How to recover your day (when you've slept in!)
You know the feeling….
You check the clock and it’s half an hour later than you thought it was, you get that sinking feeling in your stomach as you realise it was the “off” button and not snooze that you hit. Your mind goes immediately to how much your day is ruined and bound to be challenging and difficult.
Stop and rewind!
Here are a few tips to get you back on track.
First let’s consider the reality versus the prospective chaos that your mind is trying to convince you is ahead of you. You’ve “lost” 30 minutes, that’s it. You probably fritter 30 minutes making coffee or social media scrolling throughout the day. So before you feet hit the floor, reframe your thinking. Take 3 deep breaths and try saying the following out loud “I can choose how I spend my time today” or “This is going to be a great day” - really get behind this affirmation and feel it.
Make a new plan for the next hour or so - take 5 minutes to think about how you can redirect your resources and energy. What needs your energy RIGHT NOW? Is there a deadline to get on the school run or get to that first meeting? Do you need to send a quick “I /we might be a little late today” email now? Do the school shirts HAVE to be ironed this morning? Can an older sibling help to dress a younger? Can the dog make do with a quick 5 minutes round the block rather than your usual 40 minute walk? Can you get breakfast on the go?
Now consider how to reclaim any “you time” that the re-directed morning has stolen. A run, walk, or meditation practice might be part of your morning routine. Rather than get narked that you’re missing it, look for an opportunity in your day when you CAN do it, even if this is a scaled down version. A 5 minute walk is better than no walk at all, a 2 minute meditation will give as much of a break to the busyness of the mind as 20 minutes. When can you do these things rather than going without?
Remind yourself that any diversions from your routine or “shortcuts” are just that, a small diversion. Grabbing a breakfast bar on the way out the door instead of enjoying your carefully prepared overnight oats does not make you a failure. Neither should it herald the start of a spectacular sugar snaffling fest.