Aligned Leadership

by Derrick Kunsman

Nine years ago, when we bought our home, it wasn’t the porch that sealed the deal. But, I kept coming back to it.

Tucked away in the back, screened-in and shaded, it looked out over the trees with just enough distance from the noise of daily life. It wasn’t flashy, but it had a kind of quiet magnetism. I pictured myself there often: mornings with a cup of coffee, evenings with a book or a sipping drink and a long exhale.

Reality, of course, looks a little different.

Life happened: kids, work, dishes, sports practices, more dishes. I don’t sit on that porch as often as I imagined I would. But when I do? Something inside me realigns. Even 15 minutes on that porch, morning or night, makes the chaos a little quieter. It’s like a reset button for my soul.

The Power of a “Porch Moment”

Whether it’s a literal porch or something else entirely, we all need those in-between moments of stillness, bookends to our days. For me, the porch represents peace, intention, and reflection. The days that start and end out there? They just feel better.

But, let’s be honest: I can’t always make it happen. The weather’s not always great. The weekdays can be brutal. And, more often than I’d like to admit, instead of the porch, I start and end my day with… my phone.

Fifteen minutes of scrolling. News, emails, highlights, lowlights, someone’s breakfast, someone else’s breakdown. And just like that, my brain’s hijacked. Dopamine flooded. Focus fractured.

Sound familiar?

Science Has Something to Say

Research backs up what we already know deep down: starting our day with screens (especially social media) spikes dopamine, disrupts natural cortisol rhythms, and increases anxiety and brain fog. It’s like pouring sugar in your gas tank and expecting the car to run better.

But even small changes, like staying off screens for the first 15 minutes of your day, can significantly improve our focus, mood, and energy. That’s why I have been trying (emphasis on try) to create intentional “porch moments” even when I can’t physically sit outside. Below is a list I have come up with so far.

Porch Moments: Anywhere, Anytime

At Home (Morning):

• Brew coffee without checking my  phone
• Sit in silence or write down three things I’m grateful for
• Read one page of something inspiring
• Listen to the birds. Or the dishwasher. Whatever’s available

At Work (Morning):

• Arrive 10 minutes early and close my office door
• Review my intentions for the day before opening my email
• Breathe. Literally. Just… breathe

At Home (Evening):

• Put my phone to bed  before I go to sleep
• Journal a win or a lesson from the day
• Read. Stretch. 

At Work (Evening):

• Clear my desk. 
• Reflect: What did I move forward today? What needs my attention tomorrow?
• Write a quick “thank you” email or note to a colleague

What’s Your Porch?

Maybe it’s a cozy chair in the corner of your living room. Maybe it’s your commute, your morning run, or even the five quiet minutes after everyone else has gone to bed. It doesn’t have to be a picture-perfect place. It just has to be yours.

And if you don’t have one yet? Carve it out. Start with five minutes. One deep breath. A step toward alignment.

We live in a world that screams. Your porch whispers. So, go find it. Even if just for 15 minutes.

I struggle with this daily. We’re all still learning.  Let’s keep growing: on purpose, and in alignment.

Let’s connect, I’d love to hear what your “porch” looks like.

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Aligned Leadership | Lead With Purpose. Live With Alignment.