I have a confession. My alarm clock has not been touched since school ended in June. I have a little anxiety about touching it again because that first early rise into the new school season will test my biological clock and I have never liked tests. As with all tests, I should get in some practice before taking the one that will count. If I am a good student with stellar study habits, I will have practiced for a week when I face the dreaded test and effectively lowered my test anxiety to a manageable level. Have I been that disciplined in this situation? I must answer, "Shamefully, no." Like so many students, I will cram for this test and have one practice session under my belt. I could compare myself to more lazy students and reward myself for bothering to practice at all. That will not, however, successfully change my behavior for the better. After all, a successful person continually strives for excellence, not mediocrity. Therefore, no rewards for me this time. I will go to bed earlier tonight, get a full 8 to 9 hours of sleep, and wake up to my alarm clock at the predetermined time of 7 o'clock in the morning. I know that's pretty late for some, but I am not a morning person. I will eat a healthy breakfast (that means drinking at least one full glass of water in addition to my favorite morning liquid, going easy on the carbs and other simple sugars, treating myself to a hearty dose of protein, and slipping in a multivitamin as I tend to miss out on a lot of good-for-me veggies during the day). Then I will allow my body a very short period to get over its shock of having to disrupt its summer routine, which really has not been a routine at all. Tomorrow night will hopefully be a little easier on my spoiled bod so I can pass the real test the next day with flying colors... or at least skipping colors. I should make a list of posi-self-states (positive self-statements - my PSSts for the day) and repeat them several times to send me on my way to school with a reward-worthy attitude. Doesn't that sound like a great idea for all students?
You may ask why I invited you into my bedroom during our first conversation. Inappropriate? Well, if we are going to start this blog on the right foot then we need to be in our right minds and it's a well-researched fact that most people (especially teens) do not get enough sleep. If you are going to have a successful school year, staff or student, then you should give a thought to your sleep pattern, which can make or break your day before your right foot even hits the floor in the morning. One of a family's most stressful times of the year is the beginning of school and the bigger the family the more people to get out the door in the morning, meaning more stress. Routines lower stress, so you can start your school year with less stress by getting a routine in place early and sticking to it. Easier typed than done, but oh, so rewarding in the long run. Who knows, you might live longer because of it.
If you are having specific issues with school-starting stressors, post them here and I or one of our other readers will respond with the perfect (or at least acceptable) solution to your dilemma. We all have something to share that can make a person's day more manageable. Start sharing it in the Meadow!
