I ask this question because often we find multiple ways to distract ourselves from being productive.  Under the guise of being too busy, we give ourselves permission to not achieve, not finish things, not begin a project or finish it, etc.  But if we take a good hard look at what we fill our time with, what would we find? 

I read an article recently that said that the average person spends 2 hours and 30 minutes on social media per day.  Coupled with that, another article states that people spend anywhere from 1-4 hours streaming or watching TV per day.

I think as a society, we are lost in the ether, so to speak, and not aware of just how much time we spend distracted.  Much of the time is the 5-10 minutes here and there checking phones, seeing who's doing what online, and not focusing on being present in whatever we would like our main focus to be. 

And then there's the time after your job or when the kids go down to bed, or the spouse drifts off to sleep and you scroll, and scroll, and scroll some more, or binge watch episodes of shows, some of which you're not even sure you really like, to pass some more time.

If you are one of those that thinks spending 4-6 hours a day online or watching TV is a good use of your time and where you want to spend it, then this isn't for you.  Go back to your own business.  But if you know inside that you would be absolutely shocked to realize you spend those inordinate amounts of time doing these activities, then the question arises, how do we break out of it?  How do we do something different?

I know I don't have all the answers, as I can be as guilty as the next guy (or lady).  But what I do know, is that setting intentions and being intentional is the first step to stop being unconscious about what we're doing.  So this week is my week to set intentions, to intentionally practice being conscious and making conscious choices.

1. Turn my phone off when not using it...  When I need it on, keep it out of arm's reach.  Track how many times I pick it up and use it anyway.

2. Don't overlook sleep... get enough, 7-8 hours a night.

3. What could I be doing that is more valuable than the way I'm spending time right now? What do I want to be doing, and then pursue that actively.

4. Create other practices, such as meditation, exercise, stretching, or working on some project I've been putting off.  Build other habits to replace the distracted habits.

5. Focus on my loved ones more and be more present and available mentally.