September 25, 2013 / Thoughts & Opinion

This morning I didn’t turn my computer on.

I didn’t have Skype ceremoniously power-up and show me who was online, I didn’t watch as my cursor gravitated slowly towards the Thunderbird icon in my over-stuffed quick-launch bar. I didn’t hear that god-awful woman announce “Avast virus database has been updated.” like there was nothing more important in the world. I didn’t even watch Dropbox’s little icon go spinning round and round as it updated whatever files it needed to. No notifications, no conversations, no distractions.

I got up, and I sat at my desk as I normally would, but instead of my computer, I read an article.

Much like my granddad, who sits with his breakfast and reads the Dundee Courier every morning. I made breakfast, and I sat and read an article. This was not normal for me, but it felt good.

I’d love to tell you I read the article in a magazine or a paper, just so as to prove that I don’t need to look at a screen every passing moment, but unfortunately this was an Instapapered article on my iPad. I don’t think that’s important though.

The article was Frank Chimero’s recent blog The Inferno of Independence.

After finishing the article, and my bowl of cereal I felt inspired to do some good. Motivated to go and do a day’s work, whatever it would be.

It was this morning that I realised that nothing is as urgent as it seems.

You don’t have to check your email as soon as you wake up. You don’t have to race to your desk to surround yourself with the day’s status updates.

You’ve got time to have your breakfast.

Time to read an article.

Time to be mindful.