You could be checking out something crucial on your phone, but then again, you might be checking out from the beauty and possibility around you while you follow something trivial down a technological rabbit hole.
What draws you away from what is most important, and what draws you back?
As a person who is visually oriented, I often find myself interrupting a conversation while traveling with ” Oh, look at that ______?” I seem to be unable to stop myself from this habit. There are sites that are fleeting and I don’t want to let anyone else miss them either. It has it’s dangers, however. Once, when there was a handsome white stallion in a field along side the highway, I shouted out, and almost caused an accident by the driver! It may be better to keep some things to oneself.
What draws me away from what is important is avoidance/compulsive behaviors. I don’t feel able to deal with severe emotional distress, and so I surf the net, eat junk, pick at my skin, and/or shop. While these behaviors are somewhat safer than those I used to engage in, they still damage myself and my life, especially when done to the extent I do them. Beyond their direct effects, they also take time and energy away from solving the actual problems.
What brings me back to what is important is evaluating my life and putting conscious time/energy into those activities I believe in the most. The problem comes when I can’t figure out what actions are feasible for me and support my values/goals.