A Toxic Morning Habit
Before even going into work, more than 50% of people will have already opened and read their email. Which more than half of you reading this will have started your day with email.
I find it hard to believe that half of you are awake by 5, showered, morning routine done and placed in your office chair for a workday by 6:45 am ... reading your email. I'm flat out assuming that you're rolling over while still in the bed, grabbing your phone and hitting that mail icon stat. I might even consider that you're up, having a cup of coffee and are just hitting the scroll hole a bit early on a Monday morning.
Are you happy with how you start each morning?
Are you committed to sticking with your morning email habits and screen routines?
If asked to defend your morning tech usage and why it's helpful to your brain, health, stress and overall wellness... could you do it?
If mentoring someone younger than you, would you want them to emulate how you start your days? Why or why not?
I heard once that when we start our day with data consumption it's like inviting 50+ people into our room who are all speaking to us at the same time about different things. Some of them need something from us, some of them want to do something for us and some of them are just popping in to share a tidbit! If 50 people stormed my room I wouldn't tolerate it, but when I reach for my phone each morning first thing - I'm inviting I think we are all past the point of justifying increased data consumption, more screen time and minimal slow time. Many of us have seen the adverse impact these things have on our mind, body and spirit.
So, what can we do about it? Well, we can get serious and start making changes.
If you want to quit checking your email in the morning - delete it off your phone. Speaking from experience - I DID THIS AND IT IS AMAZING. I made approximately 1,000 reasons why I couldn't delete my email app and why I needed to have access to it at all times. All of which weren't actually valid. I've been iPhone email free for almost a month now and guess what? I haven't checked my email from bed, from the car, in the grocery line or when I've been with family/friends out and about. Not one single time. If you have apprehension to doing something this drastic, I'd invite you to answer the following questions:
If deleting my email off my phone were possible, how would I communicate with clients/work if they needed something from me?
If I could start my morning slow without checking my email. what would I
do?
If deleting email off my phone helped me reduce stress and be present in the moment I'm in - would I be willing to try it? For how long?
I'm inviting you to make this small shift in your morning. Try it for 2 weeks and see what changes in your mornings. See if you can replace the early morning email check with something that gives back to your life. So, are you in?!?
Have a great week,