Nora: Mom, look! All the locals are looking at their phones, and all the tourists are looking out the window.
Me: Right!? The trick is being a tourist in your own city.
Nora: Whoa. That’s good. You didn’t make that up, did you?
Me: Yeah. I’m super smart! You kids should listen to me. I’m just spitting life wisdom all the time.
Nora: Did you though?
Me: I mean… probably not.
---
We’re back from two weeks in the Northeast! I loved it SO MUCH that I’m having a major post-trip-depression. I'm sure it will pass. (Books next trip) Photo dump coming at the end of this newsletter.
But first, habit time.
Screen time has never not been a goal for my 1:1 clients. Not a single a client has marked the intake form "Nailing screen time. No notes."
But if a detox or time-limit feels like too much, here’s a lil fun experiment you can run this week...
YOUR QUICK WIN THIS WEEK
Pick one. (Or both.)
Option A: Leave your phone in the car next time you run an errand. One errand. See what it feels like to walk into a store completely untethered. (Last time I did this, I asked a stranger "Excuse me, do you have the time?" and then my internal monologue was all I'M SORRY AM I IN A 90s ROMCOM RIGHT NOW?.) Option B: No phone in the bathroom. Starting today. That's it. That's the whole rule.
Neither of these is a detox. Just tiny little gaps in the scroll.
WHY IT ACTUALLY MATTERS
Every time you pick up your phone, your brain releases a small hit of dopamine in anticipation of something new. Over time, this trains your brain to reach for it reflexively... the habit loop is grooved in.
Creating small, low-stakes phone-free moments interrupts that loop without requiring a big dramatic commitment. It reminds your nervous system that it can tolerate a moment of nothing.
(It can. It's actually craving it.)
YOUR MINDSET SCRIPT(s)
“Boredom is a portal to creativity.”
“I am practicing presence.”
Read these and pretend you believe. ;)
BONUS: JOURNAL PROMPT
When was the last time you were genuinely bored? What happened because of it? A thought you had, something you noticed, a conversation that started. What does boredom actually make room for in your life?
That's your Monday experiment: report back!
xoxo,
Katie Day, your habit hype girl
(write back soon)
P.S. I'm heading to Boise, ID on Wednesday for the annual Kit Conference. Will I see you there?
Photo dump: The highlight for me was each kid got to pick one NYC thing. Callie: Broadway show. Emerson: trying to beat the chess hustlers in Washington Square. Nora: NYC Ballet. Sadie: Climbing to the top of the Statue of Liberty. (My pick btw was the Friends museum (we were ALL six geeking out) , and Jared's pick was, well...just...all of Washington DC.)
I bawled at Broadway. One of those "I'm so full of gratitude it's leaking out of my eyeballs" moments.
This week:
The Habit Lab:
June's Monthly Pep Rally! Live on Zoom: Tomorrow, Tuesday June 9th: 12CST! Come early or leave late! I'll stay on as long as people want to geek out or troubleshoot!
Join now and you’ll get instant access to my habits masterclass on EXACTLY how I build my systems, the full community, monthly live Pep Rallies + Q&As (re: live zoom calls with ME!), and fun, mini challenges.
If you’re ready to feel lighter, follow through more, and finally build habits that run on autopilot… this is your place.
Join The Habit Lab for $79/year (yes, for the whole year) or pop in for $9.
When life looks good on paper can still feel off. We talk signs of misalignment (burnout, resentment, procrastination), how to clarify your core values, and how to realign without blowing up your life.
If you’ve been feeling off—this is your check-in. Listen on Apple or Spotify
Free Webinar:The Habits that Stick Workshop This one-hour workshop gives you the tools to stay consistent, increase your energy, and create lasting behavior change that feels easy instead of forced! Watch on demand or listen in your car! Instant access!
After hitting rock bottom, I've embarked on a radical journey. For one year, I'm taking a break from all cynicsm and trying out some crazy self-improvement experiments (so you don't have to.)