Dear Solopreneurs, Your Phone isn't Your Problem

Silent Reading Time: 2 mins 25 secs

The average American checks their phone 96 times a day.

That’s every 10 minutes, assuming you sleep 8 hours a night. It’s a problem we laugh away, but it's eating away at your precious time.

Which leads us to our two part question of the week:

• Why do you have a phone?

• What are you using your phone to distract yourself from?

Before you click off because those questions sounds existential, I promise it comes with a real solution for your phone addiction that doesn’t come with a 12-step program.

In terms of business, the goal is to help you break free from the phantom limb death grip that turns you into Pavlov's dog when your phone is away.

But before we start, we need to agree on two things:

You can’t blame your focus problems on inanimate objects or technology. It can’t force you to do anything without your permission first.

Agreed? I’m going to assume you said yes.

Productivity hacks solve nothing.

Real story: I hacked my phone addiction just for it to switch devices. It’s not a tech issue, it’s a self-control and awareness problem.

‘Do Not Disturb’ and ‘Grayscale Mode,’ are great starts.

But, they treat the symptoms not the problem.

The problem: why you need a distraction in the first place?

Distractions aren't random

No one wakes up and says, ‘I’m going to get distracted today.’

They're caused by boredom, mental fatigue, or fear of failure.

Boredom

Your brain: ‘I need something more stimulating!’

Your actions: doing the same task daily that you feel brain dead.

Mental Fatigue 

Your brain: ‘I’m tired and need a break. If you refuse, I’m going on strike.”

Your actions: Unable to remember what you just read a minute ago and irritability for the smallest issue (aka turning you into a snickers bar commercial.)

Fear of Failure

Your brain: ‘I’m uncomfortable and need something I can control.”

Your actions: reading your emails for the millionth time knowing very well you have more important things you need to handle but don’t wanna.

When you can name your distractions’ purpose, you can develop a real plan.

Back to the phone at hand. (okay bad pun but I had to put it in.. moving on)

Phone or Foe

Dan Kennedy, is a direct sales expert and business consultant, whose generated billions in sales helping people like Alex Hormozi and Russell Brunson — and he DOESN’T even have a phone.

Establish the role your phone plays in your life.

Consider who needs quick access to you, what you need access to and whether those apps are helping you achieve your goals. Then eliminate everything that doesn’t align with your phones purpose.

For example, I worked with a consultant who worked with c-suite execs who pinged her like it was their day job. She removed their access because her phone's purpose was for news and family. Work was reserved for her computer and meetings both at established times.

The Ultimate Goal

The goal isn't to lower your phone's digital health. It's to establish the role your phone plays in your life and eliminate everything else including distractions.

You made it to the end!

Off topic though, have you started watching Ramit Sethis’ How to Get Rich Netflix special? Or The Selection I mentioned from last week? Click reply and let me know.