No Phones Allowed

We're all aware at this stage too much smartphone use isn't good for us. Worse still if you're trying to lead a more distraction free, intentional life.

The next notification has the potential to derail focus, alter your mood, and distract you from what you feel is more important right now.

And we know phones, apps and notifications see our minds as easy prey to disrupt.

Have you tried turning off the less important notifications in settings? Perhaps even just turning the sound, the red '1' badges and drop down banners off? (Why have so many cues for a single notification?)

Or better still have you tried putting your phone in the other room, even just for an hour? Maybe push it to two or more and see how long you can go?

If you feel you need to stay connected for the most important calls and notifications, why not use a smartwatch connected to your phone instead? Adding a cellular plan to your cellular enabled Apple Watch for example. This can then lead to leaving your phone at home and heading out in the world knowing that if an important call or message was to come through, the smartwatch would have that covered. (Just so long as you turn off the other notifications on your smartwatch too.)

Have you tried a no phones allowed downtime recently?

Maybe your next walk? It's surprisingly freeing, and a sign we've become too dependent on the pings, red badges and drop down banners.