Break the Phone-First Habit
Have you already fallen off the new year’s resolution wagon? You’re not alone! 88% of people fail within the first two weeks of the year!
One of my goals for 2025 is actually a habit I want to develop and that’s the habit of no social media before my time in The Secret Place (aka “quiet time).
It has been a (bad) habit of mine to grab my phone as soon as I wake up and start scrolling social media. I tell myself that it’s because my brain isn’t fully awake to dive deep into the Word and prayer. And while that’s somewhat true – I am pretty groggy until that Diet Coke kicks in – social media can way too quickly take over my thoughts and before I know it, I’ve wasted too much time and then everything is off schedule and it’s too easy to procrastinate on what is actually the most important thing I can do.
Also. Stop judging me about the Diet Coke first thing in the morning. Thank you. So here’s how I’m replacing the habit of picking up my phone first thing.
With the help of my iphone’s Screen Time settings, I was able to set a DOWNTIME schedule. This allows me to turn off specific apps on a set schedule. I chose to turn off almost every app (including ALL social media) from 12:00am – 9:00am. Now when I pick up my phone first thing in the morning, almost all apps, including ALL social media are greyed out. If I try to choose it, it tells me that I’ve reached my time limit.
Yes, technically, I can then press the “Ignore Limit” and continue down the social media pathway, but the time limit reminder stops me from mindlessly beginning the morning scroll of distraction and forces me to make a choice.
Choosing to greet the Holy Spirit first thing is not a habit yet – my groggy brain hasn’t quite rewired itself yet to this new way of living, but the downtime function on my phone is holding me accountable while I’m being reprogrammed! If your first instinct in the morning is to pick up your phone and check email, the news, social media, etc., I challenge you to begin developing a new habit of time with Him before anything else. (OK – go ahead, hit the bathroom and grab your Diet Coke – but put down that phone until you’ve spent quality time in The Secret Place.) I GUARANTEE it will make a difference in your relationship with God!
PS: If your kids have an iPhone, there are parental controls that will allow you to block apps. Whether you want to limit screen time or completely block apps, this is worth learning about. I’d try and explain it, but YouTube university is your best friend and will show you how!
