The Morning I Chose to Slow Down

The Rush That Never Ended

Every morning for years, my day began the same way: alarm buzzing, phone in hand, emails before breakfast, and a constant feeling that I was already behind before I even left my bed.

I told myself I was being productive — that this was what ambitious people did. But the truth was, I was exhausted before 9 a.m. My prayers were rushed, my coffee tasted like stress, and my mood was impatient with everyone I loved.


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The Wake-Up Call

One Friday morning, I was scrolling through my phone when I realized I had missed Fajr. The guilt hit me like a wave.

I remembered a hadith I once read: “The two rak‘ahs before Fajr are better than this world and everything in it.” (Muslim)

Yet here I was, trading something so priceless for unread notifications and news articles that wouldn’t matter in a week. That morning, I made a promise to myself: I would stop rushing my mornings.


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The First Change

The next day, I put my phone on the other side of the room before sleeping. When the alarm rang, I had to get up to turn it off — and instead of grabbing my phone, I went straight to make wudu.

I prayed Fajr without hurry, letting each word of Surah Al-Fatihah sink in. When I finished, I just sat there for a moment in the quiet. No phone, no noise — just stillness.


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The Second Change

Instead of checking my phone, I opened the Qur’an and read a few verses with translation. I didn’t set a target or make it feel like homework — just a few minutes of heart-to-heart with Allah.

After that, I made a simple breakfast, sitting by the window. I noticed how beautiful the morning light was — something I had missed for years because I was too busy being “busy.”


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Unexpected Benefits

Within a week, I felt lighter. My mornings no longer felt like a race. I started the day with calm, and that calm carried into my work, my conversations, even my patience with small problems.

Friends noticed I seemed “more present.” I noticed that my days felt longer, but in the best way — like I was living more in each hour.


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A Realization

I realized I had been treating my mornings like a to-do list to conquer, instead of a gift to unwrap. By slowing down, I wasn’t losing productivity — I was gaining clarity.

I remembered another verse:
“Indeed, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (Qur’an 13:28)

This wasn’t just about lifestyle — it was about aligning my life so that peace wasn’t an occasional visitor, but a daily habit.


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Practical Takeaways for Anyone

If you want to bring peace back into your mornings, here’s what helped me:

1. No phone before sunrise — protect your first thoughts of the day.


2. Start with prayer — not as a checkbox, but as a conversation.


3. Add one mindful habit — Qur’an reading, journaling, or simply sitting quietly.


4. Eat slowly — even if it’s just tea and bread, treat it like a blessing.


5. Keep it simple — the goal is calm, not perfection.




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Moral Reflection

Life isn’t a race to the next thing — it’s a series of moments we’re meant to be present for.

In a world that glorifies busyness, slowing down can feel rebellious. But it’s in those quiet, unhurried moments that we hear our own thoughts, reconnect with faith, and see the beauty we’ve been too distracted to notice.

Your mornings set the tone for your entire day. Protect them. Fill them with things that nourish your soul, not just your schedule.

Because sometimes, the best way to move forward… is to slow down first.

Enjoy your life

Good job