5 Quick Morning Tasks to Make Your Evening Less Stressful

By Brian Acton

Many of us hustle to get out the door as soon as we wake up in the morning. But if you arrive home in the evening with too many tasks to accomplish, you may feel overly stressed and unable to relax. The quality of your sleep could even be affected. 

While you probably don’t want to spend your morning doing chores, there are a few ways you can reduce evening stress. Here are five quick morning tasks to make your evening less stressful.

1.    Start Dinner

If the idea of preparing dinner every night seems exhausting, crockpots can be a game changer. These handy kitchen devices cook a wide variety of meals, and aren’t just limited to soups, stews, or chili (though they’re perfect for those meals as well). You can throw dinner together in the morning (or prep it the night before) and hit start on the crockpot. You’ll have a hot and ready meal waiting for you when you get home.

Want to skip cooking altogether? You can call your favorite restaurant early in the day and order a meal delivery for the evening, so your food will arrive at your home shortly after you do.

2.    Make Your Bed

A freshly made bed may seem small, but it creates the appearance of tidiness and order as soon as you walk into the bedroom. Getting into a well-made bed also feels really good! Making your bed only takes a few minutes, but you’ll be thankful you did in the evening.

3.    Plan Ahead

Are your daily obligations already stressing you out? Plan your itinerary in the morning, writing down what you’re going to accomplish and when you’re going to do it. That way, you can stay on track throughout the day and avoid having to play catch-up in the evening.

Making a realistic list is key - don’t overload yourself with tasks and set yourself up for failure.

4.    Eat Breakfast

It’s easy to skip your morning meal when you’re in a rush. But a balanced breakfast sets you up for success the rest of the day - giving you energy, jump-starting your metabolism, and boosting your blood sugar to help your body do its best. It can help you have a better day and, by extension, a less stressful evening.

5.    Pick Up Clutter

It’s probably not realistic for you to do a deep clean of your home every morning. But walking into a cluttered house in the evening can be stressful. Try to pick up clutter in the first room you enter in the evening, or the room you spend the most time in. Your evening self will thank you. 

Sources:

https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/advice/a42706/bed-making-every-day/
https://www.sleep.org/articles/sleep-and-stress/
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/breakfast-lose-weight#2