On some days, you may be tempted to stay in bed with your phone. Checking email, scrolling through social media, and watching a little Netflix can all sound like a great way to start the day. What are your thoughts on phone-free mornings? Chances are, you’re either for them or against them. There seems to be a lot of debate surrounding this topic, with people arguing that having some time completely screen-free is essential for a productive day or that it’s just another way to further disconnect from the real world.
There doesn’t have to be a right answer — both sides make valid points. Why not try out phone-free mornings yourself and see what works best for you? You may find that you enjoy having some time without interruption to focus on your thoughts and tasks, or you may realize that you need access to your phone to start the day off.
8 Ways To Start a Phone-free Morning
We all know how hard it is to get out of bed when our smartphone is glaring from its perch on the nightstand. If you need some encouragement to leave your phone behind, here are eight ways you can start a successful phone-free morning.
1. Make Your Room Very Dark
If you’re addicted to Instagram or Twitter, this tip is for YOU! You can’t find your phone in the dark anyway, so if it’s not near your bed, then there’s no temptation to pick it up and scroll through social media channels before sunrise. Leaving behind technology in a pitch-black room will help set the tone for a peaceful morning ahead.
2. Wake Up With a Morning Mantra
One phrase that will help you leave your phone behind is “I am whole without my phone.” This simple sentence reminds you that your life can still be enjoyed and fulfilled without the constant input from this external device.
It works as a reminder to put your phone down, but it also functions as a meditation technique to stop you from reaching for it first thing in the morning. Starting with a daily affirmation might seem strange, but on those days when there’s no time to stretch or meditate, focusing on a statement like this brings you back into the present moment more quickly than focusing on what happened five minutes ago on Twitter.
3. Listen to the Light
This is a tip that works for everyone, but it’s especially helpful to those who are extremely bothered by the morning darkness. If you open your eyes to just an alarm clock display, you’ll be more inclined to stay under the covers snoozing away because it will feel too much like nighttime to make getting out of bed worth it.
Go ahead and set your bedside lamp or ceiling light on a dimmer! This tiny adjustment can have a huge impact on your body’s internal circadian rhythm, helping you wake up feeling refreshed — at least until you check Facebook five minutes later.
4. Break Out Some Breakfast Bars
Eat these before starting on your daily commute, and they’ll power you through any drive-thru lines or packed trains without ruining everyone’s early-morning vibes.
If you’re focusing on what bar to take with you for breakfast, you’re less likely to scroll through social media before leaving for work. With so many varieties of breakfast bars to choose from, you’re sure to find something that fits your preference and your schedule.
5. Use an Alarm Clock Instead of Your Phone
Are you constantly missing early morning meetings because you overslept without realizing how late it was? That might be because you rely on your smartphone as both an alarm clock and a sleep tracker, but if you remove one function (alarm) from this equation, it will help ensure that you wake up when your alarm goes off!
Once that happens, getting yourself out of bed feels easier because now all that’s left is putting on clothes and brushing your teeth. Alarm clocks may not come with the same features as your smartphone, but you can always add a little “flair” to yours by decorating it with family photos.
6. Keep All Other Technology Out of Reach
If there’s no phone sitting on your nightstand, then you won’t be able to check email until after sunrise. If you aren’t checking emails first thing in the morning, that means you’ll probably have more time to devote to stretching and meditation before getting ready for work!
That said, we should warn you that this strategy isn’t very effective unless ALL other devices are put away and unable to keep you from starting your morning. Keeping one old laptop near you can put a serious cramp in your good morning intentions since it’s all too easy to check your email before — or after — a cup of coffee.
7. Keep a Notepad and Pen Next to You Overnight
People often lose sleep worrying about things that happened during the day, but if you keep paper and pen near your bed, then at least you’ll be able to soothe yourself with productive actions instead of unproductive thoughts.
Putting down what’s bothering you on paper gives it distance from your mind, allowing for rational thought so that when morning comes around, you can take action based on real information instead of just flying by the seat of your pants!
8. Do Morning Yoga With a Buddy
There are few things more enticing than snuggling back under the covers and checking your phone when it’s cold out, but doing quick stretches first thing in the morning can make you feel warm and promote morning mindfulness — which is why this practice has also become one of the most popular ways to start your day! If taking advantage of someone else’s early-morning flexibility sounds appealing, then get ready to meet your new best friend: yoga.
Why Phone-free Mornings are Beneficial
Why would someone want phone-free mornings, though? Is there really anything wrong with checking your texts or social media as soon as you wake up? Yes, there is more than one reason why getting rid of your phone in the morning will benefit you and everyone else around you.
1. Phone-free Mornings Promote Happiness
You might be thinking that there’s nothing wrong with checking your phone as soon as you wake up, but have you ever tried to stay off your phone for even ten minutes? Perhaps in those ten minutes, you could have grabbed some coffee and enjoyed the morning light coming through your bedroom window.
Instead of seeing the happiness around you, though, what do you see? You see people posting pictures on social media of their fancy breakfast or complaining about how much work they have ahead of them. Your phone-free morning is an opportunity to enjoy the simplicity of being alone with your thoughts.
2. Phone-free Mornings Promote Gratitude
Another great benefit that comes from phone-free mornings is gratitude. When we stop using our phones in the morning, we give ourselves time to be present and appreciate all that we have. You can begin your day by thinking about the things you’re grateful for and even set some goals for yourself, so you can keep moving forward in a positive direction.
3. Phone-free Mornings Promote Productivity
The world today is overstimulating and overpopulated with endless information and possibilities. We are always connected wherever we go through our smartphones, which leads us to believe that multitasking is an ability everyone should have.
Multitasking lowers your efficiency because you’re unable to fully commit yourself to what you’re working on at the moment. Phone-free mornings will help you establish a good routine where you can take advantage of being alone with your thoughts without being tempted into checking your phone every few minutes.
Final Thoughts
If you’re ready to own your mornings, then stop checking your phone first thing in the morning. It’s time to set a phone-free morning routine and start your day off right. If you don’t have one yet, create some ground rules for what you’ll do when the alarm goes off in the morning.
See if your friends would like to follow this with us, and see how it makes their mornings go better! Let’s give our brains that extra dopamine boost we need by setting up an electronic detox plan where we’re not staring at screens until noon every day.