Social Media Cleanse Week 4: Be Intentional

Good Morning!

Spring is officially here and so is week 4 of our social media cleanse.

Seriously, CONGRATS.

It has been a month since we began this cleanse! At this point, if you are feeling a little run down, discouraged, and getting a little annoyed that you committed to this craziness.. it is okay.  Let’s press the refresh button and renew your spirits by diving right into the challenge this week:

Grab a piece of paper, a pen, and a rubber band.

(I promise, I am going somewhere with this.)

Write down 5 things that you wish you had more time for in your day.

Our goal for this week, be more intentional with your time.

Hopefully by next Wednesday, that list becomes more of a reality then a wish list. How are we going to accomplish this? There are two phases, so here we go…

Phase 1- Document the amount of time spent online.

So as you may have realized by now, that we often pull out our phones without even thinking about it. That is what the rubber band is for. Place it around your phone, either towards the top or the bottom so you can actually still use the phone, but it should be just annoying enough to remind you that you need to check your time.

Figure out an easy way to document.. My suggestion is to open a note in your phone. Put the date and then just add times as you are on the phone.

What counts? Phone calls and texts are okay, and maybe even answering emails.. but basically anything else online counts.

Yes, the news counts. Unless you have a time of the day where you sit down and intentionally read through news stories and only read the news… then you are exempt (and cheers to you.) I mindlessly read through stories that come my way. Stories that a friend shares or pops up in a news feed, hardly intensional.

This starts now. yes. now. sorry. no last Facebook binge. Check the time my friend.

You can end this phase on Saturday night when you go to sleep.

Phase 2- Spend time doing things you love.

Once you have made it through your 3-4 days of documenting your online time. Check out your total number.

Now go back to that list.

Crazy, Right? The time that you don’t think you really have… you do have. You are just not being intentional about how you spend your time.

Now you are ready for phase 2: This starts Sunday morning and ends when you read the post for week 5 next Wednesday.

Keep the rubber band on your phone.

Now the annoying rubber band is to remind you of that list of 5 things.

Every time you get on your phone, think about that list. Do you have time to do one of those 5 things?

You have to get creative with this sometimes too… Here is an example:

You pulled out your phone because it is a commercial in your favorite show. Not nearly enough time to workout, which is on your list. But what else is on your list that you can do.. finish that book? Keep your book around. It may be one page, but hey, it is a page. Is being outside more or enjoying nature on your list? No, you don’t have time to take a nature walk but nothing is stopping you from just looking outside for a few moments.

Paulo Coelho writes:

There is a gap between intention and action.

Your goal this week is to bridge that gap.

Ahh! This is a tough one guys.  Godspeed.