Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!

Oh Monday mornings. Personally, as I explained here, I am not a morning person on any day. I would even have trouble with a 10 am wake up time. Mondays, however, are somehow worse. Perhaps it is because I sleep in on the weekends, and my body would like to stick to the new, more favorable schedule. It could be from the lack of proper nutrition (I eat pretty much whatever I want on the weekends, within reason), or it could be the fact that I have to wait a whole five days before being granted the freedom to do whatever I want again. All I know for certain is that when my alarm goes off at 6:19am on Monday, I have to try not to cry.

Image couresy of this site

When I first awake in the morning, I relish in my 15 minute snooze, and fill my mind with thoughts of the people in my life that make me happy. Unfortunately, those wonderful, happy thoughts are quickly replaced with malaise and annoyance, and I brood about hating my job and how unfair life is. Of course, this is ridiculous, and I do have perspective. Still though, I cannot seem to shake the Monday (every) morning blues! I decided to come up with some things that I can do to shake my bad mood. Here’s what I have so far.

1)      Think about breakfast. I am a total foodie, and I notice that on the days that we have a special lunch at work, it is easier for me to get out of bed. I always eat my breakfast when I arrive at the office, and although it is healthy, it is delicious. Thinking about how I will soon get to enjoy a yummy meal makes me realize that life is not so bad. If you don’t eat breakfast, start to. All that stuff about it being the most important meal of the day is true. Oh, and please eat something substantial for breakfast. A doughnut doesn’t count.

2)      Think about something in life that makes you happy. Aside from food, there is usually something enjoyable happening in life. Whether it is plans for the next weekend, a special someone, a highly anticipated movie or TV show, or even just a sunny day. Focus on that. The minute your mind wanders from that, get up and busy yourself with the morning routine.

3)      Ignore your stress for a moment. Sometimes we have stressful things happening in our lives and of course our minds will be preoccupied with these issues. Save them for later. The day is long, and you will have plenty of time to work out the details and find solutions to your problems.

4)      Yoga. Here is a short routine that makes you feel great. I do not really do it much in the morning, as I snooze to the last moment, but often do it in the evening. I will try to follow my own advice.

5)      Do not hurry! I am lucky, I have to catch the train so cannot leave the house a minute too late. It gets me to the office with plenty of time to enjoy my breakfast, chat on my phone and read the news without stressing. I highly suggest making sure that you get to work with time to spare. It makes all the difference on the longevity of a bad mood.

6)      With that extra few minutes you give yourself by committing to not having to rush, you will have time to look at funny pictures! Funny pictures are my #1 solution to a bad mood. You are forced to smile and even laugh out loud, which naturally releases endorphins. Plus, sharing funny things with others is a great way to bond and share the wealth of a good mood.

7)      Drink coffee or tea. Caffeine works, and in small doses is not bad for you. Coffee is full of antioxidants. Do not sweeten it (you will get used to the taste after a week or two), and buy some to keep at the office to make yourself so that you don’t go broke from Starbucks visits.

8)      Listen to the radio while getting ready. Most stations will have a morning show, and they’re meant to aid us with our moods and energy levels. The music played will be upbeat, and the content will be funny. I am a huge believer that comedy helps fix things in life!

9)      Make sure your alarm isn’t super annoying! I personally wake up to the “Harp” sound on the Iphone. It is fairly quiet but vibrates at the same time and continues on until I acknowledge it. For me, it makes my wake up somewhat tolerable. I can’t help but start my day with a frown when I hear the obnoxious BEEP BEEP BEEP that I used to wake up to. Before I had the Iphone, I would wake up to the radio. Try a few things, and always make sure you have a backup set until you find a foolproof solution.

10)  If all else fails, just remember that this mood will not last forever; remember that your life doesn’t really suck, and if at the moment it does, repeat the mantra: This too shall pass.

Please, if anyone else has any suggestions, do tell! I need all the help I can get!

Cheers! And thanks for reading!