On the bad mornings, I begin by rolling over and checking my phone. I cycle through ESPN Dallas, WFAA, CNN, and look at my feedly feed, personal and work email. The work email in particular, since I work with Czechs who are well into their day, causes me to start thinking about work. My mind races to the world’s problems, the world’s drama, and problems I’ll need to solve in a couple of hours that began a half a world away.

Thirty minutes later I get out of bed, make a breakfast, talk to my kids, and then I am late for work.

On the good mornings, my phone is in another room. I wake up, do a 14-minute workout, read a little on the Kindle or the Economist, have some time for meditation/introspection. I think about my life as a whole and how I’m contributing to my goals today in realistic ways. I think about how I want to love and serve others in very real and tangible ways. I eat breakfast, and get to work on time.

I have as much time on the good mornings as the bad mornings. The key is being intentional and staying off the phone.