Are Monkeys Stealing Your Green Tea?

Turns out monkeys can be a lot like digital distractions. Diversions such as cute cat videos, scrolling Facebook or binge watching Netflix may seem cute, harmless, and fun ~ until they wind up stealing away your time, your joy and maybe even your green tea.

True story ~ in Bali we stayed very near the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary where monkeys of all shapes and sizes roam freely both inside and outside the gates.In order to walk to town we had to take a path that bordered the sanctuary.Luckily, someone warned me pretty early on to hang on to my purse and my glasses because the monkeys, while often adorable, are notorious thieves and will brazenly steal stuff right out of your hands!Which is exactly how my friend, Lisa, had her bottle of green tea nabbed by an audacious fella (let’s assume he was a dude, shall we?) who then proceeded to take the cap off and gulp down the remaining tea right in front of her! (Now that’s a cheeky monkey!)I’ll admit that I’ve had a bit of an issue with maintaining focus lately. Visualizing all of the distractions competing for my attention as monkeys made me laugh, but also made me realize I can protect my time and focus ~ the same way I protected my glasses and bag while walking to town in Ubud.

Here are three delightfully doable ways to help you keep distractions at bay, enjoy more focused creative time and practice taming your monkey mind.

#1. Make a Creative Oasis Date.Creative Oasis Dates are one of my favorite methods of helping my clients ~ and myself ~ to get sh*t done!These accountability sessions have an almost magical power to help me focus, follow-through and experience that deep satisfaction that comes from giving myself permission to focus in on ONE activity for 30 minutes straight, rather than multi-tasking.Click here to download a complimentary copy of my How-To booklet with step-by-step instructions for how to start using this technique on your own.Or join us in the Creative Oasis Collective, where we enjoy two Creative Oasis Dates and two group coaching sessions each month.

#2. Grab an app for that.You can find apps for almost anything these days, including limiting the amount of time you spend on social media, track your productivity and help you to stay focused.One I love to use on my laptop is Todo. When I open my Google Chrome browser it displays a gorgeous photograph with an inspiring quote (hiding the dozens of folders on my desktop) and shows my number one goal for the day.#3. Step away from the screen.For many of us our computers and phones are where we work, play and socialize ~ maybe more than we’d care to admit.So another method I’m playing with now is to give myself “screen free” time each day ~ Creative Oasis breaks that rejuvenate and energize me. For example, I might:* Play the piano* Make a quick “good enough” collage in my visual journal* Write a handwritten letter or card to a friend* Make a batch of veggie soup* Step outside to simply stand under the stars, look up at the moon and take a few deep breaths

Ready to treat yourself to a day of digital distraction detox? Join me for my next Creative Oasis Retreat.

You’ll enjoy a relaxing day of creative play, self-discovery and in-person camaraderie with kindred creative spirits.All the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,Jill