{"id":6596,"date":"2015-10-07T03:06:40","date_gmt":"2015-10-07T09:06:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/?p=6596"},"modified":"2015-10-14T05:46:52","modified_gmt":"2015-10-14T11:46:52","slug":"break-this-habit-to-create-more-time-goodness-in-your-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/2015\/10\/07\/break-this-habit-to-create-more-time-goodness-in-your-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Break This Morning Habit to Create More Time & Goodness in Your Day"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If mornings are the toughest part of the day \u2026 if you feel agitated before you even get out the door \u2026 if you\u2019ve had a heavy heart and can\u2019t explain why, I am going to encourage you to make one small change in your morning routine: Resist the urge to reach for the phone.<\/p>\n
Starting your day by checking the phone is like flipping a switch from peace to productivity \u2026 from loving nurturer to grumpy manager \u2026 from present to absent. Reaching for the phone takes you out of your cozy pajamas-clad world and catapults you into the fast-paced, information overloaded world. Once your mind leaves your loved ones and fixates on all the things you need to do, it\u2019s hard to come back\u2014so hard to come back. Scrolling, clicking, and responding sneakily rob you of the precious minutes you need to get out the door on time\u2014and then everyone is yelling. I know these things because checking the phone was how I began my day\u2014or perhaps I should say sabotaged my day<\/em>\u2014for several years.<\/p>\n Things are different now. And I attribute an overall improvement in my home environment and personal wellbeing to one small change: Reaching for meaningful things rather than the phone to start my day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I recently shared this morning habit at a recent Q&A before a book signing for Hands Free Life<\/a>. Honestly I had no idea this piece of information would offer such a light bulb moment for so many. But as I saw the resolve on the faces before me, I knew change was coming for many families\u2014effective immediately.<\/p>\n I wasn\u2019t surprised when someone in attendance posted the following message on social media later that next day: \u201cDay #1 of \u202a#\u200eHandsFreeLife<\/a> went well. Anytime I\u2019d go for my phone for a quick check, I\u2019d laugh as I caught myself about to break my new habit. You see, I made a decision that before the kids go to school and after they get off the bus, I will turn my phone to \u2018airplane mode\u2019 and be fully present. We had a fantastic day together. We were calm and respectful to one another. We learned something new about each other. I intend to continue this new and very important habit. We all benefit when we become more present.\u201d<\/p>\n Later in the week the woman reported having time to listen to her 3-year-old child \u201cread\u201d a book, as well as time for her to read her older child\u2019s library book aloud. In the past, there wouldn\u2019t have been time for such connections in the morning. With her decision to wait to check technology, she suddenly had more time \u2026 more patience \u2026 more love. She is now on Day 6<\/a> and the whole family is reaping unexpected benefits due to her new habit.<\/p>\n When I saw the impact this solitary change was having on this woman\u2019s life, the following revelation came to mind:<\/p>\n When we pick up the phone to start our day, we get farther from the life we want to live<\/em><\/strong>. Information, messages, and demands take us away from what matters to us and shifts it to what matters to everyone else.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n But by not reaching for the phone first thing in the morning, we get closer to the live we want to live<\/em><\/strong>\u2014a life of meaning, knowing our people, caring for ourselves, and engaging in actions that could become our legacy when we're gone.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Because technology is so engrained in our lives, it\u2019s easy to forget there are other options in the morning besides reaching for the phone. But come tomorrow morning, we don\u2019t have to do what we yesterday. Come tomorrow morning, we don\u2019t have to do what 80% of the population does<\/a> upon rising. Come tomorrow morning, we can do something way <\/em>more fulfilling.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve estimated that the initial phone check costs three to ten minutes. In that same amount of time, we can do something that will positively influence the rest of the day and possibly our lives. Simply by reaching for something besides the phone when we rise, we can cultivate more connection, more meaning, and more joy. Let\u2019s look at some practical options \u2026<\/p>\n Instead of reaching for the phone when you rise, reach for love.<\/strong><\/p>\n Instead of reaching for the phone when you rise, care for yourself. <\/strong><\/p>\n Instead of reaching for the phone first thing in the morning, renew your soul. <\/strong><\/p>\n Instead of reaching for the phone when you rise, do something you\u2019ve been putting off. Instead of reaching for the phone when you rise, make the world better.<\/strong><\/p>\n And if you still feel you must start your day with the phone, just do one thing before you grab it. As soon as you open your eyes, say to yourself:<\/p>\n T<\/em>oday is a new day. I am thankful I have been given this gift. My goal is to get out of bed and greet myself and my family with love. Love is how I will start this day.<\/em><\/p>\n Some people may already have a list of excuses as to why they must start their day with their phone. They might say, \u201cBecause of _________, I need to see what I missed during the night. It only takes a few minutes.\u201d But this is not just about the few minutes it takes to check your phone in the morning. This is about how one single action negatively impacts the morning, the rest of the day, and potentially your life.<\/p>\n Mornings can be about not missing our digital connections or they can be about not missing our soul connections<\/em><\/strong>. Let us choose the latter. Let us not miss our lives.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n *****************************************************************<\/p>\n My writing on the topics of distraction and human connection, as well as my new book, Hands Free Life<\/a>, continue to connect me to incredibly inspiring and wise people in the field of improving our day, our relationships, and our lives. Here are two incredible opportunities for getting closer to the person and parent you want to be:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Thank you all so much for being part of The Hands Free Revolution Community<\/a>. If you have had a chance to read Hands Free Life<\/a>, I would be grateful if you could leave a brief review on Amazon<\/a> or Goodreads<\/a>. The reviews have been phenomenal and have been a tremendous help to the success of the book!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If mornings are the toughest part of the day \u2026 if you feel agitated before you even get out the door \u2026 if you\u2019ve had a heavy heart and can\u2019t explain why, I am going to encourage you to make one small change in your morning routine: Resist the urge to reach for the phone. 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