These are things I've found that have worked for me to disconnect and to maintain focus on me. Self love is a constant journey. Focus on your worth.
1. Put your phone on "Do Not Disturb".
Now, if you’re someone who is anxious like I am, this will take a bit of an adjustment. I usually am extremely extroverted, accessible and everyone's "go-to". If you're nervous something could happen: If someone calls you three times, your phone will not be on “do not disturb” anyone.
This isn't airplane mode.
If you really have a hard time with this; let close ones to you know you won't be as assicible from time A to time B. In real emergencies, people will call continuously or leave voicemails. "Do not disturb" doesn't mean you can't look at your phone or be on it. It just allows you to focus on less disruptions. 2. Start saying no to plans.
Let the record show that I have always been terrible at plans. This does not mean stop making plans all together. This just means don’t fill your calendar up with days on days of plans you feel obligated to participate in. Live more day by day,. 3. Focus on the present.
Not the past and not the future.
As much as the past can teach us; focus on right now. As well as having ambition brings on an amazing future; be in the moment. Be mindful. Be clear. Be present. 4. Listen to the same song on repeat. This might sound crazy. When I am really into a song I can listen to it for hours. I can listen to the same album over and over again. One time, I was in the tub, letting my mind wander and I realized I had been listening to the same Odd Future song on repeat for almost thirty minutes. If you aren’t someone who can do this, create a disconnect playlist. DO not put the energy into thinking or feeling about this play list once it's on. Accept and enjoy. 5. Disable social media from being at your finger tips. If you are self-employed, you work every day as much as people think you always have a ‘day off’. Do not answer that client's email at midnight. Do not overbook yourself to appease others. Do not put yourself in sixteen “Instagram pods”, ‘facebook groups”, other internet obligations to maintain your business by helping others also maintain theirs. If you are in this type of system, be honest to those around you about your commitments. Schedule more posts. Work smarter, not harder. Write more blogs when you're inspired. Write less when you're not. Don't force work. Take a break. Stop responding to clients on Facebook Messenger. Do they Facebook their doctor? Maintain business hours. Delete the apps from your phone during certain times. Don't have your iPhone, ipad and MacBook all on your lap. Speaking from experience. Quit being so accessible.
6. FORCE yourself to keep your hobbies.
It is so easy for us, especially as women, to let our hobbies fall to the side for our relationships, children, businesses and more. Our hobbies make us. Our hobbies revive us. Our hobbies are self love, self care and self worth. I know you’re tired, go to that class. I know the kids want extra attention but keep that scheduled spa day. I know your husband and you have opposite shifts but go to paint night. I know your best friend broke up with her boyfriend AGAIN but go for a run. Pick up the phone in an hour. 7. Alone time does not have to mean productivity.
If you're anything like me or if you're self employed; every second of alone time means productivity. It means these blogs, creating photos or searching for the most recent portfolio work, organizing your kits, doing flat styles, emailing clients and vendors, scheduling posts, commenting on Instagram to promote visibility and more. Take some of your alone time to just be unproductive. Be alone.
