Turn off your phone (after you read this blog post of course). As I write this I can’t help but hear Derek Zoolander ask me in disgust: “Turn off my phone?!”

Derek’s response from the year 2000 is even more aggressive and significant today. Yes. We need regular designated time away from the noise. Instagram, Facebook, work email, and constant news pop ups clutter our lives, most often with things that don’t matter. It can be nice to have little computers in our pockets – to be able to communicate with anyone we want in the world, to Google the new baked Salmon recipe while scrambling at the grocery store, to confirm what year MMMbop was released (April 1997), or order whatever we want from Uncle Jeff at The Everything Store, Amazon.com.

But this “convenience” can also be a huge distraction as we are constantly compulsively checking email, social media, and the new lululemon workout shorts we want to purchase on sale for $40 instead of $60 (totally hypothetical of course). With quality computers with us in our pockets virtually 24/7, the lines are blurred between work versus play, work versus family time, mindlessly scrolling Instagram versus family time. How often do you check email outside of work for no good reason other than that it’s a habit? How often do you check social media because you are just bored? I catch myself doing this all the time.

We need designated quality time away from these distractions at least once per day. This gives us space to reflect on what we have, and to think creatively. Go for a walk without any technology. Be alone in silence to hear and acknowledge your thoughts. Give yourself space to breath and reflect. Slow down. This appears to be a universal strategy among successful people.

I was just listening to a Bigger Pockets Podcast where author Ryan Holiday was interviewed. Ryan talked about his morning routine with his son as they go for a walk and he makes sure he leaves his phone behind every time. This allows him to slow down and focus on what matters most. Bill Gates takes regular time away in isolation in the woods to do nothing but think and read.

Paraphrasing what Ryan Holiday said during the Bigger Pockets Podcast interview – we can pay someone to do our laundry, we can pay someone to bring groceries to our doorstep, we can pay someone to handle day to day tasks for us, but we cannot pay someone to go on vacation for us. The “vacation,” whether a thirty minute walk in nature without technology or two weeks exploring Croatia, can give us the necessary space and downtime to come up with new creative ideas and provide clarity on next actionable steps toward our purpose.

Make it a habit to regularly turn off your phone and be still, technology free. Go for a walk without your phone. Spend quality time with yourself and your loved ones in nature. Slow down. Reflect. You’ll be glad you did.