Table of contents
- Preface
- Main Article
- Readers’ Favorite
- Stuff
Preface
Last week, I was interviewed for The Wall Street Journal.
The article focused on making your phone less central.
The writer discovered me through this newsletter and LinkedIn. That’s serendipity for you 🪄.
What I said during the interview is based on my previous newsletters: one about how I wanted to become a doctor and another about stopping using my phone as a music player.
You can read the Wall Street Journal column here for a limited time. If it's no longer accessible, my newsletters will give you more in-depth coverage.
Now, for an update on my return to running:
Next week, I'll hit my 5K running goal!
I returned to running about two months ago, as I promised here. Reaching the 5-kilometer mark has always been special to me. Why? Because it’s the first goal after starting from zero.
What's next?
I'm considering going for 10 km, but I'm not sure.
It'll be more challenging to fit into my schedule.
We'll see. I'll keep you posted!
Speaking of phones and running—today we'll discuss the habit of using our phones immediately after waking up.
Number 108!
Let's dive in!
Main Article
Before coming to the US, my work schedule revolved around studying.
I got up early in the morning.
VERY early.
5 AM kind-of early.
But even then, I only checked my phone around 5:40.
That's 40 minutes after getting up.
And I only checked my emails. No social media, no news sites.
The number of emails I received overnight was pretty low, mainly from my US colleagues.
Nothing stressful. Mainly research or fellowship-related.
But then I moved to the US.
Because of the time difference, by 5 AM, I had a pile of emails and messages waiting for me.
When you live in the US but have financial and administrative obligations in a different country, many of these emails become stressful.
What was simple before, becomes complicated.
You're missing opportunities, need to attend meetings in person (which you can't, being half a globe away), and you need to send 20 text messages instead of one because you're not physically present.
So, ever since coming to the US, I developed a terrible habit.
I reach for my phone THE MOMENT I wake up.
If I wake up at 5:00, by 5:05 I'm already responding to emails while brushing my teeth.
At 5:30, I'm making phone calls while fighting the Boston rain and wind.
That's a terrible way to wake up.
"But that's an average weekday, right?"
"Surely you have weekends to rest, right?"
Let me tell you about my Sundays (which are part of the weekend in the US).
Sundays are the worst.
The number of emails and messages on Sundays is the highest (the week starts on Sunday back home, not Monday).
We're talking about 20 emails and 30 text messages on an average 5 AM Sunday morning.
Sunday mornings became the time of the week I hate.
I didn't really have a choice. If I hadn't checked my messages first thing in the morning on Sundays, I would lose money, and I would need to devote hours to solve issues that took me minutes to solve on a Sunday morning.
But those 2 years of checking my phone immediately when I wake up showed me how harmful it can be.
🔵 The Science of Waking Up
You see, when you wake up in the morning, your brain GRADUALLY transitions through a series of brain waves.
Delta waves when you're deeply asleep, Theta waves when you transition into light sleep, Alpha waves when you calmly wake up, and Beta when you're fully awake.
And what does your phone do?
It violently takes you from Delta (or Theta) to Beta. It's like being woken up by a splash of ice water on your face 🚿.
🔵 So What? Why Does It Matter?
Because it sets the tone for the rest of the day. You feel less energized, more stressed, less creative, and impatient.
You can see it yourself by measuring your heart rate.
I'll share mine:
My resting heart rate is around 50.
But while I'm checking my phone immediately in the morning, it's around 80.
80!
That's bad.
It means that the phone increases my cortisol levels (the stress hormone in our body), which is already high in the morning.
I lost a good amount of my creativity on these mornings. The projects I worked on came to a halt because I focused on admin and checklists instead.
For doctors and scientists, that's a professional hazard.
If you're not creative, your research and complex cases will suffer. If you're impatient, your patients will suffer.
And when you get home, with no energy and a lot of stress, your family will suffer.
And it all begins in those few minutes after you wake up.
🔵 What About Social Media and News?
You might say, "I don't check my email in the morning! I just scroll social media and open up the news."
Well, this is just as bad, or even worse.
Social media and news sites are DESIGNED to increase your dopamine levels. Dopamine gives you a rush and increases your heart rate, not your happiness.
Just think, when was the last time you felt better after scrolling social media? I'm not even talking about the news sites.
Bottom line, reaching for your phone in the morning is bad. REALLY bad.
I’m going to stop. I look forward to it so much.
Will you join me?
Readers’ Favorite
Do you have a dream project you have never found time for? This is how I solved it— the 5-5-5 system.
How Getting Up at 5:00 AM Can Be Exactly What You Need
Stuff
💡Gear I use - AirPods Pro 2
"Should I upgrade to the recently released AirPods 4?"
To help you decide, let's clarify a few things:
They are completely different!
One belongs to the "Pro" lineup, while the other doesn't. The "4" is not an upgraded version of the "Pro 2".
What's the main difference between the “pro” and “non-pro” lineups?
Their structure. The AirPods Pro 2 have silicone tips, while the AirPods 4 don't. Take a close look at the pictures.
If you don’t like silicone tips or the feeling of something blocking your ear, you might prefer the non-pro version.
The AirPods 4 come in two versions: one with active noise cancellation (ANC) and one without. This explains the price differences.
Although I haven't tried the 4, the description suggests that the AirPods Pro 2's noise cancellation is better.
So, if I had to choose which one to buy TODAY, I'd definitely go for the "old" AirPods Pro 2.
I hope this clarifies things.
Epilogue
If you received this newsletter from a friend and would like to join Friday's Digest, visit https://newsletter.shaysharon.com
That’s it for this issue.
Hope for better times.
Shay
Want to learn more from me?
Online Presence Course for Doctors & Scientists:
- How to build your own website
- Social Media 101 (Fundamentals)
- How to start your own newsletter
- YouTube 101 (Fundamentals)
- How to start your own podcast
- Gear and apps I use for online presence
- Q&A
Tip Sheets:
- My Workflow for Reading & Writing Manuscripts
- Future Fellows & Postdocs
- The PhD Journey
- How To Write an Abstract in 10 Minutes
- How to Study for the TOEFL
Video Guides:
- Manage References with a SINGLE CLICK
- My Workflow for Reading & Writing Manuscripts
-
How to Write an Abstract in 10 Minutes
- Make PubMed Work For You
- How I Use Anki Flashcards
- How I Studied for the USMLE
- How I Studied for the TOEFL
-
What's in My Bag
- Clinical Photography - The Complete Guide
7-Day Email Courses:
- Your Guide to Fellowship
- How to Survive Residency
- The Scientist's Handbook
- How to Start a New Job
- Your Guide to Dental School