According to statistics, 71% of people check their phone within 10 minutes of waking up.
This is problematic for a number of reasons:
More Stress: Checking your phone releases adrenaline, which increases heart rate, pulse, and muscle tension. Rather than a relaxing way to start your day, checking your phone increases stress.
Less Intentionality: Checking your phone is the equivalent to giving someone (or something) control over your mind. Whether reading email, scrolling social media, or playing a game, turning on the phone is equivalent to giving permission to someone or something to control your attention.
Less Productivity: It is true that our phones and technology, when used correctly, can make us productive, efficient, and impactful. This blog is a testament to the fact. But it is also true, when used incorrectly, our phones can also become a distraction from our most productive selves. And that sets a dangerous precedent for our day.
Less Fulfilling Relationships: Not everyone sleeps next to another human being (and only a percentage of those who do wake up at the same time as their partner). But if you do, turning your attention away from your partner and toward a digital device, can get in the way of your most important relationship.
So…
If you want to break the habit of checking your phone first thing in the morning, here’s a list of 21 things you could do instead:
1. Use the restroom.
2. Talk to your spouse or partner.
3. Take a shower.
4. Look out the window.
5. Drink a glass of water.
6. Brush your teeth.
7. Stretch your body to improve circulation.
8. Write out a to-do list for the day.
9. Make breakfast.
10. Meditate or pray.
11. Write in a journal.
12. Read a religious or inspirational book.
13. Get dressed.
14. Make your bed.
15. Smile to yourself in the mirror.
16. Set your intention for the day.
17. Prepare your lunch (or kid’s or partner’s).
18. Take your dog for a walk.
19. Say out loud, “It’s going to be a great day!“
20. Do a quick tidy-up of your living space.
21. Enjoy a quiet cup of coffee or tea.
There’s no need to do all 21 of course.
But if you find a morning routine that includes just five or six of the items on this list, you’ll start your day in a brand new way.
If I did just six of these things it would be lunch time!
I’ve been charging my phone almost always downstairs, away from the bedroom. My schedule is flexible and I find I wake about the same time most days. On the odd day I actually need an alarm, I’ll bring it upstairs, but then I’m not tempted to look at it first because I’m on a schedule those days! Still working on not looking at it as frequently during the day though.
my iphone is my sole clock now; no bedroom clock at all. the iphone could also as my alarm, but we have to 2 smallish puppies in our king size bed that are just as reliable. but in retirement i enjoy the pleasure of getting puppy licks as my alarm.
Thank you Joshua for this list! I’m 83 and needed this encouragement to take an honest look at my priorities. I know the important things in my life that come first, but realize it’s the things I now need to reduce wasted time on such as my phone!
I have the double-edged sword of trying to be intentional about increasing my devotion time (especially during Lent), but all the devotions are on my phone. And I do get drawn into other distractions. Working on narrowing my focus.
Early morning is my Quiet Time. Brush my teeth, Make Coffee, read my The One Year Bible for the days entry and open window coverings to let the light shine in. This routine starts me off on a positive note
I miss the landline phones. They were for talking only. These phones today are like toys! Tethered to them. They are huge time wasters, too. Like a steady stream of commercials, and you feel like you never get away from the phone as in never clocking out of work! Thinking of getting me a cheap generic phone that has no bells or whistles just to get free of all the chaos.
So helpful! Thank you for inspiration to change the way I start my day!
When my phone goes off at 4am, I turn it off for an hour. During that hour I make my coffee and just sit quietly enjoying the silence.
Cuddle with your partner for a few minutes
Cuddle with your partner for a few minutes.
Trying to create a habit of:
1. Laying silently talking to God
2. Go to my Bible before my phone
For some the Bible is on the phone.
Love this, thank you for sharing
I’ve got to start changing this bad habit in the mornings. It’s literally the first thing I do. Thanks for the reminder
I never used to keep my phone charging in the bedroom at night. But, since we no longer have a landline, it’s by the bed. So you are right that it has replaced reading, waking up slowly, going down for coffee, cuddling etc. I may charge it on the other side of the room, but feel for security it needs to be nearby.
EXCELLENT ADVICE. THANK YOU FOR SHARING.
My first activities of the morning are often triggered by the smells that greet me when I wake: clean the litter tray and get the bread out of the bread maker! I have a problem with forgetting to turn on my phone in the morning, although I manage to find plenty of other time thieves to make me late!
Thank you for this!!! Your list is very thought provoking and is leading me to establish some new “calmly awaken” habits…with a special notice I will not miss when I wake up…so many good suggestions to select from that are important for starting one’s day.
I appreciate your tips. Upon arising, I let my dog out and throw laundry in the machine. I like to get a few things done before coffee.
Load the laundry! Kim offered that as a suggestion for me to add too! I did take some of her other suggestions, but not that one :)
I loved this post and completely with all that you said. My life has been so much better since I started recharging my phone in another room at night and not even looking at it until I finish my morning routine. Thank you for your reinforcement of what is best.
That is a great idea, I am not on call any more and our cats wake us up, so can do this! And I have noticed when I do accidentally leave my phone in the living room or elsewhere, I get great sleep.
I love it and look forward to being able to do even one of these – but I currently get woken by 4 tiny kids under 6, so even peacefully using the restroom is out of the question 😆 It is its own kind of joy.
I start the day by feeling grateful for whatever comes to mind. I do this before I even get out of bed and finds it helps me go through the day with greater awareness of the abundance in my life. When my kids were young, I would ask them what they were grateful for early each day. My daughter once said, “Smiles! Because they’re free, kids can give them and they make people happy.” My son’s answers included the water cycle and the ozone layer.
Gratitude turns what we have into enough.
I feed the cats, take my vitamins with a glass of water, sit on the massager and drink my coffee for as long as I possibly can, now to put down the phone during that time and pick up a devotional would be a better use of my time.
This is such a helpful post and timely reminder. Thank you!
As person in my late 60s but one who is still young at heart, I have to add to your list: Take care of medical needs. Both my husband and I have compression stockings to put on each morning and prescriptions, OTC, and supplements to take. A dental hygienist that my husband and I saw nearly 20 years ago said her dad called it his “Happy Hour”. We had no idea at the time when we were in our late 40s that we would eventually be having our own “Happy Hour” each morning. :)
Great suggestions. However, I would recommend letting your sheets air out for a few mins before making the bed.
Also, feed your cat (like they’ll let you do anything else before you do…).
Water your plants & start a garden
That’s funny. “Water your plants” was on my early list, but I removed it because we don’t water the plants every day. But I did have it early.
Nine of these on any given day plus a few more not on your list. I love my quiet, peaceful start to my day. It makes a difference to me that my day at least begins just the way I like it.
You forgot sex :)
If you’re lucky enough to start your daily routine in such a way, go for it. :)
So very true!!! I’m bad at checking my sleep app and mail app and then of course, it seems to lead to other things! Told myself that I am putting my phone before my quiet time with the Lord. I’m working on it. Getting better, but have my moments!
Thank you for sharing.