I unwind at home by having a phone-free tea break — no doom scrolling, no checking, just calmness and feeling refreshed after one hour. Try it to switch off.
Estimated read time: 3 minutes
A phone‑free tea break is exactly what it sounds like: one hour without your phone, spent doing nothing productive. Just resting and chilling.
I realised I needed this more than I thought. As a child, I felt the need to study consistently and excel. As an adult, I feel the need to work and earn a decent living. And as a wife, I feel the need to support. As a mother, I feel the need to be present, organised and always available.
At every stage of life, there has been something to do.
My brain rarely rests.
Even when I sit down, I am thinking ahead.
So, this week, I learn how to unwind and do nothing.
What Do You Actually Do for One Hour?
I made a cup of matcha, prepared a few biscuits, and played soft instrumental music in the background. Then I just sat down and observed my turtle and fishes.
There were no scrolling short videos on the phone, no messages with anybody and no “just checking” emails or apps. There was no socialising or networking as well.
During that hour, I simply sipped my tea slowly. I observed and looked out of the window, casually listening to the music. I allowed my thoughts to pass without reacting to them (or at least I tried to). With the calmness, I probably closed my eyes and dozed off for a few minutes without being aware.
That was it — a simple way to unwind at home.
Was It Difficult to be Phone-Free and Unwind at Home?
Honestly, yes.
It took a lot of conscious effort not to think about anything. (Food for thought. Ironically, that very effort is still a form of thinking.)
Even after informing my loved ones that I would be offline for an hour, I felt the urge to check my phone. What if someone called? What if I missed something important?
For the first 30 minutes, my mind was very busy, replaying tasks, conversations and random scenarios. My mind felt like it was running its own movie. It also took effort not to stand up and reach for my phone.
Then something shifted. I told myself, “Just chill.” I watched the fish swimming freely, and imagined myself as one of them, moving without worries and much thought. In that moment, the ‘movie’ in my mind stopped playing. Nothing was urgent. Nothing was required from me. I don’t need to be present for anybody except myself.
The full hour felt just right. The first half was spent letting the wild thoughts run and expel themselves, while the second half felt like real rest. By the end, I felt lighter, calmer, and slightly refreshed in a way I had not felt for a long time.
Try a Phone‑Free Tea Break or a No-Scroll Evening This Week
If your mind feels constantly switched on, perhaps start with one hour of unwinding and doing nothing.
Inform your family. Put your phone away. Make a warm drink.
You do not need to achieve anything.
Just breathe.
Try it this week 😊
For more small but meaningful resets like this, visit Your January Life Reset Invitation: Clear the Ground, where the focus is simply to slow down and clear space before building anything new.