I wear a fancy watch that buzzes when I get “important” business notifications. I constantly have an electronic device 12 inches or less from my body that contains my calendar, my picture album, my social life, my businesses, my news, my scroll…. You get the picture.

Within seconds we know everything that’s happening everywhere. There is no delay. There is no quiet. There are emails and texts and instant messages and direct messages and snaps and notes and news and calendar notifications.

We are bombarded with information. From the moment we open our eyes until we go to sleep at night (and often while we’re in bed) there is information being thrown at us everywhere. Buy this. Do this. Go to this. Read this. It’s incredibly draining.

While I can’t tell you to get rid of your cell phone and go live under a rock, I can tell you that in seasons of stress I do my best to limit my intake of unnecessary information. I don’t need to watch news commentary or scroll Instagram at night. I don’t need YouTube videos or HGTV. I don’t need more information going in my brain.

What I’ve learned is that it takes intention to take a break. Sometimes I will try to stay away from my phone for most of the day on Sunday to just BE and enjoy my family. I’ll let messages and notifications and emails pile up and it’s actually not that big of a deal.   My brain and my family need that time of disconnection.   In the evenings after long and stressful days we sometimes agree to put away the devices and turn off all screens and just be together.

I can promise you that it won’t happen by itself and if your “device” is within grasp and it’s constantly buzzing then you’re going to pick it up. So make a choice to put it in another room or turn it off completely. Just for a bit to start. It will feel uncomfortable. You won’t like it for a while, but keep practicing. Your brain, family and body will be glad you did!

All of that information intake takes energy. Just processing it. You’re making decisions, opinions and to-do lists even while you “mindlessly” scroll. So take a break. Just do it!

I am NO expert. And it’s hard. It really is. But it’s worth it. How will you spend your “information free” time this week? Spend some extra time in God’s Word, take your kids to the park, go for a walk without your phone, sit in 100% quiet, take a bath, read a book. Allow that energy to BUILD!

I’m rooting for you!

Coach Emily