Your Phone is ringing….

My Fiancé will tell me all the time that I am addicted to my phone.

And it's true.

The truth is, I feel a certain need to be connected. To know what's going on, or have access to information when I need / want it.

What is also true is that we give up a certain amount of control when we have a cell phone. We are now accessible. Available. It is a devise that is out of your control: other people call you on it, not based on your needs or your day or your availability. They call because THEY want to reach you. It has nothing to do with you, your time or your work.

So - it's easy to say turn the phone off, but that doesn't address the need / desire to stay connected.

One game I play with a number of groups deals with status and how you perceive status, how it affects our relationships and work. The lesson attached to this exercise is that Status is always in YOUR control, and YOU get to choose your status at all times. For me, this helps with disconnecting. I can choose to be a higher status and not be available. Also - I found this great new feature on the iPhone called 'do not disturb.' It's sort of my way of saying 'I'm important, and I need this time for me. Everything else can wait.' And while it's on, I can still surf the web or get email or do whatever I want… it's just that no one else can disturb me. I like to think of it as my time for taking control of what I want and being the most important person at that time.

If you are feeling slightly under the gun and stressed about the things you have to do. Try the 'do not disturb.' It has a mental ability to let you focus, knowing that you are worth it.

Don't call me if you have any questions.

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