A day in the life : Day 425

This week, I tried following the trend of keeping a “phone-free first hour” in the morning. It’s been popping up everywhere — no notifications, no scrolling, just a quiet start to the day. My problem lately was that mornings felt rushed even when I woke up on time. Somehow, the day felt noisy before it even began.

The first morning was harder than I expected. My hand reached for the phone automatically, almost without thinking. I kept checking the time on my watch instead, feeling oddly disconnected. But once that urge passed, things slowed down. I made breakfast properly, sat down to eat, and actually finished one small task before the day picked up.

Midweek, I slipped. I checked my phone “just for a minute” and ended up replying to messages that could’ve waited. That one choice pulled me straight back into urgency mode. It reminded me how fragile good habits are — they don’t break loudly, they just fade quietly when you’re not paying attention.

The weather’s been warmer in the mornings, so I’ve switched to lighter breakfasts and more water. Heavy food plus early screen time just makes me feel dull. This small change helped me stay alert without needing instant stimulation.

By the end of the week, I wasn’t magically calmer all day, but mornings felt more stable. That alone made a difference. When the start is steady, the rest of the day doesn’t feel like damage control.

Trends like this sound strict online, but they don’t have to be. I’m not banning my phone — I’m just delaying it. And that small delay gives me a bit of space to start the day on my own terms, instead of reacting to everyone else’s.