Dear friends.
Do you find yourself feeling like you have wasted days? Gotten caught up in facebook or email drama? Feeling like you are meant to do something BIG in life, but never have time for it? Maybe you do great for awhile, but then get caught back up in the same old rut?
Welcome to my last hmmm 4-5 years? Honestly hitting amazing points of stride in my life and business and then becoming overwhelmed, a constant cycle. Finding my identity in places where it shouldn’t be and getting caught up in stream of life passing by on facebook. It’s almost embarrassing to say but if someone were to ask me how much time I spent on Facebook/Instagram a day before the last Making Things Happen Tour in October, I would honestly say I was at a place of 4-5 hours a day. Even when I had facebook deleted off my iPhone!?! Heck it was up on my computer most of the day in an open tab. Cause that’s what you do when you are self employed right? You can multi-task like a superstar. WRONG.
I really believe that we cannot multi-task, an attendee of MTH2011 shared a beautiful saying. You aren’t multitasking…… you are actually just switching from task to task. That has completely stuck in my mind since and challenged my heart.
Preparing for our last road tour of Making Things Happen, I so looked foward to the break. I looked forward to the amazing clarity that I find when I don’t have time for hours on social media. When I have my phone OFF almost all day long or I am on a plane and don’t have service. I flourish there. I forget about facebook. I feel LIGHTER. I get clarity. I get strong. This has happened EVERY tour, yet I always seem to fall back into a funk when I get home with getting caught up with my computer.
This time I needed to keep that focus. I needed to be committed to nourishing my soul with the right things. I needed to be committed to stop wasting time. I needed to vigilant to protect my heart. When I got home I needed boundaries.
Boundaries that wouldn’t limit me but would SET ME FREE!
Set me free to spend time and fill myself up with things that matter. Things that fire me up. Things that make me jump for joy and spend time learning and filling my heart up with what makes it tick. Which in turn creates better work and more intentional relationships and images.
(In my next post I will speak to setting boundaries on the amount of time on your sites, but first we have to start with how the heck you get to them anyways.)
It’s all about Access folks. Ladies and Gentlemen………..
Meet Boundary Number 1. Speed Dial 2.
Note :: Now all of these boundaries I have set up via a Google Chrome browser. I have always loved Chrome, so get on and download it
Isn’t she PRETTY! This is my homepage. This is what comes up everytime you hit a new window or tab. Awesomesauce right?
This FREE Google Chrome app replaces the “top sites” or most visited pages that come up in your browser. I helps me focus on what matters. How you say? I am taking away the easy access of just going to social media sites or other big time waster sites because they automatically pop up. Within this app you can set your own links and use a photo that is linked on the web as your image. I am a crazy visual person, so looking at images that make me feel clear and lifted changes how I feel. So I created these little image tabs in photoshop and then uploaded them to my Pinterest to get a link to them. I freaking love them and honestly will constantly make new ones that inspire my heart. Next on the list is a Dance PARTY that will link to Pandora!!!
Then you choose what your “boxes” and links will be. They can link to whatever you choose to. I chose to make this place a positive place that focused my heart on the BIG Picture. On scripture, on client communication, on getting things done. Here is what each of my images click through to……
- -Do what matters :: Links to my blog because for me writing and sharing really matters to me. It’s a HUGE passion I have.
- -Emails are just decisions :: Links to my email. It helps me not get overwhelmed and reminds me just decide.
- -Trust God :: Is a link to a verse in Matthew that tells me not to worry and to trust the Lord in everything when I am feeling anxious.
- -Choose Joy :: Is another favorite verse. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1st Thes. 5 :16-18
- -Be Intentional :: Links to my Shootq, which is my client management system. Reminds me to be intentional in all my communication with each piece of my business.
- -Find Comfort Here :: First I love that lil’ image to pieces and second it brings me back to a verse that helps me choose the Lord instead of comfort in food or social media.
- -Prepare Nummy :: Is a Gluten Free Dairy Free website that helps me plan scrumptious healthy meals for my family, which is a key to me feeling whole.
- -Inspire Others :: Actually does link to my Facebook business page. It reminds me to look at the post it on my computer of what my social media purpose is. To spend time encouraging, lifting others up, sharing HIM, connecting and loving on others. Then when I find myself looking at someones else’s life, photos, kids….wanting and/or comparing their life. I can prompt myself that I need to hit close on the browser.
- -Life Found Here :: A link to the You Version online. It’s a great resource to devotions and reminds me of where real life really is.
Here is an image of how where you can set the direct links to the images & actual sites.
Feel free to use the images I created in Pintrest or make your own, just give it a try! It’s helped me tremendously on smiling at my computer and really focusing.
I can’t wait to share the next Boundary that has CHANGED MY WORLD in volume 2.
Gina, I ADORE this!! Just the other day I deleted the FB app on my phone and felt so liberated. I have seriously been so convicted lately about the insane amount of time I waste on my phone. Sometimes after looking at instagram for the billionth time in a day, I honestly get depressed. You are such a genuine inspiration. I must check out this Google Chrome business…
Love how you are personalizing and streamlining. Your new homepage is gorgeous, and it as clean and bright as you are! So inspired by it and you. Way to go!!!
LOVE this Gina! And I miss you dearly! This has gone on my to-do list to build today! Such a great idea for limiting distractions.
Oh Gina…your posts are all so wonderful. Whether you’re posting beautiful images, beautiful words or helpful words your posts always speak to me! Thanks for sharing so much of your life here <3
Gina,
This is exactly what I needed. Reading this really got to me and what I’ve been experiencing lately. It’s like you are a freakin’ mind reader. ha! Anywho, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! Looking forward to the V2. Keep doing YOU! xoxo
Nice post Gina 🙂
Your heart is beautiful and these words are what I needed today. I so often read things online, think “Oh that was awesome and insightful” and then move to the next thing. Your post ROCKED my WORLD and caused me to get out a post it note and write the 1 Thes verse down as a reminder to be joyful, prayerful, and thankful. THANK YOU GINA!
I have been in LOVE with these images since you posted them on Pinterest awhile ago! To see the being used in such a creative and positive way – love it! Safari user, but you have opened my mind to take a look at Chrome, as this layout would be a LOT better than my current set up. Excited for the next post!
Gina, this is so beautiful. I have always loved your authenticity and am so proud of you for taking steps to make necessary changes in your life. Not to mention, this is such a great idea! I am definitely stealing it 🙂
Freaking awesome, Gina! I love Chrome too and this is an amazing find and an inspired idea. So glad you shared. Love you!
Thank you for the inspiration. I really needed this today. I love how beautiful your home page is. I want to surround myself in beauty but also in clarity to do what really matters. xoxo
This is AMAZING!!!! I’m changing to chrome as soon as I get back to my computer! Thank you for sharing this helpful tips!! Love your heart!!
I did this immediately! Thanks for sharing this suggestion and your images! I can’t wait for the next post!
Oh lovely Gina. How much your post resonates. Last week when hurricane Sandy hit & things were crazy over here. My focus was on how do I maximize my time in the light, eat, stay warm before darkness & a 6pm governor mandated curfew. I was lost without internet land but then I found peace, God, stillness & me AGAIN. I’d lost me & it was sooo good not to have power because I found me again & I could hear God. I love you, P
I am so proud of you, friend. SO PROUD.
I LOOOVE THIS! I love these designed reminders too! definitely gonna use them!
I tend to get on social media when I’m bored…and lately I’ve been realizing how much I’m on there, but then I realized, I can say no, but I need to have something I’m saying YES to in its place. And that’s what you’ve done here. Saying yes to LIFE, INTENTIONALITY, JOY, GOD, all the other things that should take priority. Thanks for the inspiration and sweet reminder G!
Wow! This excites me! I can’t wait to get started…I’ve tried to start weaning myself off of social media when I’m at home especially. Thanks for the reminder of boundaries!
Thanks for sharing Gina, especially the beautiful images you created. Random question… what is the beautiful font you use on those images? I love it! Thanks.
Amazing! So thankful for this…….genius idea friend. Just genius!!!!! 🙂
LOVE this and the design behind them! Thanks for sharing!! xoxoxo
Love you for this. xo
ALSO, proud of you for this.
Yes, yes, YES! Thank you! I needed this reminder. You do beautiful work – because it’s from one heart to another. And what else is more beautiful than that? Love to you!
Love this! Thank you!
Gina! Do you still do this?? This is so awesome and currently is something I need to do!! So awesome!
I do! LOVE my chrome browser feed!! Much LOVE!