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Here are 22 screen-free morning routine ideas to reduce anxiety and increase productivity alongside realistic tips to help you stop doomscrolling when you first wake up.
Doomscrolling and screen time certainly can get the best of us at times, especially in the mornings!
In this post, we discuss the impacts this can have on our mental health and overall wellbeing as well as realistic tips and productive morning routine ideas to help you to stop doomscrolling.
What exactly is doomscrolling?
Doomscrolling is continuously scrolling online or on social media absorbing content that can be particularly harmful when consumed in excess, such as negative news and content that can be considered depressing or triggering.
3 Negative effects of doomscrolling
1. It’s addictive
While a healthy relationship with phones and social media is possible, scrolling online can become addictive.
Scrolling on your phone stimulates the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain commonly known as one of the four ‘feel good’ hormones directly linked to our mood and overall well-being.
Dopamine is known to be important for reinforcement and motivation of actions. When we do something pleasurable, we get a hit of dopamine which is what causes us to want to do something again.
The release of dopamine is not only triggered by pleasure but by the anticipation of pleasurable experiences, drugs, novelty and surprise.
In regards to the digital world, some examples of dopamine triggers include:
- Posting a picture and receiving likes or comments
- Watching funny content
- Reading fresh content such as a news headline
- Refreshing your news feed to be greeted by a bunch of new content
2. Negatively impacts mental health
The dangers of doomscrolling include negative impacts on mental health.
It can lead to existential anxiety, depression, lowered self-esteem, negative rumination and even the worsening of pre-existing conditions.
Being constantly exposed to distressing news, ‘rage-bait’ styles of content, unpredictable content on news feeds and comparing one’s self to others online can all take a toll on mental health over time, to name a few examples.
3. Shortens attention span
With short-form content on the rise, creators online are all the more being encouraged to produce this type of content for algorithm purposes and to increase engagement overall.
Common examples of short-form content include 15-30 second videos you may see on TikTok, Youtube Shorts and Instagram reels.
While this type of content is not entirely problematic and can be great for marketing, it is important to note that excessive engagement of short-form content can lead to a decline in concentration span.
Keep scrolling to read morning routine ideas and inspiration for a screen-free morning routine.
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6 Pre-morning routine ideas & tips to stop doomscrolling
Preparing ahead of time for your screen-free morning can be highly beneficial.
Doing so allows you to start your morning routine with ease, saves time and can motivate you.
1. Utilise screen-time settings
IOS and Android phones now have settings that allow you to support your digital well-being such as being able to set screen-time limits, scheduling reminders for downtime away from the screen as well as checking your screen-time stats overall.
Other settings include ‘Do Not Disturb’ which also has options that allow you to choose when it automatically turns on e.g. 10 pm until 8 am.
If you are someone who may find these settings useful but do not want to miss out on important notifications (such as calls from a loved one, work-related calls or business emails), you can customise these features on most smartphones!
All in all, utilising these options can help you to set screen-time boundaries especially if you struggle with cutting down on the amount of time you spend scrolling.
2. Make a morning routine checklist
Write a screen-free morning routine checklist or even just make note of things that you would ideally like to achieve!
This is helpful if you are trying to build habits and structure when forming a productive morning routine.
3. Log out of socials
If you find yourself being tempted to check your socials when trying to cut down on screen time, you may find that logging out when you are not actively using them is helpful.
For example, logging out at a certain time in the evening until a specific time after waking up. This can encourage a mindful nighttime routine, positively impact your sleep and limit distractions during your morning routine.
4. Lay out your clothing the night before
This is typical for most but doing this in the evening can help your morning routine flow easier and save you a lot of time.
If you like to work out in the morning or wish to start, laying out a workout outfit can drastically motivate you!
5. Keep your phone away from the bed
You might find this to be unnecessary however keeping your mobile phone away from the bed and even out of the room can improve your sleep routine alongside reducing EMF exposure throughout the night.
If you struggle with scrolling after your morning alarm, keeping your phone someplace other than the nightstand may help you combat this.
Invest in a plug-in or battery-powered alarm clock if needed!
6. Schedule screen-time
Set specific time aside in your schedule for screen time. For example, if you want to aim for an hour per day you could try two sets of 15 minutes during the daytime and then 30 minutes in the evening.
If you are trying to stop doomscrolling and plan to cut down your screen time, you may wish to let loved ones know or perhaps schedule calls with friends instead!
16 Screen-free morning routine ideas
Friendly realistic disclaimer: Obviously, not every morning is going to look a certain way. For most, a constant strict routine is not realistic. We all have *different* fluctuating needs and natural rhythms.
Here are 16 healthy morning routine tips and ideas that promote productivity, help you reduce anxiety and limit screen time. Take what you need and put them in an order that suits you best!
1. Get present
Before getting out of bed and starting your no-phone morning routine, get present in the moment.
If you do not wish to do a full-on meditation, simply focusing on your body or your breathing for a few moments will ground you in your body. This helps you to avoid getting sucked into the mind first thing especially if you struggle with anxious thoughts.
This is my most recommended start to a productive morning routine!
Starting your day with presence will help you to observe the tendency to scroll if you wish to cut down or stop doomscrolling, rather than become absorbed by it.
The more you practice this, the easier it will become to stay present and observe the mind.
2. Water
Drink water to rehydrate the body after a night of sleeping and improve your mood.
Keep a glass or bottle by your bed to motivate you. I recently purchased a carafe set for my nightstand and it has been a game changer!
3. Make your bed
Make your bed after getting up to create a welcoming environment to get back to in the evening, this will also delay time for the avid morning scroller!
4. Go over your daily schedule
Check your daily to-do list to refresh your memory and get you on track for the day ahead.
Tip: Write a morning routine checklist with your daily to-do list to assist you in building a productive morning routine.
5. Stretch
Try some gentle stretching in bed or a yoga mat to relieve muscle tension, increase blood flow and wake you up.
6. Open up the windows
Let some fresh air in to further wake you up and improve airflow in your home.
7. Get early morning sunlight
Early morning sunlight helps to reset the circadian rhythm which in turn, regulates our sleep and wake cycle.
In other words, getting early sunlight in your eyes will help to support a healthy sleep pattern.
Having breakfast or a coffee in the garden, taking a short walk or even sitting by an open window shortly after waking up is all you need.
8. Use soft lighting
If you are awake before sunrise, opting for softer lighting such as dimmable bulbs, fairy lights, candles or salt lamps can help you feel relaxed as you ease into your morning routine.
9. Skincare routine
It is common for the mind to wander off when doing things we do daily on autopilot such as a morning skincare and hygiene routine.
Being present when doing your skincare routine is a great calming way to get in some morning self-care.
10. Mindful eating
Being present when eating food can positively impact eating habits as well as the relationship we have with ourselves and food overall.
Mindful and slower eating supports digestion and allows you to fully tune in to how your body reacts to the food that you eat.
Engaging your senses when eating also helps to ground you bringing you further into the present moment.
11. Journal
Journalling is great for your well-being overall and what better time to do it than a screen-free morning routine! Some journal ideas for your morning routine include random brain dumps to help prevent overthinking throughout the day and using gratitude prompts.
12. Utilise manifestation techniques
Did you know that when you first wake up your subconscious mind is super easy to program due to your brain being in a relaxed brainwave state?
When making a habit of scrolling on your phone first thing, especially on social media, you are feeding your subconscious mind with the types of content you are consuming such as distressing news and other people’s lives.
It is important to be mindful of what you are feeding it early in the morning.
Start your morning by visualizing your desires as if you already have them, or speak affirmations in the present tense. If you are into vision boards, mornings are the perfect time to take a look at them!
RELATED: Manifest Anything By Doing This As You Go To Sleep – Neville Goddard SATS Technique
13. Be present with loved ones
Mornings can be hectic, especially if you have a busy household!
A screen-free morning routine allows you to be more present with those that you live with, this is a great time to check in with one another and discuss your plans for the day without a bunch of distractions from screens.
14. Sit with a relaxing drink
Similarly to mindful eating, sitting with a morning coffee or drink of your choice and being present with it will help you to become present as you ease into the day.
Doing this before leaving the house or starting your main to-do list will help to calm your energy and regain your focus after getting the majority of your morning routine out of the way.
15. Take care of plants
If you have houseplants that need tending to, now is a good time! This is a simple way of grounding and connecting with greenery without leaving the house.
16. Tidy your space
Screen-free mornings offer up free time you probably didn’t realise you had. If needed, a quick tidy-up after your morning routine creates a much nicer environment to get back to!
Another tip is to lay anything out you might need to begin your evening routine such as comfy clothes or workout attire.
Thanks for stopping by and reading!
Which are your favourite screen-free morning routine ideas?
