Several years ago, before heading off to our family’s favorite place to spend time (Asheville, NC), I had a bit of a revelation: I had become a slave to my phone.

More specifically, the notifications.

There are two ways your time gets managed: proactively or reactively.

I was stuck in the latter.

The constant buzz and ding of notifications on my phone were derailing me from the real meaningful work that needed to get done.

But this wasn’t just about getting more done. In fact, that wasn’t my goal at all.

It was about making sure I’d be present where it mattered most – with my family, in the mountains.

So, I made a decision. I turned off all notifications.

No more social media pings telling me if someone commented or liked something I said.

No more emails coming through, demanding my attention right then and there.

This radically quieted things down for me, which I didn’t really take note of until we were out hiking one day.

In the past I’d pick up my phone to snap a pic and get distracted by a notification. After that change, it became ‘pick it up, snap the pic, keep hiking!’

Looking back now after many years of having made that change, I can admit that it hasn’t been easy to stick to.

While I still don’t get notifications at all, I go through periods where I find myself picking up my phone and looking at it for no reason.

Then last year, I got an Apple Watch. Talk about taking some GIANT steps backward.

I just cancelled it.

Actually, I let it die and never charged it back up.

What does this have to do with leading at home?

Everything.

As dads, we’re constantly juggling responsibilities, and it’s easy to let the distractions of work, technology, and modern life pull us away from our most important role — being the head of our household.

But when we are proactive with our time, we can create space for what truly matters: our families.

The next time you find yourself overwhelmed with distractions, ask yourself: Is this helping me lead my family better? Or is it pulling me away from what matters most?

If you’re looking for a way to be more intentional with your time, I encourage you to try this experiment. It might feel small, but the results can be massive.

Worst case is that you set a great example for your kids so that they don’t join the many with their faces constantly glued to their phones.

Let me know where you stand with this, I’d love to hear from you!