Far too many of us wake up with little to no time in the morning to get all of our ducks in a row before we head out the door. You know what I’m talking about! You hit snooze and roll over for a few more minutes of shut eye, having already set your alarm to go off at the point that gives you the least possible amount of time. and all the while you’re lying in bed thinking about your plan of attack to get yourself out the door on time. Needless to say that extra shut eye never comes and instead you’ve just replaced what was supposed to be a nice way to get out of bed with the sweet grip of anxiety that will accompany you for the rest of the day.

Classic.

And yet today’s prevailing wisdom tells us that we should never hit snooze, that we need to bypass the urge to roll over and be more disciplined in the morning if we want to be the best version of ourselves. Well, if you know anything about me than you’ll know that this is the kind of thing that I’m all about but come on! Are we really drawing the line at the snooze button?

The responsibility and blame should never be placed on the tools we use but instead on how we use them. What’s important to remember is whether or not that extra time in bed is a useful, calming and positive experience or if it’s being used to avoid the stress of the coming day. And if the latter is the case then it seems to me that the problem isn’t sitting over on your bedside table, eagerly waiting to go off in nine minutes, it’s between your ears.

We all use avoidance in some shape or form to safeguard ourselves from stress but all too often it becomes our go-to strategy, leaving us floating above the surface and making it virtually impossible to engage with anything worthwhile and honest. I think in large part we do this because, when lumped together, the responsibilities of the day can seem insurmountable and when coupled with your career/fitness/social/family aspirations, the weight of it all becomes too much to bare.

This is where awareness comes in.

It’s a wonderful thing to have goals and to want to push beyond your perceived limits but without the presence of mind in everyday life that will ground you in this moment, it’s unlikely that you’ll accomplish any of them, and worse yet, you may never know why you were going after those things in the first place.

In order to accomplish the things we want, to pivot away when necessary, or to find balance in our lives we first need to bring our attention inward.

Here are a few things to remember:

Give Yourself Enough Time

Whether it’s first thing in the morning or late at night, give yourself enough time to be present. Take five minutes to breathe, to stretch, etc, but most importantly, to close your eyes and just watch. Watch your belly rise and fall with each passing breath. Feel the weight of your body against the surface you find yourself on. Relax and GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK! Just give yourself enough time before rushing out the door.

Don’t Overestimate What You Can Do in a Day

So much of our anxiety is grounded in our daily “To-Do List”. But no matter who you are, seasons change, motivation wains, and burning the candle at both ends only works to burn you out faster. Take a breath and play the long game. Keep what you can do daily manageable and consistent and you’ll find that what you accomplish in a few months or a few years is far more than you would have if you went out too hot.

Check out this video (CLICK HERE) to learn a little more about awareness and meditation.

Until next time,

-Coach Kev