Getting up early in the morning is daunting enough, especially since I am not a morning person. As a former dancer, the cheap rehearsal space was always late at night. So if I ever was an early morning person, rehearsing late at night for years changed that.

As a business owner starting the day in the right frame of mind sets a precedent for the rest of the day.

Here are some things I avoid in the morning that could set my day off on the wrong foot.

Family Discussions

I avoid getting into serious family discussions before 9am. If talks are tense or family is calling to settle a beef, I wait until lunch or the end of my day. Somehow those stressful conversations set me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

If it can't wait, then I will try to talk while exercising. That way, my attention is divided. I can listen, which sometimes is all that is needed, and at the same time, I can work on any heavy emotions I might be feeling. Sometimes with family, it's best to leave feelings out there and deal with them later.

Screen Time

I make sure my screen time is limited before 9am because I get very mental. I work with people, and I need my mood to be outward. Screen time shifts me into a more insular mindset.

If I'm on social media or getting wrapped up in bookkeeping or writing. I feel my focus shift inward. I am so much more vivacious when I can keep my focus external.

Sugar

Sugar just sets me up for failure. Of course, that first hit of a donut, or danish, is amazing, but the crash that happens later is not worth it. Even a bowl of oatmeal can set me off if I don't have some seeds and nuts in it to balance that sugar crash.

By 10-10:30am, I need my brain, and if I am crashing on sugar, I can't concentrate.

The Snooze Button

If I can avoid hitting the snooze and get up on the first alarm, I feel like I have accomplished something just by being alive. Lol.

It's such a luxury to sleep in, but sometimes if I get too much sleep, I can wake up feeling lethargic. It's best to just hit the floor on the first alarm and get going. Save the sleep-in for the weekend.

Take a Bath

I don't want to get too relaxed in the morning, so a tepid shower, maybe even a little Wim Hoff cold shower, gets me up, awake, and ready to go. Even if I am sore from the previous day's workout, a bath is a big no-no. I get too relaxed, and I lose motivation to tackle some of the things I need more adrenaline for.

I save the bath for the end of the day when I don't need my personality as much.

What are some of the things you avoid in the morning? I would love to know.