Optimal AM Habit: Coffee and Computer?

I have just finished reading Justin Whitmel Earley's, The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2019), which I'm due to discuss with a couple of local pastors in a couple of weeks time.

Earley, an American mergers and acquisitions lawyer, has written an immensely readable and practical book.

He suggests eight possible habits, four daily and four weekly, of resistance and embrace:

Daily:

Kneeling prayer at morning, midday and bedtime
One meal with others
One hour with phone off
Scripture before phone

Weekly:

One hour of conversation with a friend
Curate media to four hours
Fast from something for twenty-four hours
Sabbath

There is lots that's helpful here, although of course much more could be said about each of these topics. The book is somewhat autobiographical and anecdotal rather than massively theological and exegetical but Earley suggests further reading at the end of each chapter where one could dig deeper into these things.

I'm sure Earley is right about the power of habit. Make a coffee and head for the computer pretty early on in the morning is pretty ingrained in me. It would be excellent, I think, perhaps to insert a brief kneeling prayer and a short passage of Scripture in there between bed and screen. Whether it comes before or with the coffee is another question! But it's not easy to change our habits.

Earley says: "Studies show that it takes at least two to three weeks to turn new practices into habits." (p21). He suggests trying one or more of these habits for a month, ideally with others.

It's all very well reading a book and mentally ticking it off as sound and helpful. It is another thing to try change!

If, like me, you aspire to pray but you find it harder to actually pray, Earley has the helpful suggestion of setting an alarm (on your phone) for some time each day when you are likely to be able to take a few moments to pray. 

If starting today seems a little hasty, Lent, which begins this year on Wednesday 26th February might be an excellent time to give one or more of these things a go.

Videos and other resources for using the habits / to accompany the book can be found at: https://www.thecommonrule.org/