Outsmart the Morning Chaos

I love mornings.

No really. I am a morning person.

And by "morning person," I mean I love waking up before everyone else, practicing some light yoga, sipping my coffee, watching the news, watering my plants, and having at least an hour of doing nothing before I have to get ready for work.

So maybe it's not that I'm a morning person, but that I'm an introvert. I love waking up to the sound of my coffee pot kicking on. It's like having a maid prepare my coffee for me. I've grown to love having some form of exercise in the morning too, but that took more effort.

This is why we will discuss the psychological concept known as precommitment strategy. 

What is Precommitment Strategy?

Psychologists define precommitment as a behavior you engage in ahead of time to increase the likelihood of doing something beneficial in the future.

But I didn’t learn this concept in a textbook. I learned it the hard way.

I developed an eating disorder in college.

That stinking "Freshman 15" kicked my butt. Then on top of it, I had some anxiety, control issues, and am an adult child of a person with an alcohol use disorder...so that is an excellent formula for developing an eating disorder.

In learning more about the disorder, I decided to treat myself using yoga and reframing my thoughts.

To encourage myself to practice yoga every morning, I started sleeping in my yoga clothes or setting them right by my bed.

I was either wearing them or tripping over them the second I woke up.

Precommitment. 

The last thing I wanted to do each morning was exercise. I'd rather sleep until the last possible moment, but I decided that my health was a priority, and I was determined to improve myself.

You’ve probably already used this without realizing it:

• Lying out your gym clothes
• Putting your meds next to your toothbrush
• Setting the coffeemaker before bed because there is nothing like waking up to the smell of coffee. (Folgers got that right.)

Why It Works (Especially for Mornings)

Mornings are chaos.

Here’s why precommitment saves your sanity:

• It lowers your mental load. No searching for socks. No wondering what to eat. Decisions before coffee or after a workday are exhausting.
• It reduces the chance of opting out. If your journal is open and on the table with your coffee, you might use it.
• It gives you momentum. Starting your day already one step ahead is powerful. 

Start Small

You don’t need a 37-step morning routine.

Choose one baby step that will make your morning easier, and make that task easy to complete.

For Example:

• Lay your workout clothes on the floor by your bed.
• Make your lunch the night before.
• Fill your water bottle before you go to bed.
• Plug your phone into the outlet away from your bed.
• And the obvious, set out your work outfit, just like your mom did back in the day!
  • Moms do know some stuff!

You don't have to be a "morning person" to have a peaceful morning; you just need to be a committed planner.

Everything is behavioral health...even precommitment.