Daybreak Digital Detox

Daybreak…

I can hear the alarm, it’s not the first time it has woke me this morning. I set the alarm to play Addicted to Love, the Florence and the Machine cover. I liked it, or used to. Now the first few lines are like quick fire ammunition for around an hour. My dreams, my lovely crazy dreams, what were they again? I decide I have to get into the day.

To my phone.

7.35 am And. Time. Late. Shame. Phone. Notification. Notification. Notification. Notification. Notification. Notification. Notification. Notification. Notification. Notification. Whats App. Whats App. Whats App. Whats App. Whats App. Whats App. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Switch email accounts. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Ping. Email. Switch email accounts. Ping. Urgent Email. Reply. No, Reply to all. Reply. No, reply to all. Facebook. Invite. Like. Friend request. Friends in common. Accept. Like. Twitter. Switch accounts. Retweet. Rabbit Hole. Rabbit Hole. Switch Accounts. Scroll. Scroll. Facebook. Like. Invite. Decline. Instagram. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Hashtag. Hashtag. Hashtag. Hashtag. Like. Like. Like. Hashtag. Hashtag. Hashtag. Hashtag. Hashtag. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Trigger. Like. Like. Like. LinkedIn. Who? Accept. Who? Accept? Who? Accept. Email. Trigger. Forward. Reply to all. 8.05am. Get Up.

Sound familiar?

Take a deep breath to honour yourself if that’s how you started your day today. It’s a harsh way to start the day, I should know. I, like many, did it for years.

The energy and flow of those mornings reminds me of the story of David Merrill the 16 year old student who stimulated 3 groups of mice with different music daily and tested the effect on their brains. His measure was how fast they could complete the same maze over time. A control group cut down the time to complete by 5 minutes, a group listening only to Mozart cut down their time by 8.5 minutes and he had to cut short his experiment as those listening to heavy metal all killed each other.

If you don't want to feel like a lab rat most mornings who has been forced to listen to heavy metal then here are some guiding principles to bring a little more peace and consciousness to your morning. They act as an invitation to let you and the day dance together a little to Mozart or find your own flow altogether. This little daybreak digital detox to find your own flow can take the same 40 minutes. It really doesn't take long.

For me finding the flow involves:

- A little movement - whatever takes your fancy, movement meditation is my bag but yoga or just stretching can make you feel in tune with your body. It can help reduce back pain, improve circulation, posture and flexibility. Not to mention remove emotional blockages and help move us out of the busy mind.

- Sound! I often have my own personal practice in the morning but the burst of energy I get from opening a window and or door and stepping outside to listen to birdsong is unrivalled. And the best thing - it's free and there for anyone. The sounds are hypnotic, reassuring and grounding. Our evolution has taught us to feel calm when we hear birdsong - we associate it with all being well in the world. Our DNA is much more connected to nature than we are now. Plug back in - it takes just a moment.

- Nourishment. This usually means food and drink but I often dream and writing down my dreams is just as nourishing to me creatively. You may have children or loved ones that you want to connect with and take a moment to appreciate their presence too. For me it's a moment feeding my cats.

All the while listen to your internal beat and tempo - what sort of energy do you have today? Which side of you needs nurturing and what is your flow?

Only then can you best respond and work with the day presented to you through the little phone in your hand. It all seems to have so much more perspective after the expanse of the Daybreak Digital Detox.

Go kindly

Go gently

Image courtesy of my lovely pal @bobbejane74 over on Instagram