Why You Should Start Your Morning Unplugged

The first few minutes after you wake up set the tone for the rest of the day. If you pick up your phone and start reading stressful headlines right after you turn off your alarm, then you are unlikely to roll out of bed with a positive attitude.

Instead, try spending the first hour of your day completely unplugged. A tech-free morning can be a great start to your day. To accomplish this, leave your phone outside of the bedroom right before bed. Keeping your phone by your bedside makes it easy to mindlessly pick it up for some late-night scrolling.

But, removing your phone from the room eliminates this possibility entirely. If you’re now worried about waking up on time, invest in an alarm clock to replace the alarm you may use on your phone. Although this may feel like an unnecessary purchase, it is absolutely a great investment toward your well-being.

Then, when you wake up, the urge to check any missed notifications will have vanished. Simply being a room (or more!) away from your phone will allow your mind some freedom while you’re still waking up.

When trying to eliminate a habit, it is often more effective to replace it with a healthier habit. We suggest spending the first five minutes of your day mindfully, so here are some ideas:

• Meditation
• Stretching
• Journaling
• Light reading
• Reciting a morning mantra, like “Breathing in, I am calm. Breathing out, I smile,” from Thich Nhat Hanh

All these practices can be done without ever leaving your bed.

Whatever you decide, we suggest that you keep it short and sweet, and then get out of bed to get on with the rest of your day. You've begun this new day wonderfully, so go spend it with joy and purpose!

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