Hey Time Dorks,
Connor here. With Thanksgiving approaching this week for our U.S. readers, I wanted to revisit a tactic that has helped me be more present and make the most of those special moments with friends and family.
🏃♂️Something to Try
Picture this:
You’re driving home from work, the music is blaring, and you’re in a good mood. You arrive home, and step inside only to realize you left your phone and laptop at work. Now if you’re anything like I am, you’d probably freak out and rush back to work. But not this time. No, you left your digital devices at work ON PURPOSE.
Yep, you read that right. The little anecdote I just shared with you is a practice that our good pal Chris Palmieri does twice a week. He leaves all his devices at work so he can’t check his emails or even answer texts. Now, you may be thinking, “Why on Earth would Chris do such a thing?!?”
Sure, it might be a tad inconvenient, but Chris swears it’s a game-changer. This barrier Chris has between himself and his devices allows him to be more present with his wife and kids, go to sleep earlier, and even remember his dreams better! (if that’s a good thing…)
Why might you adopt Chris’ practice?
Although it might sound extreme at first, Leaving Your Devices Behind (Tactic #22) is a powerful way to create a new default. Work stays at work, and by default, you can be more present and undistracted at home.
If what Chris does sounds like a little too much, don’t worry, you don’t have to be as extreme. You can apply the underlying principle by keeping your phone in a drawer or simply leaving your laptop and phone in your work bag when you get home.
🤖 Tech & Tools
Putting your phone in a drawer or leaving it in my bag is usually enough of a barrier for me, but sometimes I’d like to lock it up and throw away the key.
But then I’d have to call a locksmith, pay for a new key, and ugh, what a hassle.
Luckily, there are some more practical solutions out there…like the KSafe. While it might appear silly at first, it’s a pretty cool way to eliminate the need for willpower. Simply drop your phone(s) in the safe, set a timer, and voila! — you can enjoy Thanksgiving (or any other important moment) without the tug of distraction from your smartphone.
If the KSafe isn’t for you, I was recently at a dinner where we put our phones in a bowl in the middle of the table, and the first one to check their phone paid for the table’s dessert. 😋
📚 Timely Quotes
Thanks for reading, see you next week!
Connor
