THE HIDDEN COSTS OF LIVING DISTRACTED

Hidden Costs of Living Distracted

This week I stopped at my local Costco for a few things that we needed. It was a busy day and I was in a hurry. My husband called while I was loading up the car and I was trying to carry on a conversation, buckle my one-year-old into her car seat, and load up my purchases. As you can imagine I was distracted and although I managed it all it was not an ideal situation. Upon completing my phone call I climbed into my vehicle and pulled out of my parking space heading home.

My personal experience with distracted living

On my way home I realized I could not find my purse. I had a moment of panic, found a place to turn around headed back to Costco. I was hoping that my purse might magically still be in the cart where I assumed I had left it. It was not where I expected it might be and I began to panic. Upon returning to my vehicle to check one last time I located my purse buried under some items on the back seat next to my daughter's car seat. I returned to my car with so many questions in my mind. I realized that this was a good lesson for myself and about how I should handle this situation in the future?

The Effects of Living Distracted

On this day I learned some valuable lessons on how to proceed if this happens in the future. I began to piece together a game plan for how I will respond if I am to lose my purse and what I think may help others do the same.

Steps I am Taking as a Result of My Experience

Have a game plan

I now know how I will respond if I really lose my wallet or purse. I now have a plan and know my first course of action. Time can be critical in getting it back and having a plan means less wasted time.

Prevent this in the future

Prevention is the most important step and can keep you from losing it in the first place. Prevention in this situation would have been to eliminate further distractions and wait to call my husband back. Next time I will stop, load my daughter, purse, and purchase, and then call my husband back.

Be prepared

I will keep the phone numbers for credit cards and banks in a place in your vehicle. I do not recommend storing any personal information in your vehicle but having the phone numbers on hand will allow you to call easily to notify them of your lost or stolen cards.

What To Do If You Lose Your Purse or Wallet?

1. Call the bank that issued your debit card or checkbook
2. Cancel any credit cards call the company as soon as possible
3. File a police report as soon as possible
4. Keep an eye on your credit report
5. Invest in fraud protection
6. Obtain a new drivers license and or social security card
7. Call the issuers of any other important items you might have gym memberships, workplace identification cards, etc.

How Distracted Living Can Cost You Financially?

My current experience with distraction got me thinking about all the ways that it can affect our lives. I began to realize that it is happening all around us every day and we often do not know it. I started thinking about the financial costs involved and how distraction plays a part. There are so many ways that distractions can cost us money or even our sanity.

• Costly accidents
• Traffic tickets
• Lost purse, wallet, money, valuables
• Late fees on bills
• Decreased efficiency
• Overspending on purchases
• Increased technology usage causing data overages or additional fees
• Expired foods
• Missed appointments costing us missed appointment fees
• Deals missed while distracted shopping
• Unnecessary expenses
• More costly Dr. visits or emergency room visits due to stress or unhealthy lifestyle choices

How Can Distracted Living Steal Your Joy?

• Lost time
• Addiction to distractions
• Less time with those you love
• Increased stress
• Becoming more anxious in social situations
• Decreased happiness/contentment
• Missing important dates for things you planned to attend
• Forgetting a promise made to someone you care about
• Frugal living becomes more of a challenge
• Less focused on important things
• You are training your brain to react to life instead of really living. Goals and dreams can be missed or delayed when living this way.

What Have I Learned About Distracted Living?

The majority of the examples shared above have been learned through my own experiences. These things have been witnessed or experienced in my own life or the lives of others.

I want to live a life filled with joy and be able to successfully achieve my dreams. To discover the abundance that comes from a focused and frugal lifestyle. This may cost me in some ways in life and yet I believe the richest lives are those lived more in the present and less distracted by unnecessary things. Determining what is unnecessary in your own life is a completely personal choice that you will need to make. Here is how I am beginning to determine what I can do to live a life less distracted and more present.

How To Live a Less Distracted Life

• Focus on the present more and less on the drama in the world around you
• Learn what you can control and what you cannot
• Set schedules for technology used so that you control it and not the other way around
• Use a planner to schedule your life, appointments, goals
• Focus more on your dreams and goals. Eliminating distractions can help you reach your goals faster.
• Spend less time overall on social media
• Schedule time for things you love to do
• Make plans and or lists for shopping trips so that you do not overspend due to distractions
• Eliminate apps and notifications on your device
• Get outside in nature more. Enjoying nature can help eliminate stress and improve your overall health.

How a Less Distracted Life Has Helped Me

• I have been more present in my life
• Social media has distracted me much less
• Constant app updates have not overwhelmed me
• Forgotten far less in my life recently
• Learned that I had more time than I had originally thought
• Discovered more time to enjoy more of what I love
• More time to pursue goals
• More time to manage and save more money in life
• Cooking at home more and eating out less
• Healthier physically, mentally, and emotionally
• Able to better manage my stress

My hope is that the lessons that I learned through this can make a huge difference in the lives of others. I believe that mindful living is crucial to living our best life mentally, physically, and financially. Have you experienced similar situations that were the result of distracted living? What did you learn from these situations and how are you living differently as a result today?