“Morning is an important time of day because how you spend your

morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have.”

Upon waking in the morning, some immediately go into autopilot mode and try to complete their morning routine quickly and effectively by a certain time. In doing so, it’s more likely to overlook stress experienced in the previous day, not process what the rest of their day might have in store, and allow for emotions to be bottled up in an unhealthy manner.

While certain situations require a fast-paced routine, if some were to incorporate mindfulness during the early morning slowly, they would probably see a shift in their energy level and feel more ready to go about their day, no matter what comes up, good or bad.

Have you ever shopped at a grocery store or taken a walk around the neighborhood, and when you went home, you realized that you didn’t notice anything or had trouble recalling certain details? Your mind was likely focusing on other things in those situations. On the other hand, mindfulness helps you develop a deeper connection to yourself. But it can also help you feel more connected to the world around you. Most importantly, mindfulness reminds you to be more present and appreciate your journey through this world.

Focusing on your five senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste can help you stay connected to your environment. When you’re more aware of your senses, you can pay better attention to your surroundings and notice what’s going on around you. For example, you might hear birds chirping in the distance, you might see others walking their dogs, or you might smell flowers beginning to bloom in the Spring. Often, it’s easier not to pay attention to the smaller details, to say to yourself that you’ll handle it later, and bottle up emotions until things become unmanageable. While this can provide temporary relief, it can become a bigger problem and be an unnecessary energy drainer.

Grief, emotions, and stress are unavoidable, and sometimes they need to be addressed to get relief. They can also be connected to how much energy you have or how social you are around other people. If you have a lot of energy, you might be easier going and find yourself being more active. Whereas, if you have little or no energy, you might find yourself getting sick more often and feel that everything is a major ordeal to do. However, in between both of those, someone’s energy might be right in the middle, and they might feel calm and focused.

A great time to be mindful of your energy level is during the start of your day and find ways to incorporate it into your morning routine. Some say that they feel a sense of peace during the morning, and it almost seems as though time stands still before everyone wakes up and begins their day again. Try to pause and check in with yourself by asking questions such as what am I feeling right now, where am I hurting, or how can I recharge for harder tasks today.

In doing so, you set the tone and take ownership of making decisions or taking actions rather than allowing others to have power and control. Only knowing yourself and processing your feelings makes it easier to see all the available pathways. It also encourages you to experience things at the moment with acceptance, rather than pushing things away or getting burnout from situations or people.

Incorporating mindfulness practices can be quick and holds value when thinking about stress management and wellness. It’s not a feeling or a way to be; it’s about finding out what works with you and taking stress day by day with an intentional mindset of positivity and hope for unknown things. It’s being able to start your day on the right foot and having confidence in yourself to be calm and that each day is a chance for a fresh start.

At Greenlawn, we encourage our care team members to pursue what self-care looks like for them and frequently host events for our staff and their families in the community. Whether that be gathering for a golf tournament, watching a Christmas movie together, or playing a couple of games of bowling against each other. Mindfulness only takes a couple of minutes in the morning, so we hope you join us in practicing mindfulness every day.

Marcelli-Sargent. (2020). Mindful games for kids. Rockridge Press.

Sherman, H. (2020). Mindfulness workbook for kids. Rockridge Press.

Tartakovsky, M. (2017). Questions to check in with yourself & boost your wellbeing. PsychCenteral.