Ever caught yourself checking your phone while your friend is mid-story? You’re physically there, but your mind is somewhere else – distracted by that email notification or Instagram alert quietly demanding your attention.
We’re living in an age where our devices promise to keep us connected, but they’re actually pulling us away from life’s most meaningful moments. That dinner with an old friend becomes a blur of half-heard conversations. Your child’s soccer game gets reduced to glimpses between work messages. Even our quiet moments are interrupted by the constant ping of notifications.
What’s the real cost? It’s not just missed conversations or fragmented attention. We’re trading genuine human connection for digital noise. Those seemingly innocent glances at our phones are stealing the very experiences we’ll wish we’d paid more attention to later.
Here’s a simple but powerful strategy:
Create ‘notification-free zones’. Choose specific times or places where your phone goes on ‘Do Not Disturb’. Maybe it’s during dinner, between 6pm and 8 pm, or whenever you’re having coffee with a friend. Start with just one protected space in your day.
It might feel uncomfortable at first –that urge to check your phone won’t disappear overnight (it’s been designed to grab your attention). But you’ll be surprised at how much richer your experiences become when you’re fully present in them.
Sometimes, the best way to stay connected is to disconnect.
Trying New Things
It’s early in the year and many of us feel inspired to try something different in 2025 – whether it’s a hobby, career or passion project.
It can be hard to start something new – it can feel intimidating. When we’re beginners, we stumble, make mistakes and cringe at our first attempts.
And that’s what makes it hard. We judge our performance.
Think of a toddler trying to walk. They pull themselves up, wobble and fall – over and over again. We don’t criticise their progress. We cheer them on and encourage them to try again – to keep going.
Yet, when it comes to ourselves, we’re often our harshest critics. We judge our beginner skills so harshly that it becomes tempting to quit before we truly begin.
Think about something you persevered with – a relationship, a sport, a creative pursuit or a career. What if you had judged yourself based on your first attempts? Would you have stuck with it?
If I graded myself based on my early practice coaching sessions, I would have given up on a career I love. And I would have stayed off the golf course forever.
Remember, where you start doesn’t determine where you will finish. Experts were once beginners too; they just persisted.
So, as you step into something new this year, give yourself the freedom to be a little messy, a little awkward, and a little bad at first. Keep going – you might just surprise yourself with where you end up.
Big Goals, Small Steps
It’s early in the year and many of us are excited about future possibilities, so I wanted to share a common problem my clients experience with goal setting.
We’ve all been there—setting big, ambitious goals only to feel overwhelmed before we even start. The key to success isn’t just having a goal; it’s breaking it down into manageable, actionable steps.
Many of us set lofty goals but forget to make them realistic and doable. Without a plan, even the best intentions can fizzle out.
Taking it One Step at a Time
Instead of just focusing on the finish line, break your goal into small, doable tasks. You’ll feel more in control and make steady progress by:
- Breaking big goals into bite-sized steps.
- Setting realistic deadlines for each task.
- Tracking your progress regularly.
When a goal feels too big, it’s easy to get stuck. But when you break it down, every step forward counts and your momentum builds.
Word of warning: you’ll probably get bored in the middle of breaking it down. It can feel a little tedious. Keep going.
This step-by-step plan you’re creating will protect you from future overwhelm.
Studies have also shown breaking your goals down into smaller, manageable tasks significantly increases the likelihood of success.
Pick one big goal for the year, and then:
- Write out the specific steps needed.
- Assign a deadline for each step.
- Check in with yourself weekly to stay on track.
Taking it one step at a time will give you a clear path to achieving your goals in 2025.
Read more stories from the Sandgate Guide print magazine here:
- Bramble Buzz: Updates from the Community
- Local Author’s Graphic Novel Series Offers Expansive Universe
- From Setback to Success: A Sandgate Hawk’s Journey Back to the Field
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- Kid’s Book Club A ‘Bestseller’
- Community Library Opens at Local Mower Store
- Keep Sandgate Beautiful Association Clean – Up Australia Day Event
- From Setback to Success: A Sandgate Hawk’s Journey Back to the Field
- Celebrating a Century
- Council Concept Plan Signals Progress for Brighton Foreshore
- The Love Language Guide to Valentine Gift Giving
- Celebrate Culture and Cuisine at BrisAsia Festival
- Ear Hustle Podcast Review
- Living in History: Bracken Ridge
- Top Tips for Downsizing Your Property
- Top 5 Picks for Best Picture Oscar
