Tech Free Morning Challenge

While feeding my son, I started to Facebook. While scrolling down my feed I found the following article.

http://us.cnn.com/2014/04/14/opinion/robbins-morning-habits/index.html?sr=fb041414snooze1pStory

I read and soon discovered I am guilty of doing just this. My typical day goes like this...

• I turn off my alarm (I hate snoozing it, I want to sleep solid until the very last minute.)

• I keep my phone in my hand and start scrolling through Facebook, or I check my messages, and sometimes I will check my email.

• Finally I get out of bed and I get dressed.

• Now one of my daycare kids shows up. 

• I get the kids breakfast and then I start to feed Peter.

• Usually I will turn on the TV and watch one of my shows and sometimes I Facebook some more.

• I don't do much in the morning. Pretty slow while I wait for all the kids to show up. 

• I teach the kids the letter of the week, read a book, and sometimes a craft.

• Then I put Peter down for his first nap.

• I still sort of laze about. Sometimes I pick up a bit, or maybe another show if anything is on.

• Peter is up, lunch is given to the kids.

• About an hour later it's nap time for all the kiddos.

• And it is now that I finally bust my butt. I clean my house up and down. I start dinner. I start the laundry. I have my phone down and the tv off. I get it done.

I have to admit I'm not proud of my day. I mean I know my house is clean by the end. I do get done what is needed and I even have plenty of time to relax. Yet, I still feel like I have wasted so much time. After reading this article, while yes wasting time on Facebook, I cannot help but wonder if it all begins with my start. If I didn't get on Facebook first thing would I have a more productive day? At the very least would I have a less stressful day? A day that I wasn't thinking about all I had to do in the morning, and stressing to get it all done in the afternoon?

So I decided to challenge myself and anyone and everyone is welcome to join me. First, decide the goals for the day.

Here are mine.

1. I want to add scripture study.

2. I want my house clean.

3. I want dinner cooked.

4. I want to spend quality time with my kids.

5. And I don't want to wait until the last minute to get it all done!

6. I do want some time to relax but not at the expense of any of the above or the feeling of being rushed to get it all done on time.

Second, come up with a plan of attack (some tips I found in the article)

• I will not check my phone as soon as I wake up.

• I will move my phone and charge it away from my bed. (It's a habit but I shouldn't need to be on it right before I go to bed or right when I wake up.)

• I need to do at least one productive thing before I do anything wasteful. (article suggests three but baby steps)

This is my goal for the week. I hope to continue until it becomes habit. Please feel free to join me and if any do, let me know if you notice any changes in your routine by simply cutting out that morning tech.