Morning rituals look different for everyone. Maybe it’s hitting the gym, a morning yoga flow, or watching the sunrise as the world wakes up.
If there’s anything that can get me up and at ‘em when sleep hangs over me and my bed is far too cozy, it’s a freshly brewed cup of coffee. There’s just one problem: doom scrolling.
Instead of enjoying those quiet minutes in the morning, I often find myself scrolling through social media until my mug is empty and the coffee in the carafe has gone cold. Somewhere between the first sip and the last, my peaceful morning turns into a stream of news, notifications, and aesthetic morning routines from people who seem to have already conquered the day before they even clocked in.
Scrolling first thing in the morning can quickly trigger stress, anxiety, and that familiar feeling of being behind before the day has even started. On the days that I slip up, they certainly feel all the more bitter.
I started to sweeten the day with one small change: replacing scrolling with small rituals that leave me feeling energized (and well caffeinated) as I drink my coffee. Now when the coffee mug is empty, I’m left feeling fulfilled and ready to pour my energy into the work day.
These tiny habits help me slow down, enjoy my mornings, and start the day without feeling overwhelmed. Think of it as giving your coffee an extra shot—pairing it with something that fills your cup mentally as well as physically.
If you want to reclaim a little time for yourself in the morning, here are five simple things to do while drinking coffee instead of scrolling your phone.
Read a Few Pages Instead of Reaching for Your Phone
One of my favorite hobbies is reading and I love the escape from reality that it gives me. Right now I’m in the middle of a Throne of Glass reread, and with a big Goodreads goal for the year, I’m always looking to squeeze in extra reading time.
One day it hit me – my morning coffee routine was the perfect opportunity to give myself some time back.
When I used to scroll while drinking coffee, the few minutes slipped away like milliseconds. But when I pick up a book instead, time slows down and I can savor every sip and page.
Morning reading also acts as a natural timer so I don’t get too lost in the pages. When the mug is empty, I finish my chapter and close out the morning feeling creative and productive to start the day.
Share Your Morning Coffee With Someone You Love
We all know how chaotic mornings can be when everyone is running out the door, different schedules, and rushed goodbyes – it’s easy to be under the same roof but barely have a second to connect.
Taking a few moments to share your morning coffee routine together can break this vicious cycle.
Instead of both people diving into their phones and individual routines, try disconnecting from the social media world and check into reality. We often become so individualized even from our own spouses, friends, or roommates that we share the closest part of our lives with.
My husband makes me my coffee almost every single morning, but rarely do we get to enjoy it together unless our schedules line up. Whenever they do, we sit down and drink it together. Instead of waiting until the end of the day to catch up, we get to talk about what the day ahead looks like.
If you share the space with someone, try taking the extra small moments to stay connected when life gets busy. In a world where social media creates parasocial relationships and gives us a false sense of connection, these real face to face moments matter even more.
Take Your Coffee Outside and Get Some Fresh Air
I’m super fortunate to live in Florida, where the weather makes it easy to get outside most days but I certainly don’t take advantage of it enough. I work from home and far too often hit the ground running, sometimes resulting in it being a day or two before I even step outside.
And my mental health definitely notices.
I know that even a little bit of sunshine in the morning can wake me right up and have me feeling fresh, and signals my brain to wake up and that the day has started.
Now I try to take my coffee outside whenever I can, even if it’s for a quick walk around the neighborhood with my husband, grabbing the mail, or sitting down in my back yard to watch the birds.
Working from home can be hard when I don’t have any other obligations to nudge me out the door. It’s a simple habit change, but fresh air, sunlight, and caffeine are a surprisingly powerful combination.
Wake Up Your Brain With a Puzzle
If you want something a little more intellectually stimulating to get the morning going, try pairing your morning coffee routine with a brain puzzle.
My husband and I are big game people, I love a quick game of cribbage or a night spent with a long strategy game. Lately, I’ve been looking for a challenge, so I’ve found a new interest in small game puzzles to wake up my brain.
Think crossword puzzles, sudoku, word searches, or jigsaw puzzles; not the ones that you find on the New York Times app.
There’s something about using an actual puzzle book with no hints or shortcuts, because let’s be honest we all cheat on the virtual ones just a little bit. Having an analog puzzle allows me to really focus and slow down to work through the challenge.
It’s like a warm up for my brain before the obstacles of the work day start to pop up. By the time my coffee is finished, I already feel mentally engaged and ready to tackle whatever the day throws at me.
Slow Down Your Coffee Routine (Even on Busy Mornings)
Not everyone has the time for a slow, cozy morning, and for most of us it’s easier said than done when the snooze button calls our name. When I was going to the office, finding a few extra moments was a struggle when I would be sprinting out the door.
But even on the busy days you can still make your morning coffee routine a little more intentional.
Instead of grabbing coffee on the go, see if you can find five minutes to make it at home, especially with a great set up. The process of grinding beans, brewing coffee, or even just waiting for it to drip naturally slows you down for a moment.
If going out for coffee is a morning treat, leave five minutes earlier and step inside instead of using the drive through. A quick interaction with the barista can be a refreshing change from the usual rushed routine.
Most of us can easily find 5-10 minutes for our phones in the morning – so why not give those minutes back to ourselves instead?
Put the Phone Down and Take Your Morning Back
No matter what your morning ritual looks like, doom scrolling probably isn’t the best way to start it.
Since replacing my screen time with small rituals, my mornings feel calmer and more intentional. Instead of absorbing endless content online, I’m spending that time doing things that genuinely make me happy.
We all can find more time for our hobbies and the best part is that these habits don’t require huge changes, just small swaps. Life already moves fast enough. If we can reclaim a little time from our phones and give it back to ourselves, those small moments can turn into meaningful habits.
And sometimes, it all starts with something as simple as finishing your coffee without picking up your phone.