How re-framing my morning habits are helping me stay calm and positive

Figuring out a new routine during the pandemic

Routines create an illusion — that our lives are in our control. In the wake of this global pandemic, with most things in my life not in control, I felt overwhelmed and lost. I have been a morning person all my life and mornings are my favorite part of the day. I need my morning time to start the day without feeling rushed. Since I did not have any zeal to start my day, I felt restless and worried over the last three months trying to comprehend this new change. I have lost in touch with my morning routine and I felt like everything was falling apart so, I decided to turn on my ‘self-help’ mode before seeking professional help.

Habits are not a finish line to be crossed, they are a lifestyle to be lived— James clear(author of Atomic Habits)

Morning Habits define the tone of the day and beginning it worry and uncertainty makes it worse. I decided to try a new routine for a month and wrote down the three things that I will keep in mind before I began :

• Not to check my phone, watch tv, or catch up on the news as soon as I wake up- I get anxious and worried when I scroll through messages, social media posts, or news and I carry that with me throughout the day.
• Reminding myself that, I am practicing these habits for my mental health not to strive towards productivity.
• It’s about consistency and progress, not perfection. I need to be kind and compassionate towards myself.

I decided to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, though that meant I have to give up on my late-night vices. For most of us watching tv or turning to food for comfort is a way of keeping ourselves distracted and I am no different. I needed a routine to break this pattern so, I visualized on what habits can get me there.

My(Quarantine) Morning Routine :

• Brushing my teeth and drinking a glass of water: wakes me up.
• Stretching for 10 minutes: movement creates blood flow and makes our brain active.
• A warm cup of tea and journaling: Dumping all my thoughts and checking in with myself makes me feel light and less anxious. Journaling is something I am practicing twice a day and it’s helping me sleep better.
• Meditation: guided meditation for 15 minutes through the Headspace app is something that seems to work. I can notice my mind shift to a place of calm for the next couple of minutes after the practice. I wrote an article recently on how meditation is helping to remain calm in detail.
• Taking a cold shower: Washes off toxins and helps me start my day feeling energized and ready to begin my day.
• Eating Wholesome breakfast: Breakfast is the best meal of my day and I like to sit and enjoy it in silence. I wake up early so I can cook every day based on how I feel.
• Planning my day: I plan the three most important tasks for the day along with things to do while taking a break. This varies based on my mood — talking to a friend, listening to music, watching feel-good content, Reading a book, and so on.
• Workout Routine: A brisk walk or at home workout for 40 mins. I prefer working out in the evenings before dinner.
• Reading before bed: This habit is helping me fall asleep faster and I get easily distracted if I am watching TV. If you are someone like me, read a book, cuddle with ur loved ones and ask them how they are feeling.
• Weekend Routine: I take it slow and focus on cleaning and planning my mundane chores for the week. water my plants, virtual hangouts with my family.
• Few things which I do once in two weeks are: waking up to calming music, go for a walk, cleaning and organizing a part of my home, Brain dump on how I am feeling by writing morning pages.

Creating a structure of how my day looks like is actually helping me be productive without trying to be productive. I do miss out on one or two habits depending upon my mood but having a routine makes me feel accomplished and hopeful that things will get better with time.

I meal prep or cook the night before so that way I am not wasting time deciding what to eat for lunch and dinner.

Bottom line:

How we want our day to be is something that is actually in our control. With no social interactions and commuting to work, we can plan and focus on habits that can keep us stay healthy. I understand that having an elaborate 60 min morning routine may not feasible for most people but taking at least 20 mins in the morning and practicing the three most important habits that resonate with you, will eventually help to start your day feeling less stressed and worried. The thing with habits is they are customizable.

Routines are boring, they are not creative endeavors to pursue but they give us hope and help us adjust to this ‘new normal’ that will stay with us for the next couple of months. I started with one habit a week and then alternated some of them depending on how I feel.

Practicing mindfulness(which I tried many times before and failed) is now a part of my routine as I started paying attention to my thoughts and planning my day one day at a time and not worrying too much about how things may turn out in the future so it’s a win either way.

Habits require practice and consistency and if you not there yet, it’s completely fine. All your feelings are valid and I hope that you all find a routine that seems normal to you.