Photo credit: KiVonShe Photography
Monday is a day all working class people dread. The weekend was too short. You don't feel like you've gotten anything accomplished during that time. Or you just wish you had an extra day to party.
I get it.
But let's spin that.
Monday mornings are crucial to your mental and emotional health. The moment you awake until you step foot inside your office building is the most critical time period of your entire week. How you manage that specific period of time will inadvertently determine the rest of your week. How, you ask? Let's examine the following scenario:
Your alarm went off at 5:30am but you snoozed and overslept. You're now rushing through your morning routine. If you have children, you are now rushing them (with much frustration) through their morning routine. You skip breakfast, get caught in morning traffic, and as you pull up to the office you realize you forgot something that's necessary for work and have to drive all the way home to get it.
I got stressed writing that because I. Have been. THERE. And I have major road rage so my chances of a motor vehicle accident increase because I am now one track minded. So, back to turning Miserable Monday into Magic Monday.
Time management!
Set your alarm 30 minutes prior to when you actually want to get up. This will allow your brain to wake up and energize your body to follow. Now, you're actually out of bed at 5:30. Turn on your favorite mix (I love getting ready to trap music) or some smooth jazz as you begin your morning routine. You will already realize that you're done in about 10 minutes. It is now 5:40. Fix yourself some breakfast, organize your lunch (if you didn't already prepare the night before) and get dressed. The music will have already begun to add pep to your step before you realized it. You're actually moving faster, more efficiently and, most importantly, your mind is clear. By the time you get dressed and check the clock, it might be 6:10. Your work day starts at 7:00. WOW! You have time to spare. Now, you don't have to yell at the slow drivers on the road. You may actually BE the slow driver because you are finally not in a rush. You might even treat yourself at your favorite coffee or donut shop. When you pull up to work, you're there 15 minutes before the work day begins. AND...you have a smile, yes a smile, on your face.
Habits are created through repetition. Try this, every day, and you will begin to notice that going into a naturally stressful environment (because work can be trash and micro-aggression is a real thing) will get that much better.
That's all for today's Black Tea.