5 tips for stress-free mornings and better days

Here are five easy, baby steps to calm the morning rush and create better days.

Mornings can be a struggle. Some of us are superheroes in the morning, getting to the gym at 5am, wrangling children, walking dogs or working for a couple of hours before breakfast. Others… not so much. Whichever bucket you fall into (or wake up in), here are five easy, baby steps to calm the morning rush and create better days.

1. Prepare the night before

The more you organise the night before, the less there is to worry about in the morning. That can include getting breakfast and lunch ready in advance, laying out your outfit, packing your gym bag or leaving essential items by the door. Click here for 10 awesome breakfast-in-advance options, and here for 8 different overnight oats recipes.

2. Stop hitting snooze

For those who rely on an alarm to let them know the day has begun, snoozing (over and over and over again) can be an issue. It’s a good habit to break - sleep that comes in bursts between alarm cries is low-quality, and each time your alarm goes off your cortisol level spikes.

Instead, set your alarm for the time that you actually need to get up, leave your phone or alarm clock in another part of the room, or try a gentler type of wake up. Of course, it also helps if you go to bed on time - so if there’s something keeping you up late, try banishing it to the weekends.

3. Start out productive

Set yourself up for a productive day by getting a small, satisfying task done first thing. This could be making your bed, writing a To Do list, or putting away those clothes that some of us (ahem) leave lying on the bedroom floor in the evening.

In The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg writes: “Making your bed every morning is correlated with better productivity, a greater sense of well-being, and stronger skills at sticking with a budget.” These small positive habits can lead to others, and give you a sense of control and fulfillment - all before your morning coffee.

4. Create a simple ritual

One prolific bad habit of the 21st century human is reaching for our phones first thing in the morning. Rather than scrolling through emails, news and social media while you lie in bed, spend those five minutes on something you really enjoy.

That may be sitting down to drink a cup of tea or coffee in peace, playing with your kids (or fur babies), reading a few pages of a book, or taking a quick walk around the block. Whatever it may be, find a simple pleasure that makes you want to pull back those cosy covers and face the day with a smile.

5. Book your car park in advance

The morning commute is the least enjoyable part of the day for many, especially when you’re driving with the question ‘Where am I going to park?’ hovering over your head. Finding a park can also add precious minutes to your drive as you circle the block searching for a place to park - especially frazzling when you’re already on the late side.

Remove your morning stress and uncertainty by reserving a parking bay 30 mins in advance. Simply download the Parkable app, choose where you want to park, and tap ‘Reserve park’. Then all you have to do is drive directly to the car park that’s waiting for you!