Preparing for the work commute and getting children to school makes morning the most stressful time of day, a new survey of 2,000 adults has discovered.
Researchers asked thousands of adults when they feel most stressed during the day, with 51 percent of respondents confessing that they are ‘often overwhelmed’ from the very moment that they get out of bed.
But the average time of day where most people felt stressed was 8:15am.
Most adults said that they tend to lose 20 minutes and 28 seconds to unexpected complications and mishaps during that time, amid an already hectic time of day when the heat is on to be punctual.
But the researchers also offered some hope, in the form of five tips to help cut stress from early morning routines, including dropping tech gadget distractions and packing lunches the night before.
The new survey of 2,000 adults pinpointed 8:15am as the most stressful time of day – with 51 percent of respondents confessing that they are ‘often overwhelmed’ from the very moment they get out of bed, whether preparing for the work commute or getting children to school
Over half of the adults surveyed, 51 percent, felt there is ‘never’ enough time in the day to meet their commitments and get everything done.
At least 35 percent of respondents stated they feel some form of stress early in the first part of the day, but a troubling majority simply felt that sentiment at all times.
And nearly half, 47 percent, said they’re busier now than ever before in their lives.
The findings add worrying new ramifications to recent studies which have warned that being stressed, nervous, or exhausted in middle age may increase a person’s risk of dementia.
The bewilderment that accompanied respondent’s despair over their stress was notable for over a third of those survey: 35 percent claimed that they ‘don’t know’ how to find the time to do things that might make them happy.
And roughly 37 percent told the surveyors that they’d ‘forgotten’ how to carve out time for their own wants.
But it was mornings where these stresses were most pronounced, the pollsters at OnePoll on commission from UK yogurt brand Onken found.
Respondents listed losing their house keys, oversleeping, figuring out what to wear, and hustling their equally stressed children off to school as high among their usual morning worries.
Parents among those polled agreed that the unpredictability of kids’ emotions frequently risked descending even a well-planned morning routine into chaos.
Fortunately, the pollsters were able to offer some measure of hope in the form of five sure-fire ways to help mornings go a bit more smoothly.
Preparing the night before, whether getting clothes together or packing a lunch, they said, could help reduce the early morning scramble.
Creating an easier and consistent morning routine — that everyone in the household can stick to — also helps, they advised, as it allows you the option to coast on muscle memory during those days when you wake up particularly tired.
For parents, they recommend getting up at least 30 minutes before their children need to wake up, carving out some free time to get oneself prepped for the day.
They also advocate for delegating more chores and responsibilities to one’s children, focusing on helpful tasks that are age-appropriate and, if possible, reimagined as a fun or at least engaging game.
For both parents and kids, the pollsters recommend trying to limit technology use in the morning, given how attention-grabbing social media, TV shows, video games and other digital media can steal priceless minutes needed to get ready for the day.
Kitchen timers, a phone alarm or even just a traditional alarm clock, they said, can help mark the time in the morning, when time is of the essence.