Tag: purpose

What Do You Do with your SmartPhone after 9:00pm?

• scroll social media?
• check work emails?
• text with friends or family?
• stream your favorite show?
• plug it in and put it to bed?

What is What You Do with your SmartPhone Doing to You?

• when you scroll social media – do you get sucked in, lose track of time, feel envious of others, end up seeing images you wish you hadn’t?
• when you check work emails – do you feel accomplished, or do you get wrapped up in trying to problem solve, grow increasingly frustrated, spiral about things that should be addressed during work hours?
• when you text with friends or family – do you find this refreshing, or do you feel pressure to check in, or does it give you a sense of control to make sure everyone is okay?
• when you stream your favorite show – do you feel lighter, or do you end up binging “just one more episode” until you’re overly tired?
• when you plug it in and put it to bed – do you feel bored, or do you feel free to find other meaningful things to do without your phone in your hand?

The Things You Do…

…Do Something to You

Using your SmartPhone after 9pm isn’t a bad thing, unless it ends up having a negative impact on you. It can be a wise thing to notice how you feel when you use your SmartPhone at any time of day or night. What is it doing to you?

Here are Nine Things you can do WITHOUT your phone after 9:00pm:

Nine after 9:00

1. Make a Gratitude List. Gratitude softens your mood and brings a sense of peace instead of striving. Gratitude literally strengthens neural pathways linked to positive thinking, making it easier to notice the good things without trying so hard. You can start by naming “One Good Thing.”
2. Read a Psalm. The Psalms in the Bible give words to your emotions and lead you into worship. When your mind is spiraling, a Psalm can act like an anchor, steadying you by changing your brain chemistry – lowering stress hormones and increasing feelings of peace and joy.
3. Play. There’s nothing like PLAY to pull you into the PRESENT. Why not give your inner critic a break by removing the pressure to “get it right”? Get curious and playful – your people will delight in experiencing this side of you!
4. Organize a Drawer. Your mind loves a tidy environment. Organizing tells your nervous system, “All is under control,” which can lower your stress response. Every time you complete a small organizing task – clearing the counter, straightening a bookshelf – your brain rewards you with a little burst of dopamine, giving you that sense of accomplishment you may be craving before bedtime.
5. Step outside and look at the moon. It is a gentle invitation to get out of your own head and into a bigger perspective. Awe and beauty trigger dopamine, reduce stress, and stir wonder. (Maybe this is why we loved reading GOODNIGHT MOON to our littles before tucking them into bed.)
6. Say a Breath Prayer. It can flip the switch from stress mode to rest mode. You can try this breath prayer taken from Psalm 62:1 – Breathe in: “My soul finds rest,” Breathe out: “in God alone.”
7. Take a Hot Bath or Shower. The drop in temperature afterward helps trigger sleepiness.
8. Snuggle. Some of us crave physical touch more than others, and a human snuggle can send signals to our vagus nerve, telling our nervous systems it’s okay to relax and slow down. Digital interactions can trigger dopamine, making us feel good in the moment but may leave us feeling emotionally empty afterward. (Note: If you live alone, a human snuggle before bed may not be realistic, so you might enjoy using a weighted blanket – It’s like having a weighted exhale – your whole system gets permission to let go.)
9. Read a Good Book. I love to hold a physical book in my hands, each turn of the page brings me joy! Reading resets my mind and signals my body that it’s time to rest. Some of my favorite books in this season are:

• The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver
• Sandwich: A Novel by Catherine Newman
• The Correspondent: A Novel by Virginia Evans
• Theo of Golden: A Novel by Allen Levi
• The Deeply Formed Life: A Discipleship Book by Rich Villodas
• The Expectation Gap: A Spiritual Growth Book by Steve Cuss
• Tattoos on the Heart: An Autobiography by Gregory Boyle
• The Color of Water: A Memoir by James McBride
• What if I’m Wrong: A Personal Growth Book by Heather Thompson Day

You don’t need to do ALL NINE things, but you may need to CHOOSE ONE GOOD THING to do without your phone at night, especially if…..

• you’re having trouble falling asleep at night
• your people are dropping hints that “you’re always on your phone”
• you can’t remember the last time you had a meaningful conversation IRL
• you’re feeling anxiety related to the constant news cycle
• you are with your people, but you’re not feeling “present” with your people
• you are losing confidence in living out your calling

Message me at reneclarkca@gmail.com for a free 30-minute Clarity Chat about growing in Self-Leadership and what you’re Craving more of in this season.