Palm Beach Moms Blog No Phone Challenge 

While I was on a date night tonight with my oldest son, I was taking pictures and he said, “In 7 years that will show up in your memories and you’re going to smile.” Just the thought of that made me tear up. In 7 years he will be almost 19. I am terrible at enjoying the moment but right then I put my phone down and loved every bit of this night. How I wish I could enjoy every moment like that…instead of through a phone.

I am 100% addicted to my phone. It’s so functional, I use it for everything. Parts of me worry what my children will be like seeing me constantly on the phone, when I give them time limits for their own screen devices.

They say actions are louder than words. What actions do I show through my own example?

I am striving to be more present in the moment. Forget all of the odd meaningless stuff I came up with for my New Year’s resolutions. My goal for the remainder of 2019 is to stay more in the now with my family. Computers and phones are functional, especially when you have to market and work from them. However, there can be a limit to this.

Ready Palm Beach Moms Blog readers? Do this homework with me: Schedule an hour of phone free time during each day. That may be really easy for you. Some of you may already do it without any struggle at all! For those of you that cringe in discomfort when I mention this challenge, this one is for you!

Here are the instructions:

1. Set a time that you will place your phone in a different room on silent for an hour for one week. Post on your favorite social media #PBMBPhoneChallenge to commit to your start to being a more present person. Make sure this time slot is possible to actually stay away from your phone. This shouldn’t be time where you are out and about, and already at ease with not having your phone because you’re busy. This should be a time where you are at home with downtime. 
2. When that time slot occurs, place your phone on silent in a separate room so that you aren’t tempted. Your children will see you more attentive to what they’re doing. If they are talking to you, they won’t be interrupted by a Facebook comment notification. 
3. The following week, try to increase this by an hour. Keep going by increasing every week another hour. See how far you can go without needing your phone in your hands.