Side Note from Coach Jen: This blog is for you as much as it is for me. As an entrepreneur of almost ten years, I would have so many moments of not wanting to work, so I would pick up the phone to look at IG, IG Stories, TikTok, and the list goes on and on. I know how distracting this can be. So hopefully, these tips will help. Grab my social media calendar here to help you figure out your social media for your business and not get distracted from notifications! 

Always Checking Notifications? Read Below at the Five Steps to Break the Habit!

Have you been feeling the need to conduct some digital decluttering and wonder how you can remain more focused on what is truly important instead of feeling distracted by too much nonsense? Many business people and entrepreneurs need to break the habit of checking their notifications and phone throughout the day simply because they are missing out on life as it happens. However, if you carefully apply these tips, you will find yourself more relaxed and interested in real life simply because you’re taking a break from the electronic rat race.

1. Stick to a schedule.

Make a schedule to wean yourself from the habit of checking your notifications and phone so much. You can start with fifteen- or thirty-minute increments for checking your email and social media. Once you become better at not getting sucked into time-wasting activities, increase that increment to every 45-minutes, then move up to every hour.

In addition, also set a 5-minutes timer to check and respond to the most important things. If your inbox is full, allot an extra ten- to fifteen minutes to respond to anything that requires your input. Also, it is good to inform friends, family, and colleagues that you will not be answering their calls and messages as quickly as you did previously so that they do not worry or become anxious.

2. Be sure to shut off push notifications whenever possible.

You are not obligated to be bombarded with interruptions from your social media platforms or messages that your favorite online podcast has just uploaded a new topic. You can significantly reduce such distractions by shutting off as many push notifications as possible. Go even further by shutting off your email and calendar notifications. If you’re on a schedule for checking email, then messages are unnecessary.

3. Remove distracting apps.

Much of your phone usage comes from unconscious habits. People shift from Instagram to Facebook without much thinking, then check the weather and texts before playing their favorite game or checking their news headlines. However, if you use only specific necessary apps, this will reduce the amount of time wasted on your phone. Try deleting the apps for social media sites and only use the web browser of your phone or laptop to engage. You’ll reduce time on your phone as apps make it too easy to waste time, even after engaging with your followers.

4. Keep your device away from your bed.

Your phone does not have to be the last thing you see before going to sleep at night and the first thing you see in the morning. To avoid looking at your phone too much, try using an old-school alarm clock instead of a phone.

5. Use a smart speaker.

A smart speaker is valuable because it helps you live a life away from your phone screen. For example, when you have a smart speaker attached to your network via Bluetooth technology, this will prevent you from having to use your phone to turn on podcasts or music; instead, say your choices to the smart speaker and go about your day, listening and learning instead of being sucked into your phone.

The longer your phone is out of your hands, the more productive you’ll become, and these tips are just the beginning of your lessened dependence on technology. You may even discover that your days feel longer because you’re no longer distracted by your phone or notifications.

Grab the Social Media Calendar HERE!