Week 2 · Challenge 2
#2 Smart Phone Challenge
Own your mornings and protect your nights.
You're now adding Challenge 2 while continuing to keep notifications off and your meals phone-free. Each week builds on the last, and the earlier habits stay with you.
This week's challenge
Strictly no phone, especially social media, for the first and last waking hour of your day
Give yourself space to wake up as a human being before you plug into the rest of the world, and let your mind wind down properly before sleep.
- Give yourself time to open your eyes, breathe, stretch, wash your face, have breakfast, brush your teeth, talk with family, check the weather, get ready and plan your day, before dealing with the rest of the world.
- Allow at least 30 minutes for yourself to wake up properly.
- Look after yourself physically, mentally and emotionally before doing anything else.
- Leave your phone outside your bedroom at night. Find a safe place outside the bedroom for it to rest and charge.
- If you use it as an alarm, consider a cheap alarm clock instead.
- Ideally, put the phone on Flight Mode even when it's outside the bedroom.
Why is it a bad habit to look at your phone first thing in the morning?
Interrupts Natural Wake-Up & Creativity
Reaching for the phone immediately hijacks the calm, creative state your mind naturally drifts through as you wake, before it's had a chance to ease into the day.
Triggers Stress & Anxiety
Emails, news and messages flood you with demands and worries the moment you wake, starting your day in a reactive, stressed state.
Hampers Focus & Productivity
Beginning the day scattered across apps and feeds makes it harder to concentrate and set intentions for the hours ahead.
Impacts Mood Negatively
Comparison, bad news or stressful content first thing can set a low or anxious tone that colours the rest of your morning.
Strains Your Eyes
Staring at a bright screen before your eyes have adjusted to the day can cause discomfort and strain.
Reinforces Addictive Checking
Checking first thing rewards the habit loop, strengthening the compulsion to reach for your phone again and again.
What people report: real-life benefits
"I feel so much calmer starting my day slowly. My mornings finally feel like mine again."
"Not scrolling before bed has completely changed how quickly I fall asleep."
These are people's reported experiences shared as part of the challenge, not scientific findings.
How to change your morning habit
- Charge your phone outside the bedroom, or use a non-phone alarm clock.
- Delay screen time by 30 to 60 minutes.
- Use tea, water, stretching, meditation or journaling instead.
- Replace scrolling with gratitude journaling, breathing exercises or reading.
- Get some natural light or movement shortly after waking.
Bottom line: the way you start your morning sets the tone for your whole day. Protecting that first hour gives your mind, body and mood the chance to wake up on your terms, not the world's.
Why stop looking at your phone or any screen before bedtime?
Protect Your Natural Sleep Hormone (Melatonin)
Screen light suppresses melatonin, the hormone that tells your body it's time to sleep, making it harder to drift off naturally.
Reduce Insomnia Risk & Screen-Induced Delay
Late screen use pushes back the time you actually fall asleep and raises the risk of ongoing sleep problems.
Avoid Mental Stimulation & "Tech-Stress"
Messages, news and content keep the mind active and stressed when it should be winding down.
Minimize Disruptions & Notification Interruptions
A screen-free wind-down removes the pings and pop-ups that fracture your pre-sleep calm.
Break Reliance & Habitual Checking
Stepping away from the phone at night loosens the automatic habit of checking one more time.
Better Overall Health & Emotional Balance
Consistent, screen-free sleep supports your mood, energy and overall wellbeing.
Benefits of a screen-free bedroom
- Fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
- Wake up more refreshed and energised.
- Mentally disconnect from daily stressors.
- Strengthen intimate and restful pre-sleep routines.
From a challenge participant
Mornings are no longer spent mindlessly scrolling in bed, which has set a much calmer, more productive feeling throughout the day.