As professionals, we all know how we're addicted to our phones. After all, it's a handy tool that keeps us up to date on the goings-on in both our work and personal lives. There are e-mails and instant messaging for work, as well as social media for our personal documentation of our lives. In fact, digital marketing has blurred the lines between our personal and professional lives today. This has also made us reach for our phone more often. In fact, a lot of us has made it a habit to reach for our phones the moment we wake up. Mobile devices have been known to affect sleep quality and quantity, but how can it affect our waking hours?

Psychologist Ron Friedman explained to the Harvard Business Review that the first three waking hours of the Morning is the time that we are "really, really focused." At this time, we are able to "have some strong contributions in terms of planning, in terms of thinking, in terms of speaking well." So how can we maximize this without reaching for our phones? Here are five habits to do instead of reaching for the mobile phone the moment you wake up.

1. Reflect or meditate

Looking at your phone the first thing in the morning can make you feel overwhelmed and immediately exhausted for the day ahead, seeing everything you need to do. Instead, photographer Mark Lobo recommends to incorporate a lot of time in the morning to relax, do some stretching, and do some guided meditation.

2. Self-care

In the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, we often overlook to give ourselves a breather and just take time to take care of ourselves. New York Times bestselling author Rachel Macy Stafford recommended to Thrive Global that self-care is one thing you can to do improve your mornings. She even suggests multitasking while doing it, writing, "Do some gentle stretches while thinking of ten things you are grateful for."

3. Pursue wellness

This goes hand in hand with the two previous bullets, as it places you first.

Note that we didn't use the term "exercise" as it sounds daunting and quite honestly, demotivating. Instead, pursue wellness through simpler efforts like going for a morning stroll along the block with your dog, or trying out that 10-minute bodyweight workout you saw on YouTube. The endorphins will contribute to you having a better day.

4. Briefly disconnect

Mornings should be sacred. So don't waste it on endlessly scrolling down social media feeds. Try not checking social media or e-mail unless you've done at least three hours of "deep work." This means that your morning should be free of distractions.

5. Grab your journal

Instead of reaching for your phone, reach for your journal and jot down any thoughts and goals you may have for the day or week. List any reminders you'd like to have for yourself or any musings you've had lately. This way, you can go back to them anytime during the day for reference.
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