Try Jeff Bezos’ 1-Hour Morning Rule with Us: The 30-Day Clarity Challenge
If you’re an ambitious female founder who wants to work smarter (not harder), you’re in the right place. Today I’m sharing the simple, science-backed morning shift I’m testing for 30 days: one screen-free hour right after waking.
I’m doing it with my co-host, Cinthia Pacheco of Digital Bloom IQ, and I built a Morning Clarity Tracker so we can actually measure how it impacts focus, mood, creativity, and productivity. We have a free tracker at the bottom!
Why the morning matters (and why I’m changing mine)
Mornings have a special energy. When I roll over and start scrolling news, my day is basically cooked. I’ve been craving more clarity, creativity, and protected time to set the tone before I dive into client work and content. So I’m trying the “one-hour rule”: at the bare minimum, no phone/screens for the first hour after waking.
The one-hour rule (the simple version)
No email, no social, no TV, no news apps—no passive scrolling. Emergencies only if needed. You can still use your device to press play on music or an audiobook without falling into a feed. The goal is zero screen-to-face time so your brain can boot up without cortisol spikes.
Replacement activities menu (pick 1–3)
Instead of scrolling, try:
- Move your body: light stretching, yoga, a walk outside, or a quick dance session.
- Nourishing breakfast and real conversation (phones away).
- Read or listen to a book—educational, inspirational, or purely joyful.
- Gratitude or brain-dump journaling (3–5 things you’re grateful for + any ideas rushing in).
- Music to set the vibe.
- Meditation or breathwork (start with 5–10 minutes; box breathing works wonders).
Plan your 1–3 activities the night before so you don’t replace scrolling with decision fatigue.
How I’m tracking it (because data > vibes)
I created a Morning Clarity Tracker (super easy drop-downs) to log:
- Wake-up time
- Activities you chose
- How you felt (calm, restless, energized, etc.)
- Any slip-ups (no shame, just notes)
- Quick reflections
We’ll compare our weekly notes to phone Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing stats so we can see the impact, not just guess.
Weekly check-ins (adjust without judgment)
At the end of each week, ask:
- Did avoiding screens help my clarity, mood, and energy?
- Was I more productive?
- What activities lit me up—and which can I skip?
- Do my Screen Time screenshots show progress?
Tweak as needed. If an hour spikes your stress, try 30 minutes and build from there.
End-of-month reflection (make it real)
After 30 days, review:
- Focus, creativity, productivity, and mental health
- Whether you actually stuck with it (and why)
- If you’ll keep going—and how to adapt it to your real life
If it “worked” but you still resist it, journal on what’s underneath that. Sometimes the mindset shift is the real work.
Day 1: honest results from both of us
I set up my phone the night before with only Audible open so I could tap play eyes-closed. Full transparency: I felt anxious at first—like I was “wasting” my early work time. Around the 38-minute mark, the anxiety dropped and the rest of the hour felt amazing. Cinthia journaled, ate without multitasking (progress!), and felt noticeably calmer. We’re calling that a win.
Guardrails that help (because…phones are sticky)
- Phone Screen Time schedules (or apps like Opal) to block socials late at night and early AM
- Zero notifications except true emergencies
- A playlist you can start hands-free
- Accountability—do this with a friend (hi, Voxer buddies)
Try it with us
Pick your 1–3 activities, print or copy the tracker, and give yourself grace. If you slip, note it and keep going. We’ll share a mid-month check-in and a 30-day results episode so you can compare notes with us.
If you found this helpful, share it with a fellow founder who could use a calmer, clearer morning.
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