What benefits could we see from ditching the screens for the first few minutes of our day?

Once our devices are on, they are such a powerful influence and distraction on our thoughts and actions. Before we know it, we are swept up in the anxiety and overwhelm of a flood of information and tasks. Starting each day with some screen-free time helps us to feel as if we are in control of our time and our thoughts. It acts as a mini-detox from the dopamine ‘hit’ that we get from being hooked to our screens all day long. It gives us space to dream a little, to reflect a little, to wake up more more naturally. This helps us to feel connected to ourselves and to the people who we are with. And if we are prone to anxiety or negative thinking then it helps us to feel calm before the day begins.

Are there any common pitfalls when it comes to quitting our morning phone use? How do we avoid them?

It’s easy to make excuses to avoid trying something new. If you recognise that you’re getting in your own way, then see if you can solve the problem. Need your phone to tell the time or to set an alarm? Invest in a cheap alarm clock. Need your phone to make a note of something before you forget? Keep a pad and pen on your bedside table. Can’t spare five minutes? How about setting your alarm five minutes earlier. Or shorten another element of your morning routine to make way for something new.

And if you’re still finding ways to avoid screen-free time, be curious about why you’re doing this. It might be a version of self-sabotage. Perhaps the idea of screen-free time is tapping into some underlying fears about just being with your own thoughts. If this is the case, it’s worth exploring further.

One Good Thing: why we should aim for at least 5 minutes of screen-free time when waking up