Louise Thompson: Start your day right

How we start our day has a covertly powerful influence on how the rest of the day rolls out.

You know how sometimes the day can just start off all wrong, and then go rapidly downhill from there?

I am sure you know the feeling. There is a reason that "getting out of bed on the wrong side" is a phrase we use when someone is being grumpy and obtuse.How we start our day has a covertly powerful influence on how the rest of the day rolls out. A deliberately created morning routine is one small thing we can do for ourselves that has a disproportionally large impact on how our day unfolds. Here are three of eight strategies to help you get out of bed on the right side this week. Tune in next week for more.

1 Prep a bit the night before

If you have the juicer out on the bench you are far more likely to use it. Similarly, if the kitchen is clean and tidy you are far more likely to prepare a healthy breakfast. What small tasks can you square away the night before that will add ease and flow to your morning? Identify the things that are your most common morning irritants. Maybe it's deciding what to wear and a heap of outfit changes. Or never having an ironed shirt. Putting the lunch boxes together under pressure or finding the sports kit. Identify your top three morning irritants and make a plan to eliminate them the night before (pick the outfit, iron the shirt, sort the lunch box, find the cricket bat). If you can resolve the top three irritants in advance, you are already on the way to a much easier start.

My top three morning irritations are:
1. __________, which I can resolve/lessen by ________.
2. __________, which I can resolve/lessen by ________.
3. __________, which I can resolve/lessen by ________.

2 Set expectations

Few of us live in a bubble, so other people in our domestic situation play a role in how our morning starts. This is a good time to reset some expectations on tasks and timing expected in the morning so everyone can have an easier start. Maybe the kids are older and it's a reasonable expectation that they make their own bed or pack their own bag? Maybe your partner is always late out the door and that makes you late too. Or the friend you get a ride with lets you down often and turns up late. Check any expectations that it would be a good idea to reset or redefine so your morning has a calmer start.
One conversation could make a massive difference.

I'd like to reset the expectation that _________ with ___________ so that ___________.

3 What sets you up for the day?

What's your number one non-negotiable? Having 15 minutes to meditate? Maybe a four-minute shower without anyone sticking their head in and screaming "Muuuuuum!" This is deeply individual. What do you need to set you up best for the day? Identify one non-negotiable - if it's just one thing, you are far more likely to make it happen than if it's a whole list (walk the dog, then a green juice while reading the paper, a little yoga, then off to work. Too hard and too many). Pick one and make it your non-negotiable for setting your mood.

My non-negotiable morning good mood-setter is _________________________________.