Start Your Day Differently with… a Wake-up Rave?

Put down the device and put your hands up in the air. You’ve been caught red-handed scrolling on your phone first thing in the morning.

These days, our devices are holding our whole lives hostage. We’re servants to the pinging of our email, the vibration of a text, the unnecessary notification that so-and-so is inviting you to play the latest mobile game craze. We’re feeling phantom phone vibrations and have a deep fear of missing out (FOMO) in the virtual world. And it all starts every morning when we reach for our phone.

Don’t get me wrong—smartphones, tablets, and computers are fantastic. They make our lives easier. I’m not advocating for us as a society to completely ditch them. But maybe if we can’t avoid how essential these devices have become in our everyday lives, we need to start the day differently by ditching the device and trying something new.

There are movements all around the country to “detox from your device,” and one of the most compelling ones happens first thing in the morning—with a yoga/coffee/dance party.

Flipping the Nightlife Lifestyle on its Head

DaybreakerDaybreaker is a startup (and a movement) that seeks to reinvent nightlife as a health-conscious wake-up party. Instead of a bottle-service nightclub, Daybreaker is a booze-free dance party that connects like-minded professionals who want to start off the day better with events in big and small cities all around the world.

It works like this: pick cities you’d like to monitor for events and sign up for their mailing list (you can do so here on its website). As it’s available, Daybreaker will send you info about events, times and fees, generally coming to about $25 per event.

What to Expect from a Morning, Wake-Up Party

Daybreaker Yoga

The event, which usually takes place on a workday sometime between 6 and 9 am typically starts with early morning yoga, followed by a two-hour dance party. While you’re sipping on coffee and chowing on healthy fruits and snacks, you’ll eschew glancing at your phone for some facetime with like-minded morning people. Or just people who want to dance in the mid-hours of the morning.

A Few Things to Be Aware Of

Daybreaker Dark

Know that Daybreaker events are held in dark, rave-like spaces to jam out and dance to and that the dress is business casual. After all, you will be heading to work afterward.

Under no circumstances should you be looking at your phone. The point of Daybreaker is to “be present.” Events close with readings of inspirational poems, quotes and “intention cards” for that event’s theme. And then it’s off to work for you, complete with an early start to your day that’s far more enjoyable than a morning run.

Despite its dance rave appeal, Daybreaker might not be for everyone. It skews young, particularly 20-somethings (these events have such a welcoming atmosphere, we can’t imagine this being an issue!). It’s also in the morning so if you are not a morning person, proceed with caution (note, however, that even morning zombies can have fun).

Still, Daybreaker definitely starts your day differently.

How do you plan to change your morning routine in 2016 to a device-free morning, Ninjas?

Responses

  1. Hi Emily,

    Thanks so much for writing this wonderful post and sharing a powerful reminder of how important it is to start our morning in a joyfully centered way that helps set the tone for the rest of the day.

    I love your question: “How do you plan to change your morning routine in 2016 to a device-free morning?

    I’ve changed my mornings to reflect what I value: spirit (God), health and wellness. I rise super early between 4:30 & 4:45am: express gratitude, pray/meditate, drink a cup of hot lemon water, work-out, Mirror activity (Louise Hayes creation), head out to work and have a green juice at work – 7:45am. During my commute into work on the bus I listen to motivational messages and only when I get off my bus do I check my iPhone/emails/social media.

    This super-charging routine really sets the tone for my day and now I’m thrilled about adding Daybreaker and riding the “Rave!” hahaha :-)

    1. Thanks so much for sharing your inspirational morning routine with us Sheilah! Getting your mind in such a positive space first thing in the morning must set you up to do some really awesome work every day :) Keep us posted if you do end up trying a Daybreaker rave!

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