Freedom To Focus

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“MOMMY! Get off your phone!!” (Leyara screamed)

“It’s a client – just a minute…” (was my response)

I was GLUED!

I was NEEDED by social media!

I was NAKED without my phone!

Experiences create memories and memories are formed by the ways we choose to spend our time.

Would I really rather spend my time scrolling through Facebook for an hour and commenting on everyone’s posts so that they knew I cared, or would it feel better to sit with a friend – BE with a friend – and have lunch for an hour and take in some memorable moments?

I have been more conscious of how I have been spending my time lately because my calendar has been booking up so very quickly. My phone has always charged in another room at night, so I’m definitely not being woken up by ‘dings’. During the day, however, is another story!

Dings and vibrations had taken over.

I had been spending a lot of my time on social media, news, texts, and emails. Every time there was a ding, I would stop what I was doing and check my phone because “I have a business to run you know?!”

BUT….

I also have a family to raise – and inspiring humans to connect with. I began to question what would happen if I turned off the ‘dinger’ and only checked it a few times a day? Well, that was the intention… (I definitely check it more than a “few” times!)

So, I did it…and the world did not come to an end!

People did not reach out to me upset because I didn’t comment on their social media post.

People did not even freak out when I didn’t immediately respond to their text messages.

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I now have more time to truly FOCUS! What a concept, right? Uninterrupted deep thoughts and focus! (Insert meditation gong here!)

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a work in progress, but this feels REALLY good – and I truly hope I’m able to keep up with it!

We decided to implement ‘Screen-Free-Wednesday’ at my house in the evening. I thought my son was going to completely lose it and not be able to make it through, but he is still breathing (gasp!) – and perhaps even a little bit more educated from the books that he is now reading! Leyara LOVES it. She pulled out her clay – and Hayden actually played with her (something she had been complaining about never happening anymore).

Doing this has brought me back to myself more often, and has opened up much more time freedom to really be present with my family and friends. It has allowed me to quiet my mind and to just be, instead of having to set a time to meditate as my only means of quieting everything.

This month, I challenge you to:

Set aside a few hours of screen-free time at least one night or day a week;

Turn off notifications on your devices so that you can respond on your schedule;

Consider scheduled times to check your devices/email/social media, etc.;

Be conscious of time-wasters and make different choices, (I was guilty of cyber “window shopping”….. YIKES!); and

Don’t immediately respond to everyone and everything.

Give yourself permission to have uninterrupted focus again and watch how your schedule (and life!) changes…

Much Love,

Dena

Mantra: I am excited and present!