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Many of us look at our devices and start scrolling as soon as we wake up and it has become a habit that we struggle to detach from . We would be taking an hour or so just lying in bed and scrolling away through out devices, answering to notifications, see how many "likes" we received and reading a few comments. I t is obvious by this time we engaged in a meaningless task and absorbed some useless, negative energy that is sure to drain our mornings, thus establishing an unproductive morning.
If you have experienced this meaningless task since Facebook was launched and feel that there is a need for change, then you came to the right blog. We will explore different methods to break this negative habit, identify steps to gradually make the changes, discuss the benefits of these changes, practice being mindful of these new changes or habits, and how to stay consistent and maintain that positive change.
Break The Habit
Changing a habit you've been doing for so long can be challenging and takes some time to see progress. However, it is determination and consistency that lead you to progress and manifest the changes and results you desire.
So, if you are ready to make positive changes to empower your mornings, these methods will gradually assist you to the break the cycle of meaningless morning scrolling.
Method 1: Keep Away!
Keep your phone away from your bed. Although, it can be tempting to "sleep" with your phone next to you or scrolling away to sleep, it has a negative affect on your sleep cycle. Without you realising, you absorb the negative frequencies your radiates which cannot be seen through the naked eyes. Let alone, you maybe watching or listening to lower frequency images or videos that can be imprinted in your subconscious mind while you sleep.
Instead of doing the above, place your phone away from your bedside table. Better yet, keep it outside your bedroom. Grab a book and read a few pages until you feel sleepy. At least you gain some productive information or if you're into fantasy, at least you'll feel some joy. However, if you need to set an alarm for work, I guess it's OK to place your phone on your bedside table, but as long you read a few pages from your favourite book.
Method 2: Don't Look
As soon as you hit the snooze the button - I know you will hit that button a few times but, that's OK, we're human - lay away awake in you bed and have a little stretch. But DO NOT LOOK at your phone.
Take a few breathes in and out, not too deep as this is just a start of the waking process. Sit up straight on your bed, stretch your arms out and think of a thankful thought. For example, "Thank you for this lovely, peaceful morning." Now, stand up and do a few side bends with arms up and stretched.
By this time, you'll be heading to do your morning ritual and not looked at your phone. Well Done!
Method 3: Meditate Before You Sleep
In this method you are allowed to use your phone to meditate before you sleep. Meditation will help you stay focused and eliminate distractions. This can be challenging for some of you but, the more you practice the better you get. You can chose any type of meditation you wish, as many are on YouTube. The sleep meditations are obviously recommended. So, lie down in bed, put your favourite meditation music on - it can be relaxing, nature sounds, not for specific meditation - make sure your room is dark to create relaxing and sleep-mood ambience, close your eyes and relax your body. Breathe normally as you do and focus on the relaxing sounds of your chosen music for sleep.
As a side note, if you are listening from YouTube, make sure the player is not on auto play as this platform plays videos on random. Otherwise, there are apps you can use such as, "Calm"
This method will surely put you in deep, relaxed sleep but will awaken you refreshed.
Step For Gradual Changes
Changing old habits can be a challenge as mentioned earlier, however, staying consistent and determined to make a change will put you in a positive mindset and see those positive changes manifest. Here are some steps you can practice for gradual changes:
Always focus on your determined path. If you see yourself moving a step backward, re-focus your mind on why want to make a change.
Eliminate distractions. Distractions include: a video you wanted to watch watch earlier but, did not have the chance to see it; doing tasks on your phone that you that you did not complete doing during the day; and scrolling because you, also, missed doing that during the day.
Always place your favourite book on your bedside table. This will shift your attention to continue reading the book because what you are reading is interestingly pulling you in to read more.
Focus on a restful sleep. When it is bedtime, shift your mind to focus on sleep because you need it. Sleep is you recharging your own batteries and it is of the upmost importance for a human body. To help you in this step, create a calm, dark atmosphere and place a pleasant scent such as lavender or sandalwood - to promote sleep - in your bedroom.
Overall, make your bedroom your sacred space and sleep as your sacred ritual.
Benefits Of These Changes
As you incorporate the methods and follow the steps mentioned you will start to see changes and these changes carry their own benefits:
You will want to continue embarking on this new journey of change because you are seeing positive results. Positive results are addictive, thus urging you to continue to create these results.
Your body starts to feel different. You will feel energised and you may feel a little lighter. This is because your body regenerates new cells while you sleep and to assist it in doing this bodily function you focused on "sleep" as you were preparing for bedtime.
You will be more productive as soon as you wake up because your body had a restful sleep and gained its energy back from the previous day.
You will start to fall asleep easily and with no distractions. As you occupy the methods and steps mentioned earlier, it will become a habit, naturally. You will no longer feel the need to look at your phone before bedtime as this thought will slowly dissolve from your mind.
As a reminder, if you feel you have moved back to the old ways, just repeat the methods and steps that lead you to the positive change.
Practice Being Mindful Of The New Habits
Mindfulness is the practice of being aware and focused on the task at hand in the present moment. By shifting your awareness on the task you are performing - the bedtime method and steps - you eliminate distractions that may be surrounding you, thus shifting your mind to focus on that particular task. You will become aware of your surroundings and realise what is a distraction and what is not. Overall, your mind becomes clearly focused and allow you to make decisions on what serves you best.
Staying Consistent & Maintaining Those Changes
There may be drawbacks or challenges that we may experience when we start to change our old behaviours to the new. This is normal for a human behaviour and we can always get back on track by following the steps from the beginning. Nevertheless, here are is a list of ways to stay consistent and maintain that positive change:
Ask yourself why you are making those changes and for what what purpose.
Focus on that vision you have in mind, seeing that positive change and where it is taking you.
Feel the positive progress and the results you achieved from the effort and determination you put in.
Realise where you are at now and ask yourself if you really want to go back to the old ways.
Note the productivity you have gained during the day and plan ahead for the next day. This will help you stay on track with those habit-changes.
Last but not least, feel the joy and happiness, also the excitement of the positive changes and how energetic you feel during the day. When you FEEL, you create your vision.
Conclusion
When you feel the need to change something within your daily routine or feel that something must be changed it is your body and soul telling you that you must act now. And to start you r changes your mornings should make you feel excited to have that energy and embrace those changes you are willing to make, thus leading to productive days and empowering mornings.
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