things were. My suggestion may not restore all the chaos. However, I believe my strategy can help us better handle whatever life throws our way each day.
It is a four-step, minimal effort process that takes about thirty minutes (though it can last as long as our hearts desire). I implemented it into my life about eight years ago. While I sometimes fall out of the habit, I always return to this morning routine for the relief I crave whenever my life takes a turn toward overwhelming. The 1st year teaching Regular English 9 and 12? You better believe this was my saving grace.
And no, it doesn’t involve exercise.
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Back Story.
For better or worse, I have always been someone who seeks to improve, as some would say. Others may call it perfectionism.
As a child, this materialized in school and sports. Despite my A marking, I would be the student raising her hand over my one missed question. During soccer games, my mind would churn nonstop, as I tried to force my two left feet to follow the suggested tricks and appropriate positioning. Though my mind struggled to be gracious about my lack of perfections, my efforts frequently found praise and awards from the adults in my life, encouraging me to continue my obsessive behavior.
Once I finished my junior year of high school, though, the rate of return for those efforts decreased. This only made me work harder. Soon, my need to be the best had become all-consuming, threatening my mental health.
Now in my late twenties, I have not stopped seeking growth and improvement. It’s part of who I am. I have learned, however, to be watchful of my anxiety levels. I dance around myself, attempting to improve my professional skills and athletic abilities without losing touch with my mental health. I frequently try out new habits as one does with clothes in a dressing room. Some I quickly put back on the shelf. Others become my favorite cardigan that wraps me up for countless seasons.
My Favorite Cardigan.
Unwilling to repeat the mental havoc of my junior year, I realized I needed things to change for my last year of high school. I started a habit that has become one of those beloved sweaters. At the beginning of the year, I committed to waking up an hour earlier. Instead of taking coffee and breakfast from my mom as I ran out of the door, I would brew my coffee and prepare my breakfast. I would then enjoy them at the kitchen table while I read the Bible in my pajamas.
I speculated that starting my morning off in a slower, consistent manner would help settle my otherwise chaotic disposition. I was right. There was something about starting the day on a calmer note that left me less anxious about my school work and sports teams and brought me more confidence and peace.
Since then, I have — of course — sought to improve my routine. I developed gastric issues during my second year of college. I woke up every morning with a disgruntled gut and little worked to ease the pain. Thinking I’d flush out whatever was ailing me, I started drinking a full glass of water before I consumed anything else in the morning.
While I’ll spare you the intimate details of my stomach issues, after nearly two years, I learned that I have a gluten intolerance. By the time I made this discovery, drinking water every morning had become a habit. Though my episodes are few and far between today, I cannot deny that drinking water first thing in the morning makes me feel better. Plus, it is so easy to do.
I also started eating a healthy breakfast when I went gluten-free. At the time, the world hadn’t yet figured out how to make gluten-free food with taste. So, my only options were natural ingredients. I noticed how much better I felt that I haven’t returned to cereals or waffles even as gluten-free options have become available (except on rare occasions).
And now I have expanded my morning library beyond the Bible. While I still appreciate the wisdom and peace that I gain from reading Scripture, I also appreciate the beauty and insight that I find in other books. Fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, Buddhist teachings, you name it. We can learn and grow when we spend time outside our small mind and unintentionally biased perspective.
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The Morning Process.
1) Set alarm for 30 minutes earlier, preferably before anyone else in the house is awake.
My trick: I do one hour because I like more time, and waking up is difficult for me.
2) Drink a large cup of water before consuming anything else.
My trick: I’ll pour a big glass of water as soon as I enter the kitchen. As I’m making my breakfast and coffee, I’ll sip on the water. Usually, I’ve finished the glass of water when I’m ready to sit down for breakfast.
3) Fix/Eat a healthy breakfast.
My trick: Every two weeks or so, I whip together twelve eggs, sautéed peppers and onions, and browned breakfast sausage, sprinkling in salt and pepper. I pour the mixture into a cupcake baking tin and bake them on 350 for around 15–20 minutes. I freeze them in individual baggies and heat them up for breakfast. If I have some, I’ll add sliced avocado on top.
4) Read (anything you’d like!) for at least 15 minutes.
My trick: I read while I eat and drink my coffee, and I don’t get up until I empty my mug. (I recognize that people with kids may not have that luxury. 15 minutes is all you need!). I read a book (fiction or nonfiction) or the Bible. Because the news can elevate my stress level, I try to stay away from it, at least in the morning. As much as I love some good celebrity gossip, I’ve noticed that sends my mind reeling as well. Plus, reading a book keeps my phone out of my hand, helping me resist the urge to scroll social media.
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The Benefits
Though I stumbled upon each step organically, I have learned that “something” I felt my senior year has scientific backings. Doing these four things every morning better prepares our bodies, minds, and souls for a healthier and more productive day.
Strong Body.
Most obviously, drinking a glass of water and eating a healthy breakfast provides our bodies with necessary nutrients for them to run properly.
Drinking water eases any grumbling leftover from the previous night (think hangover or bad food). Eating well gives our bodies the fuel and energy it needs to operate best.
Perhaps less obvious are the positive physical responses to reading. Similar to the benefits of water, relaxation can actually help with digestive issues. It can also reduce feelings of fatigue as well as lower blood pressure among other health benefits. And after the year 2020, I think we could all use some help with our fatigue and blood pressure levels.
Drinking water, eating well, and relaxing through reading prepares our bodies to work at prime functionality.
Powerful Mind.
You know that hazy feeling when initially waking up? Apparently, grogginess can be a symptom of dehydration. Rehydrating can counter that to create a more alert mind.
Likewise, according to Eva Selhub, MD from Harvard Health Publishing, eating a lot of refined sugars can be a cause for underperforming brain function.
Reading also benefits our minds. Reading more can help improve reading skills (naturally) and it helps boost the ability to concentrate. Studies have shown that students who read at least 15 minutes per day accelerate their academic achievement significantly (and the more amount per day they read, the more they improve). This rise in achievement has much to do with an increased ability to focus, which adults and students alike could all benefit from.
A glass of water and a nutrition-filled breakfast gives us the clarity we need, while reading improves focus. We’ll be set to problem-solve whatever else 2020 throws our way.
Fulfilled Spirit.
In a poll tracking the negative impacts of Covid-19 to mental health, 53 percent of the adults reported that their mental health has deteriorated. Luckily, each facet of the morning routine has been found to benefit mental health.
A study published in the World Journal of Psychiatry found that there is a decreased risk to mental health issues when individuals drink enough water. Similarly, eating well can help reduce mood swings and the possibility of depression.
Relaxation can lessen anger (which many of us currently have due to systemic racism and/or the pandemic and/or a U.S. President who may not step down if not elected). Reading, in particular, has been found to “reduce stress by up to 68%” in a study by the University of Sussex.
High physical and mental functionality are great, but when we are in a low place, neither of that will matter. These four steps protect what makes us, US.
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Final Thoughts
Though it took a few years to refine my morning routine, I have found a perfect combination that sets a strong precedent for the rest of the day. And it all starts with setting the alarm a little earlier.
As I mentioned, this process does not erase Covid, nor does it mean that our days won’t be flipped upside down by the (now expected) unexpected. It simply gives us a great chance at handling the crazy.
When it seems like we are fighting everything else in your life, we don’t want to be fighting our bodies and minds, too. Drinking water, eating a healthy breakfast, and reading for just 15 minutes in the morning prevents our bodies and minds from working against us. And it prepares our bodies and minds to attack the chaos that the day will certainly bring, because — you know — 2020.
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This post was previously published on Medium.com.
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Photo credit: Lenin Estrada on Unsplash
