As humans we’re constantly seeking out connections with others and to the world around us. That crazy device called our phone helps to make our life easier, better and connects us to those we love. It helps us work easier, connect to our friends and family, do our banking, pre-order food…the list goes on. In so many ways it just makes our life better. But, in so many ways it’s stealing your time, disconnecting you to your friends and family and helping to create a negative mindset towards it.
Through small rituals and easy to implement daily routines you will go from being absorbed by its every heart beat to taking back control and being the boss of your life!
Create phone-free spaces
This is honestly a BIG and easy win! Why I hear you say? Because it’s super easy to implement and you will feel lighter because of it. It’s not as silly as it sounds. Creating phone-free spaces means you are intentionally freeing up physical space for you to start creating a balance in your phone free life.
- An easy win: your bedroom:
Taking the white light out of your bedtime routine will free up the time your body needs to disconnect from your world and get into relaxation mode. Why not go old school with an alarm clock OR if you need it for your alarm, pop your phone on flight mode away from your bed. There’s going to be no emergencies for the 7-8 hours you’re asleep, and if there are you’ll see them when you wake up. Back in the day, when there were no phones your parents and grandparents survived! Hey 2020 – you’ve got this!
- A successful win: work:
I honestly love this one. Set your alarm for 2-hour blocks, then put your phone on silent, vibrate off and keep it in another room. Once you get into this routine you will see how productive you actually are in such a small amount of time. This has been my life saver for batching work blocks and making progress.
Remove things from your phone and make them tangible
A super easy one to start with is taking your to-do list off the notes section in your phone. Physically crossing things off a list feels so rewarding in so many ways. Firstly, a list is tangible and it’s a little old school, however can provide you with the ultimate feel good sensation when you striking a line through a sentence or giving a job a great big tick.
A secondary easy win is printing those photos! Every six months send your best three awesome photos from each month to print. That’s only 18 photos and it takes them off your phone by making them tangible. Why not give it a go?
Limit screen time
Easier said than done right? Hello WRONG! Counterintuitive, but there’s apps for this. So please don’t hate me for this one but Moment is a life changer and a habit changer. You will have a *wowzah* moment.
This app is FREE and it tracks the time you’re spending on your phone as well as giving you daily reminders of your usage. This is a boundary setter. Learn how many times you pick up your phone, open your phone and stay on your phone. You’ll be surprised to learn the results.
Turn off notifications
Because it’s so darn hard to stay in your game and focus when your phone is consistently lighting up with “that buzz”. The day you turn your Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook notifications off will be the day you stop jumping from every buzz. Hello taking back some phone self-control. Now you get to choose when you look at these apps and how you respond. It’s easy to do and super liberating along the way.
Bottom line
It’s not as hard as you think.