Show of hands: Is this what your morning routine typically looks like? A blaring alarm on your smartphone rings, jolting you from sleep. You bolt out of bed, wash up, and dress for another day at the hospital. You’re running for the front door. On your way out, you grab some sort of packaged glucose bomb masquerading as breakfast and a gallon of coffee to go with it. Your commute is mostly stop-and-go, bumper-to-bumper traffic that sends your heart racing (in the worst way possible). Somehow, you survive your journey to work, where another stressful day as a physician begins. Have you ever considered there might be a better way to start your day? Medicine is stressful enough. Why should the first hours of your day, before you even make it to work, increase your overall anxiety level? Creating a better morning routine will help you begin the day with a sense of purpose, calm, and clarity. Waking up For most of us, our morning routine begins with a jarring smartphone alarm clock. This presents several problems. First, your smartphone is in your bedroom, which means you might be tempted to check email, social media, or surf the web before sleep or if you wake up during the night. Second, like any other alarm clock, you might hit snooze until precious minutes remain to get out the door on time. And third, it’s called an alarm for a reason. Blaring sounds are a great way to spike your heart rate and cortisol levels first thing in the morning. If you’re not on call, we suggest leaving your smartphone in another room and instead using a light-emitting alarm clock to wake up. Derivations of this popular model from Phillips exist at various price points. The clock uses light to simulate a sunrise, waking you up gradually, like our Paleolithic ancestors did before the advent of the 9-5. Preparing your mind This next step might force you to wake up a few minutes earlier, but trust us, it’s worth it. Most of us barrel into our day without a second thought. But we’re humans, not automatons, right? Taking a few minutes for reflection has numerous proven benefits. For example, journaling has been proven to support physical and mental health. You’re probably thinking, who has time for that. With the Five-Minute Journal, all you need is, you guessed it, 5 minutes. Meditation is another great way to prepare your mind for the day ahead. A JAMA meta analysis of trials that focused on the effects of meditation determined that the practice has “small to moderate reductions of multiple negative dimensions of psychological stress.” Once again, you’re probably thinking, I don’t have time for that. And once again, you’re wrong. Headspace offers a daily mindfulness-based meditation that you can do in as little as three minutes. Perhaps you’re religious. You might consider setting aside a few minutes for prayer in the morning. A 2009 study showed that prayer may help alleviate symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. Preparing your body Do you really want the first thing you put in your body for the day to be something that has more in common with a chemistry set than it does with food? The average American diet is largely processed and carb-laden, which keeps the endocrinologists among you busy. Don’t spend your entire day chasing the carb dragon. Hack your breakfast instead. Buy an Instant Pot. The night before your workweek begins, use it to make a batch of hard-boiled eggs for the week. This will take you 20 minutes. While your hard-boiled eggs are cooking, use the time to make some overnight oats for each day of the week. Overnight oats are great because all you have to do is combine the ingredients in a container and leave them in the fridge. They’re practically idiot proof. In 20 minutes, you’ll have a superior breakfast consisting of high-quality protein and fat. Plus, you’ll have the added benefit of some slower-burning carbs from oatmeal, as well as the fiber, which can help lower your cholesterol. Getting to work Traffic is a fact of life for those of us living in the more congested areas of the U.S. However, we have choices as to how we respond to traffic. We can clench our jaws in anger and frustration, or we can use the time to our advantage. One of the best ways to accomplish the latter is by listening to podcasts. Enlightening options exist for all tastes. Perhaps you’re an entrepreneurial physician. The Tim Ferriss Show is a great way to familiarize yourself with some of the leading thinkers from across industries, including medicine. Maybe you appreciate history. Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History vividly illustrates the events of the past that have shaped the modern world. Or, maybe you just need a laugh. Spend some time with the hilarious husband-and-wife duo, Christina Pazsitzky and Tom Segura, whose podcast, called Your Mom’s House, will leave you in stitches (just think twice about listening if you have kids in the car). A better, healthier routine only requires a few small adjustments. It’s not just a luxury for the entrepreneurial set or the lay population. Even time-starved physicians can devote a few minutes to each of these areas to smooth their transition into the workday. Make the commitment to do them, and start reaping the benefits in the morning. TL;DR Here’s how to improve your morning routine: Wake up gradually using a light-emitting alarm clock that mimics sunrise. Prepare your mind for the day ahead with a few minutes of journaling, meditation, or prayer. Prepare your body by fueling up with some nutritious food. Make a batch of breakfasts before your workweek begins. We like the convenience of hard-boiled eggs and overnight oats. Make your morning commute intellectually engaging, or funny, with podcasts. Source
