Experts reveal the most stressful time of the day… and how YOU can ease the pressure
Preparing for the commute and taking the kids to school makes the morning the most stressful time of the day, according to a new survey of 2,000 adults.
Researchers asked thousands of adults when they feel most stressed during the day. with 51 percent of respondents admitting they are ‘often overwhelmed’ from the moment they get out of bed.
But the average time when most people felt stressed was 8:15 am.
Most adults said that during that time they tend to lose 20 minutes and 28 seconds to unexpected complications and accidents, in the midst of an already hectic time of day when it comes down to being on time.
But the researchers also offered some hope, in the form of five tips to reduce the stress of early morning routines, including ditching distractions from tech gadgets and packing lunches the night before.
The new survey of 2,000 adults shows that 8:15 a.m. is the most stressful time of day. 51 percent of respondents admit they are ‘often overwhelmed’ from the moment they get out of bed, whether it’s preparing for the commute or picking up kids to school
More than half of adults surveyed, 51 percent, felt there is “never” enough time in the day to meet their obligations and get everything done.
At least 35 percent of respondents reported feeling some form of stress early in the day, but a disturbing majority simply felt that feeling all the time.
And almost half, 47 percent, said they are busier now than ever before in their lives.
The findings add worrying new implications to recent studies that have warned this may be the case if you are stressed, nervous or exhausted in middle age increase one’s risk of dementia.
The bewilderment that accompanied respondents’ despair over their stress was notable among more than a third of respondents, with 35 percent claiming they “don’t know” how to find the time to do things that could make them happy .
And roughly 37 percent told surveyors they had “forgotten” how to make time for their own needs.
But it was the mornings when these tensions were most pronounced, the pollsters from OnePoll discovered on behalf of the British yogurt brand Onken.
Respondents cited losing their house keys, oversleeping, figuring out what to wear and getting their equally stressed children to school as among their usual morning worries.
Parents among those surveyed agreed that the unpredictability of children’s emotions often risked throwing even a well-planned morning routine into chaos.
Luckily, pollsters were able to offer some hope in the form of five reliable ways to make mornings go a little more smoothly.
Preparing the night before, whether it be gathering clothes or packing a lunch, they said, could help reduce early morning crowds.
Creating a simpler and more consistent morning routine – that everyone in the household can stick to – also helps, they advised, because it gives you the opportunity to tap into your muscle memory on days when you wake up particularly tired.
They recommend that parents get up at least 30 minutes before their children need to wake up so that they can have some free time to prepare for the day.
They also advocate delegating more tasks and responsibilities to the children, focusing on useful tasks that are age-appropriate and, if possible, reimagined as a fun or at least engaging game.
For both parents and children, the pollsters recommend limiting technology use in the morning, given that attention-seeking social media, TV shows, video games and other digital media can steal invaluable minutes needed to get ready for the day .
Kitchen timers, a phone alarm clock or even just a traditional alarm clock, they said, can help mark the time in the morning, when time is of the essence.