Goals and Books | Family Photographer | St Marys GA | Fernandina Beach FL

June 15, 2016  •  1 Comment

Personal confession... I pick up my phone WAY too much and find myself distracted by all the things I could check: Facebook, email, etc.

Some days I focus so much on my to-do list that I don't take time to play with and just be with my son. I mean, the whole point in wanting to stay home with him was to actually get to spend more time with him than if I went back to teaching. So this year I knew I needed to focus on being less distracted and more present. One of my goals/resolutions for 2016 is to Be More Present. My phone has started to become an addiction and it needs to stop. I went for so long without joining the crowds of smart-phone users and once I bought one, it became a downward spiral. Every time I walk by it, I have the urge to check it. I sometimes excuse it away and blame the fact that my husband is military and when he isn't home I feel like my phone/social media is my only connection to the rest of the adult world. Or that I keep it close by in case he calls. And then there's the fact that I use social media for my business and want to answer client emails as soon as I am able. I know that I am better about leaving it be when I have him home or someone is here to visit. But I need to do something about this now before it gets worse. I started by turning off notifications and moving apps that distract me the most into groups and not on the first screen so that they are less visible. I try to put my phone somewhere out of view and set some simple boundaries for myself to get me weaned off my phone and it's gotten a little better but I still have a ways to go. 

So when I recently decided to try the Audible free trial, I used my first free book credit to get Hands Free Life by Rachel Macy Stafford (which I had put on my wish list earlier this year). I listened to it on a road trip and it was exactly what I needed. I LOVE this book. I am still working on implementing the strategies in the book, but I'm already seeing the positive changes. Once I finished listening to it, I went and bought her first book, Hands Free Mama as well. I loved this one also and plan to listen to them both again and I bought the physical copies of both books so I can have them to reference back to when I need/want. 

So why am I sharing this on my photography blog? Because like many of you reading this, I am a mom, and I found myself becoming way to distracted by technology, my to-do list, and what the world expects of me and started to lose sight of what I really wanted. And maybe one of you reading this can relate to this as well and can start getting back to what really matters. The NAPCP retreat I went to in January of this year had the theme "Make it Matter" for this year and I feel like this ties right in to that too. 

I've been at this for a couple months now and have days I feel like things are getting so much better, and days where I feel like I'm failing again. But overall, I can see that my phone is loosing it's grip on me. I have been setting boundaries for myself and find that I resist the urge to pick it up as often as I was. Of course there are days when I've been sick or just really feeling lonely and I end up picking it up more often than I should. But then there are the days when I do really well at leaving it in another room and doing something fun with my son. Just last week we finished putting together a model of the solar system since he's been so into space and the planets lately and he loves it. A few days later, we made a mock volcano and used baking soda and vinegar to watch it "explode." 

 

diy solar system modelCopyright Kimberly Tank Art & Photography

I'm still trying to find a balance with my to-do list and spending quality time with my son. I emphasize the word quality because we spend almost 24/7 together since he's only 4 and we are homeschooling. So unless I'm off at a photo session, he's pretty much with me all the time. But I have to work and get things done around the house so I'm still working on balance. I know it's not an overnight achievement and I need to keep working towards that balance and hopefully I'll be at least close to that soon. Right now I know that things are getting better and moving in that direction anyways. Perhaps it's time to re-listen to those audio books and refresh my desire down this path of being more hands free. 

Thanks for reading!

<3

Kim

Do you or have you struggled with this too? Have you found something that has helped? I'd love if you'd share! 

P.S. I don't make money from the links provided, I just wanted to make things easier for you to find if you wanted too!


Comments

Jennifer(non-registered)
I do struggle with this too! "Just a moment" becomes minutes or an hour before you know it! I love your suggestions around how to get in under control. Since the beginning of the year, when I ham out with my family, I don't bring my pone with me, or if I have to, I have shut off my cellular data, that way if people need to phone me they can, but nothing else. This has had the added advantage of saving me money on my plan too :)

Great article!
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Kimberly Tank is an award-winning professional photographer in Rockledge, FL, servicing Brevard County on the Space Coast in Central Florida (including Melbourne, Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach, Merritt Island, Viera and surrounding areas). Using natural light and custom on location sessions, Kimberly Tank specializes in photographing families from babies to seniors and commercial clients, both on land and underwater; providing an exceptional customer experience and helping save you time and preserve this chapter in your life's story. Kimberly Tank is a proud member and ambassador of National Association of Professional Child Photographers.
 

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