The Benefits of "Analog Mornings"

Every day, it seems like we get bombarded by more and more information. And new sources of information appear daily, and suddenly another dozen apps pop up, asking us to subscribe.

Whereas I am very likely capable of processing and keeping up with it all, sometimes I have to pause and ask myself whether I really want to. Does this eternal attempt to "keep up" actually add anything to my quality of life?

I don't think so...

Recently, I have been experimenting with what I now refer to as "analog mornings."

That is to say, I touch nothing that has a screen on it until after I have finished my first cup of coffee... which generally ends up taking me an hour or so.

I make my coffee, feed the cats, scoop the litter boxes and then sit down and quietly contemplate my day, using only pen and paper!

If the weather is nice, I might take a walk around our property, pausing to really look at the changing seasons manifest themselves — here IS a screen exception; if I see something cool, I'll use my phone for photography only — while also watching birds, clouds and just reflecting on life.

Sometimes I get ideas for blog posts and articles and will jot down a quick outline... again, just using pen and paper.

The underlying psychology and neuroscience is that our brain is actually more effective later in the day if it isn't immediately subjected to a barrage of inputs.

The reality is — based on my hands-on experience — that I end up feeling more relaxed for the entire day when I give myself an hour to 90 minutes to just slowly "putter around."

I have also noticed that I am more likely to sit down and work on my artwork, first thing in the morning... and it is helping me increase my number of finished items... which is very useful at this time of the year when we often attend fairs and festivals for the holidays!

Does my brain turn out to be "clearer" once I start working? Am I more productive than I previously remember?

Well, it certainly feels like it, but above all I just have more energy later in day when I historically hit an energetic low and might even doze off!

I'm by no means a Luddite — after all, I work online for a living — but I do think we get far to absorbed in the eternal electronic data stream, and sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves is just step away from the digital onslaught!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great Friday!

How about you? Have you ever tried taking deliberate "analog breaks?" How did that work out for you? Leave a comment if you feel so inclined — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

(All text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is ORIGINAL CONTENT, created expressly for this platform — Not posted elsewhere!)

Created at 2024.11.15 00:03 PST
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