Oscar Piastri's mindset coach has detailed how the Formula One star eliminated 'bed rotting' and 'doom scrolling' from his mobile phone habits, leading to a dramatic improvement in his on-track performance that nearly secured him the world drivers' championship.
Breaking Destructive Phone Habits
Bed rotting refers to lying awake in bed for prolonged periods while engaging in activities like eating or watching videos, while doom scrolling describes the compulsive consumption of negative content on smartphones. According to renowned Australian mindset coach Emma Murray, who has also worked with the Richmond AFL team and Olympic gold medallist Cate Campbell, Piastri struggled with both behaviors before making significant changes ahead of last season.
'For a long time he was leading the world championship at 24 years old and I said to him, "Oscar, how are you going to tell the world that you've won the world championship with this simple change to not scroll in bed?"' Murray explained during an interview with the Julesfmshow.
The Simple Rule That Changed Everything
The transformation began with a straightforward adjustment: moving his phone away from his bed and completely overhauling his morning routine. Murray emphasized the importance of this change, stating that excessive phone use in bed can negatively impact mental health.
'We just had a rule on days off and on breaks not to have what we called bed rotting ... when you lie in bed and just on your phone all day because you think you're tired and think you need a break,' Murray said. 'But you are just literally rotting, and you feel worse and that's when you spiral with your mental health. So sleep, and that phone at the end of the day is non-negotiable.'
Like many Australians, Piastri found himself spending excessive time on his mobile device before implementing these crucial changes.
Enhanced Morning Routine
In addition to removing his phone from the bedroom, Piastri introduced journaling and meditation to his morning routine, particularly on race weekends. Murray described the effects as 'incredible,' noting that the first thirty minutes after waking became phone-free, focused time.
'In those first 30 minutes [after waking up] Oscar introduced no phone, journaling and meditation to his morning routine on race weekends,' Murray revealed.
Track Success Following Lifestyle Changes
The simple fix of distancing his phone from his bed preceded what became easily the best year of Piastri's racing career. McLaren's car proved competitive from the season's start in Australia, where Piastri initially finished ninth.
He quickly rebounded, winning the next grand prix in China, followed by victories in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, becoming the first Australian to lead the drivers' standings since 2010. Additional triumphs in Miami, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands solidified his position, though he ultimately finished third in the championship behind Max Verstappen and teammate Lando Norris.
The 24-year-old entered the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with an outside chance at the title but couldn't close the gap despite securing second place ahead of Norris, with Verstappen taking the win.
Looking Ahead to New Regulations
Piastri now hopes his McLaren will remain competitive during this weekend's race in Melbourne, as Formula One implements the most significant regulatory changes in decades. This year's cars are lighter, smaller, and feature active aerodynamics that allow drivers to reduce drag on front and rear wings with a button push.
The most substantial difference from 2025 comes in the power units. While still turbocharged hybrid engines, this season the battery generates approximately 50 percent of the power, compared to just 20 percent since 2014.
Competitive Landscape for 2026
Although preseason testing provides an unreliable indicator of actual performance, most experts suggest Mercedes holds an advantage this year due to their power unit design. McLaren, which also uses the Mercedes engine, is considered roughly on par with other major manufacturers like Ferrari and Red Bull.
This parity exists because Mercedes can design their car around the power unit from inception, while customer teams like McLaren, Alpine, and Williams face greater integration challenges. Piastri's 2026 McLaren remains an unknown quantity until qualifying concludes for the Australian Grand Prix.
The Australian driver's success in breaking bed-rotting and doom-scrolling habits played a significant role in his remarkable track performance last year, according to his mindset coach. Murray emphasized that these behaviors can make people 'spiral with your mental health,' making Piastri's transformation both personally and professionally impactful.
