How to Be More Present in Everyday Life (Even When Life Feels Busy)
Good Morning Sunshine!
The sun is rising, you are preparing for the day ahead… and I have to ask—are you a constant scroller? Or are you turning on music or the television as you move about your morning?
Have you ever taken the time to sit in silence?
Or even more importantly—have you ever truly paid attention to how much noise and distraction you add to your day?
A Simple Question That Changes Everything
Here’s my favorite question:
If you have ten free minutes between meetings, appointments, calls, errands, or loads of laundry… What do you do with those precious minutes?
You will never get them back.
Do you scroll endlessly and mindlessly?
Do you close your eyes and breathe?
Do you cram in one more task just to feel productive?
I’m genuinely curious—what do you do?
Because those small pockets of time? They quietly shape the way we experience our lives.
What The Masters Can Teach Us About Being Present
My fellow golf lovers know that the greatest week of the year just wrapped up, with Rory McIlroy winning his second Masters jacket at The 90th Masters Tournament.
But here’s something many people don’t realize…
The Masters has a strict no phone, no technology policy.
No cell phones.
No smartwatches as phones.
No photos or videos.
Patrons must leave their phones at home or check them at the gate. Even media operate under strict limitations. Why all the fuss? Because the focus is meant to be on the experience. On the moment. On what is happening right in front of you.
So I’ll ask you—
When else in your life are you fully living in the moment like that?
The Hidden Cost of Constant Distraction
Somewhere along the way, our lives have become filled with noise. Dinner tables that used to hold conversation now hold phones. Evenings that used to feel slow now feel rushed. Moments that could be meaningful are often interrupted by scrolling.
Maybe you’ve experienced it…
Sitting at the table while everyone scrolls. Half-listening to a conversation while watching a video. Filling every quiet moment with something—anything—just to avoid stillness.
Whatever the case, we’ve gotten used to distraction.
And in doing so, we’ve slowly lost something really important: true connection.
How to Be More Present (Simple Ways to Start Today)
The good news? You don’t need a complete life overhaul to change this.
You just need to start small.
Here are a few simple ways to begin:
Put your phone away during meals — even for just one meal a day
Protect small pockets of time — those 10-minute windows matter more than you think
Choose conversation over scrolling — even when it feels uncomfortable
Sit in silence — no music, no noise, just you and your thoughts
Presence isn’t something you master overnight. It’s something you practice—moment by moment.
Try This: A Simple Phone-Free Challenge
Interestingly, the Masters’ phone-free approach is starting to catch on.
Some restaurants and clubs now require you to check your phone at the door or seal it in a pouch. If you want to use it—you have to leave the room. In one sense, it’s a little sad that we need rules to remind us to connect. And yet… it’s working.
We’re posting less. Scrolling less. And actually listening more.
And guess what—Women Empowering Women is doing exactly that!
At our upcoming brunch on April 25th, we’ll take photos, share a toast… and then put our phones away.
For a few hours, we’ll simply connect, listen, and celebrate with each other. Because we don’t get that time nearly enough. After brunch? Phones come back out. The day continues.
But for that moment— we choose presence.
Why Presence Changes Everything
I believe that when you remove the distractions, you don’t lose anything— you actually gain everything. More connection. More awareness. More joy in the moments you would have otherwise missed.
So whether it’s ten minutes between tasks, dinner with your family, or a simple conversation– put the phone down, look up, be there.
Because this moment? It’s the only one you’re promised.
“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment… There is no other life but this.”
— Henry David Thoreau
