By Kristina Tortoriello

Author’s Note: a post in homage to hump day. 

Morning commutes are, on the whole, prickly. How do we rally our powers toward healthy living (and so early!) when we’ve only recently wrenched ourselves from sleep? And isn’t sleep the real health factor at risk here? In other words: Just… one more… snooze…?

Believe me, I hear you. But let’s assume that you too are among the begrudging, bed-headed many! More or less, you feel like you’ve managed to boil your concept of self down to ping-pong ball size for the sake of the work week, and for days straight, you’ll pretty much spend nine to five being batted around, within the margins of a giant to-do list– be it from office chair to OfficeMax and back, or from client to co-worker, a.k.a. fellow peeved projectiles in the race for the weekend! Hoorah!

Of course, I’m only (half) kidding. The “rat race” needn’t be so ratty after all, subway route notwithstanding. There are various ways to give breathing room to pesky corporate constraints! Change can start with your commute if you let it! So what about the “me time” before you’re officially on the clock?  Uplift your AM attitude with a few key pointers given here:

1. Walking means fresh air and Vitamin D. If there’s any stretch of commute you can do via bipedalism, why not do it?! This tends to be region-specific, I realize, but fellow New Yorkers are actually pretty lucky in this respect. We get to people watch AND take in some day rays. Even if we have to severely filter the weird smells through our noses, we can breathe freely!

2. I Spy Something Green: Try and incorporate some patch of greenery into your morning walk. Communing with the natural world for a half-block is hardly optimal, but a favorite tree or rock or special planter on the corner outside a favorite bodega, can be the somewhere you start. Rule of thumb: If it makes you smile in the morning, however briefly, don’t pass it up. Pass on by!

3. Advance a level! You’ve heard it before, but changing up your actual elevation can improve overall health. If you’ve got a ways to go, opt for the stairs over escalator, the incline versus the flat road. I’m not advocating you necessarily go sliding face-first on ice, but find the challenge without unnecessary complication of your route. Instead of taking the same route every morning, leave a little time and explore a new one- if you’re so inclined. Just maybe, this proves easier than you think: There are so many stairs and potholes in New York to choose from.

4. Do you bike? Even better! Amp the cardio for a can-do start to any day.

5. A sip and/or snack! While juices are raging on into Fitness Forever, there’s no harm in this trend! If you’re the kind to tote a morning power pick-me–up, why not try a homemade concoction, packed with fresh fruit and veggies? (Spending $6 at Jamba Juice doesn’t count). You can pretty much throw whatever you like into a blender, which apart from the fabulous noise factor, makes it the obvious choice for those of the don’t-do-mornings crowd like myself. Tea and honey in a thermos is equally travel-friendly. Importantly, here, I intend for the snack factor to be a separate business from breakfast. I see so many folks wolfing protein bars in place of a balanced meal, and can’t say I’ve not been personally tempted- I get the time crunch thing, but crunch into breakfast first! Sit down, do it up right. I don’t need to say much here, I’m sure by now you all get the gist. Snacks are secondary! Tote that yogurt in addition, not instead.

6. Tune in! Nothing revs us up for some healthy, occupational optimism like a personal playlist. Discretion always advised on this one. Pesky thing about iPods, they can remove us from our environments, much as they can enhance them. To sum up: still look both ways, and don’t irritate the entire train car, but otherwise, get pumped!

7. Say hello. Situationally speaking. Now I’m well aware there exist hordes of weekend warriors who’d rather not be glanced at, so much as addressed, but why not play a game with yourself? Be on the hunt! If there’s a slight chance you think someone might appreciate a greeting, go for it!  Even if they don’t respond, it’s a pretty solid mood booster to send well wishes into the universe from time to time. You never know what someone else is going through (some days are off to rougher starts than others)- and a kind word, easily said, can easily make all the difference!

What do you think? Just some teeny things to make the back and forth a whole lot brighter. (Also, polar vortex considered, tissues are only practical).