As a college student, I constantly feel like everything is swarming me with no prevail. Every single hour I get a new email, a text message or a Canvas notification with grades or new assignments. It all becomes too much, especially when combined with all my notifications from social media and my business. I cannot help but think is this all my life consists of? That is when I had the idea to turn off my notifications on my phone.
The idea actually sprung from a Thirty-One Senior Executive Director named Susan Sullivan, who told me that she checks her phone on her own schedule. She does not let anyone, or anything define who is she. She does things at her own time.
How many times have you been in the middle of homework and get a text from your friends or an email about a sale from your favorite store, and you instantly put down the pencil and pick up your phone? I have done this every single day since I have had my cell phone, until I finally turned it all off.
Since turning off my notifications completely on my phone, with the exception of texts and calls from family, I have felt such a peace. I can finally wake up in the morning and not dread looking at my phone.
I check my emails, Canvas reports, texts and social media on my own time. It has brought so much more balance to my life.
Focusing on reality in front of me has become something so important to me now, and I am so grateful I finally get to enjoy it without interruption.