Breaking the Morning Phone Habit
How Removing My Phone from the Bedroom Transformed My Mornings
Author Tony Renkie surveyed over 8,000 people for his book 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You and found that 54% of respondents check their smartphone first thing in the morning, while 73% open email and social media before engaging in any spiritual disciplines.
For years, I was one of them. My phone doubled as my alarm clock, and because it was always within reach, checking notifications became the first and last thing I did every day. The glowing rectangle bookended my mornings and nights. I won’t list all the reasons why this habit is unhealthy—most of us already know them—but it wasn’t until I read Andy Crouch’s The Tech-Wise Family that I felt compelled to make a change.
It’s interesting to realize that my phone use had become a routine. We usually associate routines with intentionality, but mine had formed passively, dictated by convenience rather than choice. To break the cycle, I took an old smartphone, stripped it of all apps, put it on airplane mode, and used it solely as an alarm clock. My actual phone was moved to the kitchen, where it charged overnight, out of sight and out of mind. Then, I spent ten dollars on a simple, battery-operated alarm clock—and that small investment changed everything.
Now, my mornings look very different. When my alarm goes off, I still hit snooze (some habits die hard), but instead of reaching for my phone, I spend a few moments gathering my thoughts before getting out of bed. I head to the kitchen, where my phone sits untouched, and leave it there. My first cup of coffee brews as I settle into my writing routine, usually for about an hour, before moving on to breakfast—granola and yogurt—and time for reading, journaling, and prayer. As an empty nester, I have more flexibility in my mornings, but I make a conscious effort not to pick up my phone until I’ve completed these essential parts of my day.
Evenings have changed, too. I’ve always ended my days with light fiction, but now, rather than scrolling through my phone or playing Wordle, I read something short and centering. This year, I started a nightly habit of reading the day's devotion from Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest.
Removing my smartphone from my bedroom has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. It has helped me read more, write more, and feel less distracted. I suspect I’m sleeping better, too. This simple shift has improved my life in ways I didn’t expect—and it all started with a $10 alarm clock.
Yes yes yes. Such an important switch that EVERYONE should consider making.