Workout, meditation, working through emails - everything before 5 a.m.: Such morning routines of successful managers can often be found on the Internet. But what really helps to start the working day in a good mood?
"Someone must have gotten off on the wrong foot," is what people say about people who are in a bad mood. How we start the day in the morning - does that have such a big impact? "A good start to the working day increases the likelihood of having a good day overall," says Hannah Schade from the Leibniz Institute for Labor Research at TU Dortmund University. But how does that work? A few tips from sleep and work research.
What role does sleep play?
"Sleep is the most important regeneration and repair program that humans have," says Hans-Günter Weeß, board member of the German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine (DGSM). If we have slept well, we are more efficient and have a lower probability of accidents.
According to Weeß, getting enough sleep is therefore essential. "The genetic sleep requirement of most people in Germany is between six and eight hours." For most sleep types, however, working life begins much too early, so that many end up in a chronic sleep deficit because their internal clock sends them to bed late.
How can I make sure I'm getting enough sleep?
According to Weeß, normal and late sleepers in particular should not do anything activating about an hour before they plan to go to bed: i.e. do not work, do sports, eat or expose themselves to bright light. "Then we are most likely to get tired in time so that we can get our day's work off to a good start in the morning."
Anyone who is plagued by brooding at night can prefer that to a certain extent: “You can get that off your chest in the evening, for example in a brooding diary,” the sleep researcher suggests. A simple to-do list for the following day can also help you switch off.
An absolute no-go from the point of view of the sleep researcher: going to bed and wanting to sleep. That just puts me under pressure. According to Weeß, Germans sleep the worst on Monday night. In order to start the working week well rested, he advises not to sleep too late in the morning on Sunday. Otherwise, there is no pressure to sleep in the evening and you won't get to bed on time.
How should I wake up?
"I would advise against sunrise alarm clocks because they are potentially unreliable," says Weeß. Light alarm clocks simulate sunrise and should enable a gentle wake-up. Weeß is also critical of sleep phase alarm clocks that measure which sleep phase you are currently in and start in a phase that is favorable for waking up. Sometimes they could not recognize the sleep phase correctly, they might ring too early and lose valuable minutes of sleep.
"It's better to set the alarm clock as late as possible and then ring the bell once and get out of bed," recommends the sleep researcher. Snoozing, i.e. waking up repeatedly every few minutes, is taboo. The additional snooze time is not relaxing.
How much time do I need between getting up and starting work?
According to Weeß, we need different amounts of time in the morning to get up to speed. "It's normal for up to three quarters of an hour," says the sleep researcher. He doesn't think it makes sense to jump from the bed directly to the desk in the home office.
Labor researcher Schade says that you should really be awake when you go into work mode: "There should be enough cortisol, a hormone that is released when you wake up, for example when you shower, brush your teeth or exercise." According to Weeß, consciously exposing yourself to bright light also helps when waking up.
Which morning activities are beneficial?
In principle, Schade recommends everyone to exercise a little before work. "It doesn't have to be sport, it can also mean walking or cycling to work. Movement supplies the brain with oxygen," says the scientist.
According to her, everything else is individual. For some, social contacts in the morning are good, others need their jog, for others meditation is beneficial. "Once you've figured out what's good for you, it's a good idea to establish that as a routine. It makes things easier to stick with."
What do I do if I lack the drive for my morning routine?
According to Schade, if-then rules should be established in advance for days when you don’t get enough sleep or lack drive: “For example: If I’m too tired to go jogging, I’ll go for a short walk.” This makes it easier to deviate from the plan in the situation itself.
Do I have to have breakfast to start the day well?
"The body and the mind need energy to be able to work," says work researcher Schade. That's why it makes sense to eat something in the morning. "But above all, the body is almost dehydrated after a night's sleep, which means the most important thing is to drink something in the morning."
However, Schade advises against drinking a coffee first. For one thing, caffeine inhibits the absorption of various nutrients from breakfast, such as iron. On the other hand, it suppresses its own production of the hormone cortisol and the body forgets how to wake up properly on its own. "You could instead drink the first coffee when you get to the office."
How should I keep myself busy on the way to work?
First of all, according to Schade, you should plan enough time, because the journey by car or public transport is often stressful in itself. If you start too close and miss connections, you risk arriving at work completely exhausted.
"I would tend to advise against thinking about problems at work while I'm on my way, because I can't tackle them with all my energy at the moment," says the researcher. In order to keep as much of the at best positive and relaxed mood as possible, she suggests listening to an audio book instead. "It's also worth checking off social things on the way to work. For example, clarifying what's going to happen in the evening or replying to messages." So you can later hide private things at work.
What tasks should I do first at work?
According to Schade, this is individual. Some people prefer to tackle the most unpleasant task first, to get it off the table. Others prefer something simple that brings a quick sense of accomplishment. "In general, it makes sense to have a clearly defined start to work with something that makes it easier for you personally to get started. We definitely recommend trying out what that is."
