BAILEE STERLING

ANTELOPE STAFF

No more scrolling in the morning.

No more scrolling before bed. 

Sleeping is a time for rest and disconnect, but that seems to be the only time I’m intentional about being still. 

As my eyes open for the morning, so does my Instagram feed. 

Lying in bed, I grab my phone and do what I do best, scroll.

It’s such a habit and one that I feel can change for the better. 

So as of late, I’ve started to grow my habits. 

Before I go to bed, I turn my phone on do not disturb, set my alarm for the morning and open a book. Sometimes I read. Sometimes, it’s for 30 minutes and other times I get through two pages before my head hits the pillow. 

Reading allows me to still have the feeling of winding down, yet I am using my brain to do some of the work by visualizing what I read. 

Whe the morning hits, after I am done snoozing my alarm, I put my phone from the drawer of my nightstand, turn on my lamp and work towards accomplishing my first task…making my bed. 

“What’s the point of making your bed, when you’re just going to mess it all up again that night?” 

After giving that thought up, I’ve found that this has made me feel more put together. I also enjoy having a clean feeling to my room. So making my bed has also become a part of my morning routine. 

Then after I brush my teeth and do bathroom things, I try to go outside. Sometimes I stretch, other times I just kind of stand there and embrace the fresh air and listen to the sounds the morning offers. 

Other simple things that I have found to be beneficial are drinking a glass of water and eating something in the morning. 

So simple, yet I find it to be such a reset for each day. I have found that spending these 30 minutes to an hour disconnected from my phone allows me to feel more connected with myself. 

Starting my morning off and ending my day without my phone has allowed me to feel more productive and less bored, more appreciative and less empty.