2. Create time-block promises.
“I will, at a minimum, not look at my phone for half an hour.” Or “I won’t look away from this memorandum until 11:30 sharp!” Be realistic. Smaller increments of uninterrupted time first, then expand into longer periods. Over time, you will train your mind to focus for longer periods of time. Post-children, it was all I could do to stay awake after 9 p.m., or do anything other than submit to that television screen. I was really surprised, as I continued to work my mindfulness muscles, by my new super-concentration-powers. Imagine being able to actually talk about the book at book-club!