Your ticket to 8 simple tips to ensure a stress free day!

Your ticket to 8 simple tips to ensure a stress free day!

Have you ever had one of those days where you wish you could go back to bed and start over? It starts with oversleeping and accidentally turning off your alarm…then your hair won’t cooperate with any style and you’re running late so it will just have to be a pony tail kind of day…then on to a screaming child that doesn’t want to go to school…. And just as you finally park your car at the office you look down to discover a tear in your skirt …. Grrrrrrr… you find yourself asking.. “can I go back to bed and just start over… please?”

GOOD NEWS!

There are certain steps you can put into place to minimize stress and tension from sneaking into your perfectly AWESOME day.

Trick is to catch it early in the day… Then be aware enough to catch your habits of announcing how horrible your day is out loud to God and the Universe which sends the negative energy outward- therefore CREATING more NEGATIVE ENERGY! Yikes! Are we really that powerful?? YES… my friend… YOU ARE! … the more you mutter that out loud, the more you will have a hard time stopping the day from going towards that direction and energy.

You’ve heard the saying…what you focus on EXPANDS. If you start focusing on how horrible of a day you’re having…the worse it becomes. Next thing you know, you’re tapping your high heeled shoe impatiently outside of your car waiting for road side assistance to show up and fix your flat tire… don’t laugh, you know it’s happened to you. Do you notice that you start to say out loud, “REALLY? Could TODAY get ANY worse??” And guess what… the universe says…why yes… yes it CAN get worse…and vavoom! More bad stuff shows up!
Now that I’ve created this awareness with you as you see yourself acting and behaving as I’ve just described…let’s see how we can KEEP that insanity from spinning out of control…shall we?
Here are some awesome tips that will give you a better start so that your day takes off on a high and FUN note…instead of a sour note.

Tip #1

Believe it or not…what type of day you have starts with the your alarm clock and the tone you’ve chosen to snap you out of dream land. The ideal way to wake up is …naturally with the sun streaming through your window versus an alarm clock SCREAMING next to your ear…

When you hear that LOUD abrasive sound, it actually stimulates your fight or flight mode… so now you’ve started your day off  wondering if your life is threatened or not… not a great choice, huh? Instead of hitting snooze which just makes matters worse… try using a softer ring tone that slowly wakes you up. Some phones have better options then others… the key is to slowly come out of your slumber.  I’ve chosen to download a song  for my alarm choice, that makes me feel happy whenever I hear it… 

Tip #2

Watch what music you listen to in the morning while getting ready or driving to work. Is it 80’s rock or is it something more peaceful and soothing? Regardless to whether you’re a morning person or not, easing into your day helps your brain adjust and enjoy the mornings…
I like to play music that matches my energy as I’m a FAR CRY from being a morning person… I prefer soft music in the morning. Similar to what I play during my bubble baths.
Save your 80’s rock for the drive home …that’s when you will need to be more alert as that afternoon nap is calling your name. This is when I sing at the top of my lungs and “car dance”…yes I’m that weird one you see at the stoplight… just look the other way…

Tip #3

Once you get to work, try not to go RIGHT to your inbox. I have a hard time not diving into emails too… I always feel like I’m behind in getting back to someone. This equals instant STRESS as you’re reading many instructions, directions, requests…etc. Your brain starts to freak out wondering which direction to go into… now do you see why we are so grumpy by noon? It’s better to grab some tea…open a blind and enjoy the scenery… sell hello to a co-worker, respond to a loving text…sit back and BREATHE in life and how wonderful it really is.

Tip #4

Early morning meetings are BRUTAL! Let’s all agree on that right now… you feel unprepared, you’re not QUITE alert and ready to answer the questions that are being fired at you. Best case scenario is to prepare for it the evening before, have everything waiting for you on your desk and always have a vote of confidence for yourself.  If your boss is really cool, they will move that meeting to 11am…

Tip #5

Don’t eat at your desk! You may start to find yourself answering emails again! Take a walk outside for 20 minutes…get your brain seeing sunshine instead of fluorescent lighting for once. This will boost your energy too.  Take a REAL break…or make a lunch date with a good chipper friend, not one that brings you DOWN.  If you can take your calls outdoors…do it!  It will change your energy 100%!

Tip #6

Everyone should be allowed a little social time at work.  If your place of employment doesn’t allow for that, find a new job.  Go chat with a co-worker… about silly stuff or what you did over the weekend. This will get you out of your head for a bit and into laughter mode. We all deserve this kind of break or we will surely SNAP!

Tip #7

That late afternoon time hits and you’re craving a cup of coffee or that chocolate bar in your top desk drawer. DON’T DO IT! Turn on those 80’s rock tunes to boost your energy instead. Coffee will raise your blood pressure and stress hormones just in time to mess your sleep up later on. Which will start that silly stressful cycle all over again by not getting a decent night’s sleep…hence missing the alarm clock… then off we go to thinking horrible thoughts about having the WORST DAY EVER!  Let’s stop that cycle now…shall we?

Tip #8

Around dinner or after dinner…start to do some unwinding activities. No different than your winding up activities in the morning… take a bath, play soft music…read a book, dim the lights so your natural melatonin starts to go into effect and you catch yourself yawning. Light some candles and if you are having a hard time turning your brain off, then write down what’s bouncing around in your head so you can sleep soundly.

Final thoughts….

Last but not least… I want to leave you with this final thought. Start your day by being AWARE of your thoughts, even if they are somewhat foggy. Are you starting your day by saying 3 statements that you’re grateful for? Say them out loud…in the shower or wherever you feel most comfortable. This will start the energy going in the right direction…as you’re taking a shower you could say, I love my legs as you’re shaving them… I’m so grateful that they carry me wherever I go and that I’m able to walk, run and skip! Thank you for my arms, as they hold and hug those that I love…thank you for my smile as you’re brushing your teeth…and that I can give so much joy to someone by just giving a smile away from time to time…

Start these steps today and see how your day starts to be more enjoyable as you EASE your way into the day instead of jolting awake to that crazy alarm tone you’ve been using… by the way….go change that tone now before you go to sleep.

Yours in abundance,

Karie Millspaugh
Biz and Lifestyle Expert