You're an Alarm Away from Being Healthier, Wealthier, and Happier
18 Dec 2024 #miscPhones are not just communication devices. They’re distraction machines with constant beeps and buzzes.
Keeping our phones around reduces our cognitive abilities, even when we’re not using them. I learned this from reading “The Anxious Generation,” by the way.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t use those beeps and buzzes to our advantage. They can be reminders of what we want to accomplish.
I have an alarm to unplug from work labeled “It’s time to relax.” During that time, I do anything I want outside work without feeling guilty. It’s one of the few sounds I allow my phone to make. All others are deactivated.
From reading The 3 Alarms by Eric Partaker, I learned to use alarms not only to schedule my downtime but also to improve the three main areas of our lives: health, work, and relationships.
Here’s how:
Start by setting 3 alarms on your phone.
Label each alarm with a reminder of who you want to become: the healthy parent, the focused solopreneur, or the supportive partner. You name it!
When the alarm rings, do something that takes you closer to that. It doesn’t have to be a huge action, just a small step.
When “the healthy parent” rings, get up and move your body. When “the focused solopreneur” rings, put all distractions away and work on your side business. When “the supportive partner” rings, call or text your partner.
Those small steps will create habits, and habits will reinforce who you want to become.
You can set an alarm to:
- Exercise
- Drink water
- Read a book
- Stretch your body
- Write down 10 ideas
- Write a gratitude list
- Step away from screens
- Have a moment of silence
- Work on your side business
- Call or text someone you love
And label that alarm as a reminder of the person you want to become.