Eliminating The Distraction of Your Phone . . . And Mine

Today’s strategy is short, sweet, and essential!

The action step is coming first, and I’ll explain why after that.

Your action step today

Unplug your phone for an hour.

That’s right - that’s it! Try this sometime throughout your day. Maybe when you’re in the middle of a project for your client. Maybe when you’re feeling particularly stressed during the day. Maybe when you’re fixing supper. Maybe when the kids get home from school or your hubby gets home from work. And if you’re struggling with how to do that...let me tell you how I do it!

My 2-step phone process

I always create my hour of phone-free time in a way that requires at least 2 steps to get back to it. I usually put it in the junk drawer, in the kitchen, face down. In order for me to pick it up, I have to intentionally 1) go to the kitchen, and 2) take it out of the drawer. I can’t mindlessly pick it up “just” to check my email or social media. (Does that ever happen to you? You pick it up, maybe without even realizing it, and before you know it...all this time has passed…)

Why this is so important

Developing this skill (and yes, it IS a skill) is uber-important for a few reasons.

• Our habits influence how we interact (or don’t!) with our family, friends, and co-workers.

• Our habits influence our ability to focus. And the ability to be still and stay focused is crucial to getting things accomplished in our personal lives and for our clients and customers.

• Our habits influence the amount of rest we get. If we are used to scrolling our phones during “downtime”, we don’t get adequate or life-giving rest. And you know how I am about getting good rest!

Remember, it’s your phone - you have control over how much screen time you’re taking in.

And we become good at what we practice…so let’s work at practicing good things!