I Turned My Phone Off For 24 HoursAnd This Is What Happened
Let’s be honest, we are all addicted to our phones. We can hardly put them down, and I’m telling you, that’s a major problem. The problem lies in the fact that we are always distracted. This distraction does not allow us to be fully connected and engaged in the work we are doing.
I’m so guilty of not being engrossed with my family and friends more than anything. I check my phone for business purposes, and I even find myself checking just because I am downright addicted.
The scariest thing of all is that it can affect the amount of work I get done in a day. We all have the same 24 hours, yet we marvel at how much someone can accomplish, especially if it is more than us. It might seem like they are a special unicorn, but the truth is that we are in charge of our own days. They just choose to spend it more wisely.
It is important that we are proactive about the impact our phones have on our days, instead of being reactive. People are going to continuously pull at you the higher you go into your career or business. They are going to sometimes act like their needs are immediate, and we as “good people” don’t want to seem like we are ignoring those who need us.
We are afraid that if we aren’t always by our phones that the following scenarios will happen:
- We will miss an important phone call or text message.
- We might lose out on an opportunity or deal because we aren’t able to respond immediately.
- We could stop being “in the know” of something major happening in the world.
But did you know that those things that are pulling for our attention will still be there whether we respond right away or not?
Of course, if it is a life-threatening emergency, then we should certainly respond, but how many of those things are really emergencies?
The numbers are probably pretty slim. So I encourage you to take the time to evaluate how reactive you need to be in your life. If you respond to every single person who reaches out to you immediately, then when are you going to get your own work done?
When I say “work”, I’m not just talking about what you do to contribute to the world. Yes, that’s important too, but there’s a greater work — YOU.
That greater work is who you are on the inside. Who you are when you spend time with yourself has to be discovered, and quite frankly, it can’t be found when you are always so involved with others through your phone.
So I decided for 24 hours that I was going to turn my phone completely off.
Yes, I had already cut off my notifications, but I was still tempted to open up the app. Sure, I deleted the apps, yet I re-downloaded them in a few days as soon as I was connected to wifi.
Something inside of me said “just turn off the phone”.
I’m so glad I listened because it was the best experience of my entire life, and I will probably do it at least once a week now.
I didn’t shut it off when I had a lot going on because that’s kind of like cheating. That makes it easier to distract yourself with something else to do. I did it when I had absolutely nothing to do but focus on myself.
That morning, I started off my routine with clarity and power. I had the urge to be connected to my inner self. I felt moved to spend time with God in a major way. My journaling became alive in my mind, and my manifesting powers unraveled. And kid you not, I was simultaneously gaining new clients in business while enjoying myself.
You know what that gave me? A simple reminder and nudge that no matter how hard I “grind” or relax, there’s nothing I can do to stop my flow of blessings. If anything, it showed me that I needed to balance out resting and hustling. I would be more happy and fulfilled channeling into these energies together.
Even during this time away from my phone, I found myself more connected to the people I love. I sat down for the first time in a while and watched a football game with my family. We laughed and joked making memories. I was fully in the moment. That’s not an easy thing to do as an entrepreneur because we are usually on the move to the next major thing.
My greatest accomplishments happened during this time as I had a total body cleansing of my mind, body, and soul. I was able to spend some time to myself thinking about where I was headed in this new year. I thought clearly about the new businesses I wanted to start up with a journaling and apparel line. I got clear on who I wanted to serve with my mindset and business coaching. I gathered the information to start up my new podcast. I even had the energy to write content for marketing for ten months. I got personal and decided who I was and was not going to associate with. I considered who drained me and who lifted me up. This time was about me for once, and it felt good. I achieved more in this time than ever.
So with these huge accomplishments, I made the commitment to do the following things daily:
- Turn Off My Phone at Least Once a Week
I am sticking to Sundays being the day I turn my phone off. This is the day I will chose to focus even more on my inner self outside of my morning routine.
2. Take Apps Off my Phone Regularly
When I start to feel like I am going to the apps a bit too much to engage in the world, I am committed to deleting the app for a few days. We have to unplug in order to recharge.
3. Turn Off all Notifications — Period. Point. Blank.
The only notifications I am leaving on is for phone calls. Everything else has to go. And if that becomes a problem too, it will go as well. Other people will not distract me from where I want to be.
4. Set a Time to Check My Notifications, Texts, and Emails Each Day
From 1:00pm — 2:00pm, I am allowed to check my notifications, texts, and emails each day. Outside of that time, I am enthralled in my work.
5. Act Like I’m the Success I Already Am
Highly successful, influential people don’t spend time all day on social media or even engaging on their phones. They are creating masterpieces to transform the entire world.
If you’re looking to up level your entire life, then go ahead and follow me on Facebook or Instagram for free daily inspiration!
