Flip the Switch to Reap the Benefits!

5 Reasons to Start Your Day in Airplane Mode

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? If you were like me until recently, the first thing you do is check your phone or computer for messages and news.

One month ago, my mornings were completely reactionary and hectic. My iPhone is my alarm clock and when it went off, I would check my emails and text messages immediately.

It gets worse.  I became so accustomed to this habit that I realized that I was using email and messages as mechanisms to wake me up. My brain and body would not function without being stimulated by technology.

Scary, right?

I would wake up feeling drowsy and the only way to get out of bed was by scrolling through messages. This was a real wake+up call.

How to Avoid Technology Overload

A 2014 study showed that I’m not alone. Over 33% of UK citizens begin checking messages on their smartphone within five minutes of waking up.

Four weeks ago, I decided to put my phone in “Airplane Mode” before going to sleep each night.  This way, the phone would not register incoming messages until I took it out of Airplane Mode.

The results have been insanely great.

Instead of waking up to a bombardment of emails from friends and business partners who are on  different time zones (specifically China and Vietnam,) I wake up to a screen that simply says, “7:02.”

Nothing drastically bad will happen if you don’t respond to an email or text first thing in the morning. We all know the messages and emails aren’t going anywhere — they will be there when you flip the Airplane Mode switch off.

Since making this simple adjustment, I’ve noticed a ton of benefits and you can too. The quality of your morning has a direct correlation to the quality of your day.

Here are 5 Benefits in Starting Your Day in Airplane Mode:

1. You’ll remember your dreams

Without being immediately bombarded by messages, your mind will be focused on the previous night’s sleep and the dreams that had transpired. Once you start remembering and unserstanding your dreams, life starts to make more sense…. but that’s for another post.

2. You’ll have more time

You’ll be able to dedicate your time in the morning to having a good meal and setting positive intentions for the day. Heck, you might even be able to meditate, practice yoga, or read a book with your newfound time. Even five minutes can make a huge difference in the morning.

3. You’ll feel more relaxed

Without feeling obligated to answer emails and texts (when you read a message and don’t answer immediately your subconscious feels the pressure) you can go about your morning in peace.

4. You’ll be present in the moment

Without the bombardment of messages, you can focus on the present moment. What does it feel like getting out of bed? Is a certain body part sore? Why? Did you wake up feeling happy? Why or why not?

You can answer these questions because you can actually feel what’s happening within your body and mind instead of being numbed by technology. Having breakfast w/ an iPhone in your hand is not lucid practice. You can turn each morning activity into a mindful, lucid practice. Eliminate multi+tasking from your mornings.

5. There are healthier ways to wake up

I replaced my email and text message reading with 15 pushups and 1 Sun Salutation. It takes one minute and gets my blood flowing allowing me to wake up naturally.

Consider putting your phone in Airplane Mode before bed and don’t turn Airplane mode off until you’re ready to begin receiving messages for the day (I wait until 10am.) You’ll find that this practice leads to a healthy, happy, present beginning of your day.

Do you find yourself checking your phone/computer for messages and email first thing in the morning? Start your day in airplane mode and reap the benefits!

What some more ways and practices that can lead to a more mindful, lucid morning?

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive ~ to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” ~Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius

~Paz