Mornings are always a rush. I’m up. I blink. And suddenly day is already half over. The busier I get, the more I crave some essential morning-me-time—a scheduled space for me to just breath, and conscientiously decide how my day is going to go, before all the chaos starts.   

It took some trial-and-error, but here are four ways you can streamline AM routine and feel a bit more mindful throughout the day.

Meditation Studio:  Huffington Post, Forbes, Inc., Refinery29, and TIME are just a few companies that have written enthusiastic reviews about this app. And after using it for two months, I can’t help but concede, the hype is real. If you’ve flirted with meditation for years, it’s time to make these forays count. This app provides a pragmatic approach to your practice with structure and accountability and timed sessions that you can fit in even my busiest days.

69% of the population that experiences anxiety respond positively to Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs like the ones in this Meditation Studio App. Plus, research shows that meditation apps like have been shown to increase compassion, happiness, and health.

Mala Necklaces: Set your day’s Intentions—and wear them. Mala necklaces have been touted for centuries by buddhists, therapists and yogis.  While these boho beads are making quite the fashion comeback, these necklaces can also help remind you about your good intentions throughout the day.   Mala necklaces traditionally have 108 beads, which helps you repeat your mantras 108 times before starting your day.  I drop a few pure essential oil blends on my Mala’s lava beads to use a touch of aromatherapy to supplement my goals.  If my daily intention is to be "more calm" I blend my own mix of lavender and bergamot.  If I want to help inspire myself to be a bit more "balanced with my emotions" I reach for a few drops of Frankincense. Here’s my DIY post on how to make a Mala Necklace.

Research at NYU shows that when you set and repeat intentions, it can help help increase your chances of accomplishing that goal by 20% - 30%. When you mix intentions while stimulating that olfactory nerve, you can double your likelihood of remembering your mantra. Aromatherapy is an art, so it’s best to stick with 100% pure essential oils. Nasty synthetics scents/fillers that can cause havoc with your hormones and reproductive system.

ThinkUp: This is one of my favorite ways to make my commute feel worthwhile. This app let’s you record your own positive affirmations, set these affirmations to your favorite music and listen to your creation on an endless cycle. I was a bit intimidated by the app, but considering that the savvy writers from Bazaar and Cosmopolitan tried it out, I figured I should too.

The research is still pending on this topic, but many professionals believe that your subconscious mind will be much more receptive to affirmations when you hear them repeated in your own voice. Plus, while you are recording your affirmations in the ThinkUp app you can practice saying your goals aloud.

Feeling Wheels:  If you’re like me, one glance at this feeling-wheel table might make you reminisce about those “mood” posters usually hanging up on the walls of elementary schools.  As luck would have it, maybe our third-grade teachers were on to something.

Recent studies have shown that merely naming an emotion helps your body being the coping/healing process. If you aren't sure how to use a feeling wheel, here's a nifty introduction.

XOXO,

Lemon