The Unexpected Benefits From Giving Up My Smartphone

About eighteen months ago I did the "unthinkable" and gave up my smartphone.

I had been using a smartphone for over five years at that point. And I realized a few things. First, I was always connected, online, and available. I have Wi-Fi at work and home. I didn't really need to be spending $50+ on my smartphone. And maybe I'd even feel better and more productive if I gave it up. That seems obvious, right?

Most people react with horror to the idea that I only have a flip phone.

I get a lot of the same reactions when people find out I don't have a smartphone. They think I never had one and refuse to "give in." But I did give in, for almost five years. Or they think that I must be deprived. Don't worry - I still find a way to watch ridiculous videos on YouTube. I'm still almost always connected, just not 24/7. And I get to control when I am connected. Some people decide that it is nice for me to do this, but THEY could never give up THEIR smartphone. Well, you could. If you wanted to.

Without a smartphone, I can spot someone who is addicted from a mile away.

Most people I meet are addicted to their smartphones. It's something you notice when you don't have one. They get distracted during conversations. They pull it out when they are bored. I'm left standing there, enjoying nature...or trying to be present in the grocery line instead of distracted. I don't wonder where "the time has gone." Or "what just happened" at an event. If you have a smartphone, and don't think you're addicted - I'm here to you that you probably are. Smartphones help feed the "attention residue" problem Dr. Cal Newport writes about. It's hard to get back on track even after "just checking" your smartphone for a second. Or hearing it buzz in your backpack, as many of my students do in the classroom.

I have been building up my ability to "unplug."

Since I've given up my smartphone, I've been able to go for longer and longer times of unplugging. No email, internet, or related distractions (people could call me in case of a big emergency). Sometimes I take just a day. The world does not end. No one needs to talk to me online that desperately (much to my surprise sometimes). I've even gone unplugged for an entire week. And I already wrote about my silent retreat weekend. I'm not sure I could have gone on that trip if I had a smartphone. It's really great to be able to walk away from technology for awhile, as you can imagine. Most people would probably start shaking after an hour. You have to build yourself up to long stretches.

I have found replacements for the parts I really miss.

• I do really miss being able to video chat with my sisters. But I make up for it by intentionally calling them more often. And of course, actually going to visit.

• Texting has just turned into back and forth emails. For people I want to text, of course. If we want to stay connected, we'll find a way.

• I thought I would miss my running app, that tracked every step and told me when to run and when to walk (when I was first starting). But now I just run. Not every run has to be timed or perfect.

• Traveling can sometimes be problematic. I want Google Maps for directions or I want the Yelp app to evaluate a restaurant for me. More often than not, I'm with someone who has a smartphone, so it is fine. But even when I'm alone, I find I figure out the road myself. Printed Google Maps directions left off five steps? I can figure it out!

• I still have a Kindle Fire at home. I use it when I don't want to open up my laptop. But often I find myself saying, "No more screen time tonight." I've had enough. It makes me pick up that book I want to read. Or the craft I want to work on. Or just spending more time petting my dogs. And that feels great.

I don't wonder where the time has gone.

I know where my time is going. I am always trying to be more present. Less distracted. Actually focused on my tasks. Not having a smartphone helps me with those goals. And yes, I still marvel, "that was TEN YEARS ago?" from time to time. But I'm not shocked or startled by it. I'm spending my time the way I want to. I know what year it is and what goals I have for the rest of the year. Yes, Christmas will always be here before we know it. Be present in the mean time.

And maybe eventually I'll return to smartphone land.

Once you have that extra $50 in your pocket, plus phone costs, it is hard to imagine going back. But I can't Uber without a smartphone. I can't Instagram. Most text messages from companies now are links. Eventually, I'll probably have to rejoin the world of the smartphone. And there will be many great things about it. But for now, I'm doing just fine without it. And the best part is I know I can live without it.

Update: I returned to smartphone land after 18 months without one. This blog post continues to be popular with readers, every single day. This wasn’t the only change I made to better my life. Read some of my other tips and tricks here.

How to Really Focus on Your Work

Have you ever had a ton of stuff to do on your task list, but can't seem to get any of it actually done?

It's a common feeling. I feel it myself from time to time. I have these big projects I want to spend more time on, but distractions and other smaller projects keep getting in the way. Or maybe you're a student and you have a big test coming up, but you keep procrastinating instead of studying for it.

Sometimes we need to really, truly focus on our work.

We start to realize that we need no distractions. Maybe you have tried some of these techniques before:

• Going to a coffee shop to work instead of your office or home.

• Hiding your cell phone for a stretch of time.

• Disconnecting your WiFi or enabling an app like Freedom to deter online activity.

• Asking your colleagues or roommates to "leave you alone" for a stretch of time while you work.

• Having a work or study session with a friend to keep you accountable.

All of these techniques can be really helpful. But why? 

Cal Newport calls it the skill of "deep work." When we allow ourselves to focus and spend time really engaging in deep work, we get more done. We're more productive and creative. We feel accomplishment from our work sessions, instead of wondering where all of our time went. I have had several recent session of deep work and I am amazed at what I can accomplish during them.

It makes perfect sense to focus on our tasks, but our world has become so distracting. 

It can take awhile to work yourself up to big sessions of deep work. I recommend trying the Pomodoro Technique to get yourself started. Spend 25 minutes completely undistracted on your task. Whatever you need to do to get rid of those distractions (see the list above). You can build up your time in increments. Soon you'll be spending 90 minutes engaged in deep work.

So what has helped you focus on deep work before? What can you commit to right now for focusing? 

Tell us below in the comments so we can share ideas!

How to Effectively Deal with your Back to College Stress

Maybe everything was sunshine and rainbows when you were thinking about going back to college in early August. You were most worried about your new wardrobe or which colors of pens to purchase.

But then reality set in. Only a few weeks into the semester and your stress is already building.

Yep, I get it. I may be on the "other side" as a college professor, but being on this side of things helps me see your perspective. So many papers to write and so many deadlines. Your professors expect a lot out of you, you want to spend time on your social life...not to mention juggling work and thinking about your future career. It's a lot to deal with all at once! Especially if you had a nice break this summer.

The good news is you are not alone and there are many strategies that can help.

Many other college students feel the same stress - I can promise you that. Maybe they don't look like it in class, but many of your peers are dealing with the exact same feelings. Do you hang out with the people who feed into your stress, just constantly talking about it? Or do you DO something about your stress? Well you must be ready to take action since you're reading this blog post! Surround yourself with people who are ready to take action and actually do something about their stress.

Map out your entire semester by weekly tasks and activities.

This sounds like a lot of work, but just a few minutes mapping out your semester can help you see the bigger picture. You can draw something simple or make a fancy Excel file. Either way, visualize the semester and the weeks in front of you. Do you have three exams in one week? Or a big project due before November? Map it out so you can see where the most "stressful" times will occur. 

Now can you dial back on some of your other activities during the most stressful weeks? If week eight looks like it will be jam-packed with exams,  papers, and projects, then can you find a way to work less at your job that week? Or make sure you have no ambitions to binge watch something on Netflix? Knowing that a big week is coming up helps you plan ahead. You can also warn others around you about your most stressful week. Tell your long distance friend that they might not hear from you until week nine or ten. Mapping is a great tool that helps you break down projects and the semester into manageable pieces. Think of that classic saying - you have to eat the elephant one bite at a time...and you'll be taking your semester one day or week at a time.

Schedule "worry sessions" for yourself.

A lot of times our stress is caused by the worry we have. You worry about your future career. You worry about what you said in class. Or how you reacted to a friend. Or what your sibling is up to back home. The list of things you might be worrying about is endless. But thinking about all of that worry all the time wears you down. And leads you to say, "I'm stressed out." Some of the worry is manageable through action steps, like we talked about above. But other times the worry just doesn't seem to go anywhere.

So what if you scheduled a "worry session" each day for yourself? You could say, "Between 8:00-8:30pm I am going to just sit and worry." The idea is that as worries start to pop up in your day, you say, "I'll save these for later," instead of stewing about them throughout your day. Try it out. See if it helps with the rest of your day. Now you might want to follow it up with a session of mindfulness meditation or relaxation. But "saving" your worries for later may help you recognize that your day does not have to be consumed by them.

* And if you deal with any anxiety disorders, please follow your counselor's or therapist's recommendations for your care. Of course!

Spend ten minutes writing about why you value your education.

I know, more writing in your life is just what you need! But hear me out. Writing out your personal values has a lot of research behind it. So let's tailor it to your education. Why are you working on your degree? Why are you in college at all? List out the reasons and hang on to the list. Revisiting the list from time to time can help remind you about your core values related to education. You'll get through this stress and this semester. Especially because you value it.

So those are some quick tips for you to effectively deal with back to college stress.

What else do you use on a regular basis to help deal with your stress? Share below in the comments!

What happens when you get derailed from your goals?

Have you ever made an awesome set of plans and goals?

You made a long to do list. Or finally had that conversation with your parents about your future. Or you declared to the world on social media that you are going to accomplish your goal no matter what. Nothing can get in your way!

And then those plans quickly get derailed.

You have to work over time. Your family plans a surprise that takes up your time. You get sick. Motivation goes right out the window and it feels like you made those plans for nothing. Your long checklist now feels impossible. Sometimes a rough day turns into a rough month or year.

Feeling completely derailed from your goals is a case of "all or nothing" thinking.

Once we get derailed from our goals, it is easy to throw our hands up in the air and say, "Well, I give up." If we don't start our plan exactly on the day or time we intended, we decide to give up on the entire month. Or if we check a few things off our to do list, but ignore the rest for a few days, we crumple the list up and forget about it.

All or nothing thinking is also referred to as black or white thinking. Read more about it in this article. Either "I'm going to accomplish this exactly the way I intended and do it perfectly" or "I won't do it at all." That's too simplistic. We all fall for this cognitive trap sometimes.

Instead, recognize there are may be multiple layers to accomplishing your goals.

Alright, so maybe you didn't get to studying yesterday for that upcoming quiz. But that doesn't mean the whole thing is ruined. Study today - even if it is only for fifteen minutes. Or if you were starting a new sleep habit and got distracted for a few weeks - try it again tonight.

Little habits and actions add up to a lot of change in the long run.

Every action and habit adds up over time, even when you skip a few days or get derailed. The most important part is to get back on track. Don't view the derailment as a catastrophe - just view it as one step. Two steps backwards and one step forward, right? You can even reach out to someone in your life who motivates you and can get you excited again about getting back on track.

Recommit yourself to your goals.

And tell us in the comments - what else has helped you get back on track when you get derailed? 

How Do You Know What To Pursue? Lilies versus Leeches

Do you ever feel like you don't know which projects or passions to follow?

Recently I was watching a great video by Marie Forleo where she featured Dr. Ned Hallowell on her show. They talked about how sometimes we get so busy with so many projects and passions that it can be difficult to sort them all out.

So consider whether the project is a lily or a leech.

According to Dr. Hallowell, a lily is a person or project that is worth it. Something you are really passionate about and excited to jump into. Maybe someone asks you to play in the band on Friday night. You might enthusiastically say yes because it is a lily. Something that you feel is worth it. Sure, it might be a lot of work, but at the end of the gig, you'll say it was completely worth it.

On the other hand, there are leeches, or people and projects that are not worth it. Think about what a leech is - something that sucks the blood out of you. Perhaps an irritating friend asks you for a favor they could do themselves. You regretfully say yes and then wonder why you're doing the favor instead of doing something you love. Leeches take up our time and too many of them distract us from lilies. And not everyone has the same set of lilies and leeches. In fact, one person's leech could be another person's lily!

So choosing lilies over leeches is the way to go when thinking about a new project.

But what if there are so many lilies to choose from?

Many of us struggle with the possibility of too many lilies. Sure, you could play in that band Friday night, or hang out with friends, or help your little sister with her project, or take a new baking course, or...or...or.  Choosing too many lilies means too many flowers in the garden though. Too many flowers crowd each other out and get suffocated. Saying yes to everything means not being able to dedicate enough time to one project, letting it blossom and grow. So choose wisely and prioritize those lilies.

Action Step - Make a list of your lilies and leeches. Which can be eliminated?

Take the action step with me!  What are your lilies and leeches? Can you remove any leeches, which makes more room for lilies?  And can you reduce your number of lilies, so you can focus your energy on the people or projects that matter most?  Post below in the comments so we can share and strategize together!

Why You're More Productive Than You Think (And Just Need Clarity)

So you think you have a problem with productivity.

Almost everyone struggles with productivity.  We want to be superhuman and accomplish all the things all the time! But that's really difficult. When you do finally find the time to work on something important to you, you feel like you're not using your time wisely. And that makes you look into productivity tips and hacks around the web, including finding this blog post. And you get into a cycle of thinking you have a productivity problem.

Yet there are tasks you complete everyday.

Make a list of the tasks you do everyday. What are they? How often do they occur?  Tasks that you actually complete tend to be both urgent and important. I will pay this bill today (important) because it is due by midnight (urgent). I will drive my sister to practice right now (urgent) because she relies on me for a ride (important). I bet you will find dozens of examples of tasks you regularly complete because they are both urgent and important. (Note - If you're struggling to get out of bed or complete anything on a daily basis, please seek out medical care.)

This concept of urgent and important is part of a larger matrix known as the Eisenhower Box, crafted after President Eisenhower's ideas on productivity and time management.  A great visualization and spreadsheet example lives over on James Clear's website.

But the tasks that gnaw at you are the ones that keep getting pushed aside.

These tasks are important to you, but not really urgent. I think I should exercise (no urgency, but important for your health).  My friends mean the world to me (important), so I'd like to call them more often (no urgency). I really want to make a difference in this world (important), but I don't know how to make it pay my bills (not urgent to figure it out).  We all have hopes and dreams of goals we would like to accomplish, from big to small.

So tasks that aren't important or urgent keep getting in your way.

Instead of prioritizing our time for the bigger goals, we get lost in the tasks that are neither important or urgent.  Things like scrolling through all of our Snapchat updates (or other social media).  Binge watching the latest television show (is that really on your bucket list?).  Mostly tasks and things that could actually be deleted or dropped from our lives. If we truly valued them, we would consider them as important as treat them accordingly. Instead, they should just be eliminated from our priorities and goals.

There are tricks for making yourself do the things that are important to you.

Force yourself to make them urgent. Get into the mentality of "I must do it today." Each day adds up to your overall goal. How can each goal be broken down into something that must occur regularly?  "I want to exercise" could turn into "It is important for me to exercise and I must complete it every other day in order to see results." Be specific about your goals and include an accountability partner if it helps you.  A coach can help you target these steps as well.  Anything that can make your goal urgent will help it move into the box of things that actually get done.

Next time you think you have a productivity problem, think of your goals where they fit in the Eisenhower Box.

If your goals need realigned in the Eisenhower Box, do it! 

Now it's time to share. What tricks do you use to make tasks both urgent and important? Please comment below.

Want to get on track and stop procrastinating? Get access to my tips for reclaiming your time with the form below.

How to Create a Productive Summer for College Students

So you've had some time off from school, enjoying sleeping in or focusing on your job without papers to write or exams to take.  It's a glorious feeling, until you start to realize that time is already flying by and you have a list of things you want to accomplish this summer.  How can you possibly be productive with all of these distractions and sometimes unlimited free time?

When I was a student, I would feel the same way.  Often I would stay up late, sleep in, and wonder what I was going to do with my day starting around 12pm.  I would try to set big goals like applying for as many jobs as possible without clear deadlines.  And all too often, I would get sucked into some TV show or something to read on the internet.  My days slipped by and I wondered why I was able to get more done during the school year, when I was really busy.

Sound familiar?  You don’t have to have that kind of summer!  I wish I had followed this advice when I was in college.  Here are a list of three actionable items to help you create the productive summer you want:

1.  Set a consistent bedtime.  Yep, I’m serious.  Going to bed at the same time every night helps you wake up at the same time every day, so you feel well rested and ready to schedule your day.  Sometimes I hear people say, “I want to go to bed at 2am and wake up by 6am so I can be productive!”  That’s not going to happen.  You’re going to keep hitting snooze and then start your day feeling guilty, wondering why you didn’t get up.  Consistent sleep can change your life – figure out what could be stopping you from sleeping at night.

2.  Make your summer goals SMART.  SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.  Instead of saying, “I’m going to apply for as many jobs as possible tomorrow,” make it SMART.  Say, “Tomorrow I will apply for three jobs already on my list by 5pm.”  This makes the task easier to accomplish and gives you a time frame.  Instead of spending your entire morning avoiding applying for jobs, you know that if you complete three (as you said in your goal), you’ll be done for the day.  Then you can cruise YouTube videos without any guilt and prevent the cycle of feeling miserable for not accomplishing anything. 

3.  Use apps to help you focus your time.  Feel like you spend too much time on Pinterest?  Or any other website?  Instead of beating yourself up for getting sucked in, create external barriers.  I have a daily time limit on Facebook for 30 minutes.  No, I don’t track that time myself.  I use an app called StayFocusd, a free extension on my browser.  I get to choose all the settings.  But once my time is up, it’s up.  Something else is preventing me from spending too much time on a website.  No willpower required.

So what do you think of these three tips?  What else has been useful for you in creating a productive summer?