Axios Finish Line

September 26, 2025
Welcome back! Smart Brevityβ’ count: 243 words β¦ 1 min. Copy edited by Amy Stern.
- π Please invite your friends to join Finish Line.
1 big thing: Wake up without your phone
Delaying the morning phone scroll β even by just a few minutes β could do wonders for your brain.
- We know staring at a screen all day isn't healthy. But even if a full digital detox isn't realistic, an offline morning can still go a long way, Axios' Carly Mallenbaum writes.
- Doing something else in the morning before looking at your phone can be hugely helpful, behavioral scientist Zelana Montminy, the author of the new book "Finding Focus," tells Axios.
π§ Zoom in: "Your brain sort of wakes up like wet cement," says Montminy. The first "imprint" you make matters.
- Instead of checking messages, she suggests checking in with yourself: Are you well-rested? Can you remember your dreams? Even better: Can you step outside, breathe and soak up some sunlight?
- Try to stay in a "relaxed, open mind frame for as long as possible," Montminy tells Axios.
β° Developing a screen-free wake-up routine takes practice.
- Start small β two minutes, then longer, Montminy says β "and you will see, unequivocally, that your day will be so different in the best of ways."
π΅ And if willpower isn't enough...
- Products like Brick and Unpluq allow you to block distracting apps.
- Apps like Jomo and Forest encourage intentional phone usage.
- Even customizable lockboxes can enforce limits.
Share this story (after you've gone outside).
2. πΈ Parting shot

Sunrise over Manhattan on Sunday morning.
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