Want to get freedom from your phone?
Have you ever gone on a trip where you didn't have cell phone service? I remember the first time I went on a cruise I was so worried to go 10 days without my phone or internet access. What if someone needed to get a hold of me? What if I needed to get a hold of one of them? What if I miss out on something big!? These we some of the questions going through my head before. However, about an hour into the trip, I started to realize how AMAZING it was not to have to worry about my phone! It made the vacation so much more of a vacation! I was able to focus more on the present rather than thinking about how many likes my post got or responding to an email.
Now, I am not recommending that we get rid of our phones, however, I do think it is helpful to get a break from them. One of the best times is right at the start of your day! It is often said that how you begin your day can have a large effect on how the rest of your day goes. If we check out the phone first thing in the morning, it can put us in a reactive mindset for the rest of the day. I recently broke the habit of checking my phone first thing in the morning and I have loved the freedom I have gained from it. Taking just one hour in the morning without my phone has helped me to feel much more relaxed in the morning and throughout the remainder of my day.
Here are 4 reason's NOT to look at your phone first thing in the morning:
1. It's reactive
Lots of times it is easy to forget that we tell our phones what to do rather than it telling us what to do. When we look at our phone first thing in the morning and press on one of our notifications it puts us into a reactive mindset. We start to let our phone tell us what to look at and what to do. By putting out selves into this reactive mindset, it sets us up to remain in this mindset for the rest of the day. We find out selves checking our phones more-looking for what next we need to focus our attention on. By taking just one hour, you can help to reduce this.
2. It causes you to compare yourself to others
Often times, when I would wake up, the first notification I would press on would be something from Instagram or Facebook. I would start my day by looking at someone else. Without realizing it, I began to compare myself to them! I would see how they were are on a beautiful trip, got a new puppy, or had a fun night out. Even though I might not be jealous of the person, naturally I would start to feel like I missed out or that my life is lacking some sort of excitement.
3. Often takes up more time than you realize
I imagine we have all had it happen where we "quickly" check our phone in the morning, and then somehow it turns into 20 minutes of looking at Instagram, watching a video, clicking an ad, and then purchasing something on Amazon. We didn't mean to take up 20 minutes of time clicking around on our phone, but somehow it happened! And, now, we possibly threw off our morning schedule. Because we just spent 20 mintues on our phone, we are rushed to get out the door to work. This then not only puts us into the reactive mindset, but we are also stressed and rushed aswell.
Tips to stop
One of the first steps I took to stop myself to quit looking at my phone first thing in the morning was to stop using it as my alarm. If you are using your phone as your alarm clock, it will become extremely tempting to "quickly" click on the notifications after you turn your alarm off. Secondly, don't bring your phone out of your room with you. In the morning I get up and go to my kitchen and make some breakfast. I do not bring my phone with me! By leaving my phone in my room it does not at all tempt me to look at it.
Try it out!
Challenge yourself! Tomorrow morning don't look at your phone for the first hour. Or, start small, the first half-hour. Either way, commit to a time and try it at least once. I think you will find it extremely refreshing.
If you need help starting this new habit and tracking your progress, checkout the GoalCrazy 90 day planner. See how this tool can help you eliminate bad habits and create new ones that will move you in the direction of your goals. Check it out below.