Armor for the Day: How I Use Training to Handle Chaos

Working at a psychiatric hospital is a lot. Twelve-hour shifts, high-stress situations, breaking up fights — that’s the daily grind. So how have I not quit? How have I started to thrive despite the chaos?

The answer is armor.

Not physical armor, but something just as protective. Mine starts at 4:00 a.m.

I get up, put on my workout clothes, and head to the gym. Once there, I jump on the fan bike for 30 minutes. Not a super intense workout, but enough to wake up my body and mind.

Before I started this ritual, mornings were rough. I’d be a nervous wreck before work, teetering on the edge of a panic attack. My breaths were short and shallow. I had to do box breathing for ten minutes just to steady myself.

Now? After training, I nearly fall asleep in the car on the way to work. My anxiety is gone, my mood is steady, and I walk in ready for anything.

That’s the power of invisible armor.

My 4 a.m. routine doesn’t just calm my nervous system — it sets the tone for the whole day. It’s what allows me to thrive in a job that once overwhelmed me.

Do you have a routine like this? Something that acts as armor before the world comes at you? If you struggle with pre-work anxiety, what helps you manage it?

I believe preparation is everything. Life will always throw chaos our way, but with the right habits — treatment, sobriety, and discipline — we can walk into it steady, strong, and even grateful.

That’s the gift of armor.