Our days are so rushed, aren't they? From the moment we wake up until we lay our heads on our pillows, our minds are racing with what's next on our to-do lists. Wouldn't it be nice to have a productive but still relaxing day? They don't have to be mutually exclusive! We can have both every day with just a few changes to our habits and everyday practices.

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1 | Use an Actual Alarm Clock

Ok, be honest. Do you look at your phone as soon as you open your eyes in the morning? Many of us do. I believe we tend to do that because we've become reliant on our phones for the time, an alarm clock, and a connection to the world. But, could it be that being too connected steals our peace? I have used my phone as my alarm clock for as long as I can remember. What inevitably happens every time is that I turn off my alarm and immediately check my emails and then social media. This is a terrible practice! Before I've even given my body a chance to adjust to being awake, my mind is already churning a mile a minute with my things to do and problems that need solving. We have become so accustomed to using our phones for everything. We carry it around everywhere as if it were a limb. But, we didn't even notice that it is a source of mental stress. A possible solution or, at the very least, an aid to combat this issue is to get ourselves an alarm clock! This may curb our temptation or serve as a reminder to not look at our phones right away.

2 | Thank God

A few minutes of gratitude to God can go a long way. Before getting out of bed thank God for a good night's rest, for waking you up one more day, for the opportunity to be near the ones you love. Thank God for anything that feels right to you. An article published by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkley states that gratitude improves mental health. In a study, participants who were asked to write gratitude letters showed "significantly better mental health four weeks and 12 weeks after their writing exercise ended" compared to the control group. If you're up for it, keep a journal on your nightstand and write something you're grateful for each day.

3 | Pray Before Leaving the House

We often don't make dedicated time for prayer, especially in the mornings. We wake up, check our phones and scramble and rush to get ready and get out the door as our minds race with what's in store for the day. By skipping a morning prayer, we are depriving ourselves of time with the one who is truly in control of our day. We are depriving ourselves of time with the Prince of Peace. How differently could our days be if we were to begin them in silence, gratitude, and prayer? How differently could our days be if carried God's peace with us all day? If you struggle with prayer, I'd love to share the prayers I wrote with you. I invite you to make time for God because I know that He will be faithful to answer your prayers.

4 | Utilize the Commute Home to Disconnect

I used to have a 45-minute to hour-long commute home from work every day. On the days that I was mentally drained and stressed, I would drive home in silence. With the chaos in my mind, silence allowed me the space to decompress after a long day. On the other hand, my husband prefers to listen to music and sing along as he drives. Sometimes a chat with a good friend who can brighten your day and make you laugh is the trick. What works for each of us will be different and I encourage you to discover what will recharge your batteries as you commute home from work. But, I can tell you three habits that don't work but we do them all the time! 1) Checking our work emails, 2) Answering work calls after hours and 3) Calling a co-worker or loved one to vent about our day. Venting only perpetuates your stress from the workday. It's best to truly disconnect from work on our drive so we can present and enjoy our time at home.

5| Connect With Your Loved Ones

When our minds are constantly on work, we miss the opportunity to be present with our loved ones and enjoy the life our work affords us. Whether you have a family or live alone, you can still be intentional about connecting with those who matter to you. You can schedule a time to go out with friends, call your parents, or have dinner together as a family. The important thing is that, whatever you do, you give your undivided attention to the people you are with whether in person, on the phone or Skype. Look your friends and family in the eyes and see them - not just with your eyes but with your heart. Your time is the most precious gift you can give to those who care for you.

While technological advancements have undoubtedly made innumerable positive contributions, there are some drawbacks. Our inability to disconnect from the constant barrage of information is causing both mental and physical health issues. We're losing our ability to focus on just one thing at a time. Multi-tasking is the new norm. But, while we're busy trying to do too much at once, we miss out on the gifts and blessings God has given us in the moment. We're often guilty of being in the room but mentally not there. How often have our minds drifted to work or our to-do lists and before we've realized it, we missed out on simply enjoying our families? While technology is wonderful, God created us to recognize and appreciate the beauty all around us. Take the time to watch a sunset, observe a bird flying, or look into the eyes of those you love. I invite you to try these five practices for one month. I believe you will experience a life filled with much more peace and joy. I can't wait to hear about your experience with this challenge! I'll be praying you find the peace you're searching for.

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