Mornings can be hectic, so who has the time to read? It’s become the norm to check our phones first thing in the morning and take in the unread text messages, emails, and current events. It can be hard to process all that information at once, and it often leaves us feeling stressed before our day has even begun, so why do we continue to do it?
If we can dedicate at least 15 minutes to our phones each morning, which often leaves us feeling drained, then we can certainly dedicate 15 minutes to reading. Not only is it a healthier habit, but it’ll give you a sense of accomplishment and positive energy to start the day.
For the last several years, I’ve been setting time aside to read before bed. Sometimes I would come across a page turner and would pick back up first thing in the morning. Since then, I’ve started prioritizing spending at least 15 minutes to reading instead of scrolling on my phone. I couldn’t have ever imagined that I would become a morning reader, but it’s been a wonderful habit to adopt into my daily routine. Here are 3 reasons why you should start reading in the morning.
1) Practice Mindfulness Reading is a mindful practice. The type of information we expose ourselves to first thing in the morning is vital. We’re used to juggling so many thoughts at once, and reading is a way to quiet our minds and focus our attention elsewhere. In fact, some even consider reading as a form of meditation. If you’re not giving your full attention to what you’re reading, you won’t be unable to comprehend the text, meaning, and story at hand.
Mindful reading is a process of quiet reflection that requires mindful attentiveness, letting go of distracting thoughts and opinions to be fully in the moment with the text. It moves the reader into a calm awareness, allowing for a more profound experience and understanding.
mindful.org, three simple mindfulness practices…
2) It Gives You a Sense of Accomplishment Are you familiar with Admiral McRaven’s speech about the importance of making your bed first thing in the morning? He states, “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another.”
Just like making your bed first thing in the morning, reading is another task that can give you a sense of accomplishment. Whether you’d like to dedicate 5 minutes or 20 minutes each morning, reading something you enjoy can set the tone for the rest of your day.
3) You Get to Choose Your Intentions When you set a clear intention to take care of your mind first thing in the morning, you’re on the path to adopting healthier habits. Reading a book with your morning coffee versus doom scrolling on social media allows you to intentionally choose what to focus on. Whether you’re reading a self-help book that’ll give you some perspective, or a good fantasy book that’ll allow you to experience another reality, you’re in charge of what you consume.
Books and doors are the same thing. You open them, and you go through into another world.
jeanette winterson.
What are your thoughts on reading in the morning? Will you start adopting this habit in your morning routine? If this is something you already do, what’s your preferred genre? I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you’re looking for some book recommendations, visit my book tag here. For more posts relating to wellness, visit the tag here.
I am guilty of going straight to my phone and looking at unnecessary things. Thank you for this post!!
Same, adopting this new habit has been so beneficial for starting my mornings off right! Thank you for reading J!
Great tips not just for reading, but for any other pursuit in general. Let’s take writing, for example. Doing that in the morning also gives us the same mindfulness while also allowing us to feel like we’ve accomplished something early in the day. Anyway, thanks for this post!
Writing is another great example of practicing mindfulness! Thanks for reading Stuart!
Reading is such a relaxing way to start the day. I really liked your ideas about using reading to help focus our thoughts before the craziness of the day takes over.
It’s a wonderful way to start the day off! Thank you for reading Heidi!
We try to read every morning. It’s also something for us to look forward to/motivation to wake up.
That’s wonderful! It does serve as great inspiration first thing in the morning. Thank you for reading!
I haven’t really thought about reading in the mornings, but actually the reasons you have given make absolute sense! I think I might have to try this! Thank you for sharing your reasons!
Lauren
You should! It’s a wonderful alternative to scrolling on our phones in the morning. Thank you for reading Lauren!
Every once in a while, I’ll read a few pages in the morning, but now I’m going to try do do that more often.
That’s great Wendy! Reading a few pages in the morning makes a big difference. Thank you for reading!
I don’t usually read in the morning but since it has these really good thing. I would definitely want to start a habit. Thank you for sharing!
That’s great to hear Fransic! It’s a great habit to adopt into your morning routine. Thank you for reading!
I love the idea of swapping scrolling through my phone for a bit of morning reading instead! Like you said, there’s that sense of accomplishment reading before starting the day x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Absolutely, it’s a small change but it makes a huge difference. Thank you for reading Lucy!
Hi Winnie,
What a great idea! I’m not one for looking at my phone as soon as I get up and then every 5 minutes throughout the day but I do tend to watch breakfast TV … perhaps I could make a change.
And thank you for citing Admiral McRaven. I know the quote but can never remember who said it!
Thank you Richie! McRaven’s quote is a popular one and I’m glad it resonates well. Thanks for reading!
We love this idea! We try to read in the mornings, even if it’s just for ten minutes.
That’s great to hear! It makes a big difference when we expose ourselves to mindful content first thing in the morning. Thank you for reading!
Great post! You’ve made some very valid reasons why we should turn to reading versus social media in the mornings and I agree with it making us more mindful.
Thank you Jodie! Reading has made such a positive impact in my mornings!
Wow, you know what? This makes sense because we are most alert first thing in the morning. Our retention is better, too. Therefore, having a meaningful/mindful read should help set us up for the day.
Absolutely! It’s much easier to retain and hold information first thing in the morning, so it’s important to choose what we focus on mindfully! Thanks for reading!