Do 24 hours a day seem not enough to handle it all? You aren’t alone. Balancing family and business while maintaining a sense of self is challenging. Add in social media and the million different distractions that are thrown at us everyday and whew, I’m exhausted. I’ve been doing some searching and testing of techniques to help curb the distractions, and I’m going to share that journey.

We all know that we only have 24 hours a day. Darren Hardy suggests that the struggle isn’t in our time management, but in our self management. The biggest separator of the ultra successful and super achievers is how they use those same 24 hours. One of the ways they use those hours is to focus and not be distracted.

Every time the phone buzzes, beeps, or rings, are you jumping or reaching to check it? Me too. Is it always within arm’s reach when you’re working? Me too. And then seemingly unrelated but is it really? Do you wonder why you’re lacking patience when you get home to the kids (or the kids come home after school)? Feel like they are challenging you? Like me, you get easily frustrated when trying to tackle homework and dinner and bath and bedtime. I’m on a quest to learn more about willpower and how the simple fact of choosing to control your temper, not overeat, not gossip, or not be distracted by the news sucks up your daily willpower.

By the end of the day, you’ve exhausted your dose of willpower and give in to the kids, food, social media, and whatever else that comes into sight. You’re not alone. And now you can join me on the journey of self awareness and self management.

Technique 1: Be fully present

We’ve all heard about being fully present but what does that really look like for you? For me, it starts with putting my phone in a different room while I’m having dinner and family time. I’m going to even challenge myself to put it on silent (baby steps!) for a few hours a week while I work on my bookkeeping business. I think I already do a good job of not checking my phone during meetings so I’m celebrating that curbed distraction.

Now it’s your turn to pick a challenge – can you pick a time of the day or week to put your phone on silent and be fully present with your kids and your business? Would you consider unplugging? I’d love to hear how it goes! Comment below or send me a message on Facebook.

Also be sure to communicate your new ideas and techniques to your family, let them help you stay present and less distracted. And always remember to give yourself lots of grace!

Technique 2: Clear the tabs

Tell me I’m not the only one that has 5 or more browser tabs and several applications (work email, personal email, facebook, word, excel, banking website, news website, the list goes on…) open at the same time. You too, good. We’re not alone! I thought I was great at multi-tasking but I’m here to admit, I was wrong. It was a lie I told myself to justify my squirrel brain. Now I’m giving myself credit for being less distracted in baby steps and again lots of grace when I fall short.

My challenge is to not have 3 apps or tabs open at the same time. I choose 3 because I use QuickBooks, Excel and my work email often to enter and review data and communicate what I’m seeing. For you, that might look a bit different.

Now it’s your turn to pick a challenge – how many apps or tabs are you going to limit yourself to? Try it out for a week and let’s celebrate our wins and encourage the short falls.

Excited to journey with you to curb the distractions and focus on success!