Have you ever had that moment where you realize… you’re technically awake, but you’re not really present?

In this episode, I’m talking about the wake-up call most of us don’t want to answer: we’ve stopped noticing. We’re moving through our days on autopilot, reaching for our phones without thinking, reacting to pings and notifications, and calling it normal. But you can’t change what you don’t notice, and for a lot of us, digital distraction is stealing hours we don’t even remember.

I share one of my own autopilot habits (hello, cycling through six email inboxes for no good reason 😅) and use it as a mirror to ask the bigger question: Where are you drifting without realizing it? Automatic habits are powerful, and denial is sneaky.

We also talk about denial and the sneaky ways we minimize, rationalize, or justify habits that are slowly draining our focus. Most of us aren’t completely unaware. We’re just half-awake. We hear the alarm, but we hit snooze.

Jesus repeatedly told His disciples to “stay awake.” Not just physically, but spiritually and mentally present. What does it look like to live that way today in a world where your phone is constantly trying to pull you back to sleep?

I’m also sharing how Focus Modes can become a practical tool to support your focus , and I’ll tell you more about my workshop Focus Modes Made Simple so you can get learn how to set up Focus Modes on your phone and use them to protect your time and guard your attention.

If you’ve been feeling scattered, overwhelmed, or frustrated that you “can’t log off,” this episode will help you slow down, notice what’s really happening, and begin taking back the wheel one small, intentional choice at a time. I’m giving you one simple practice to start this week. Enjoy the episode!

Resources & Next Steps:

THE BRICK GIVEAWAY!

🔲 Win A Brick: A Digital Wellness Device to Help You Overcome Digital Distraction. You just tap your iPhone to it, and it activates a custom focus mode you’ve already designed. The Brick Giveaway closes for entries midnight Feb. 28, 2026 EST. The Brick Giveaway

📲 Grab Your Free Wallpapers Get your free gallery of truth-filled phone and desktop wallpapers, designed to help you pause, reset, and refocus every time you reach for your device. 👉Digital Wallpaper

Focus Modes Made Simple Workshop 👉Sign up for the Workshop

Let’s Connect! Share your experiences by leaving me a voice message through Speakpipe on my website!

📩 Email: hello@julianneaugust.com

🌐 Website: julianneaugust.com

🎙️To celebrate my one-year podcast anniversary leave a 5 star rating or written review, or send me an email to share more!

Hashtags: #FocusModesMadeSimple #DigitalWellness #OvercomeDigitalDistraction

🎉 The podcast turns ONE this week! And I’m reflecting on everything this first year of podcasting has taught me about focus, momentum, grace, and learning to trust God in the unseen.

This episode is raw, real, and slightly raspy (hello, post-cold voice), but I knew I couldn’t let the one-year anniversary pass without showing up to share what this journey has meant to me. If you’re in a season of starting something new, trying to stay consistent with a project, or wondering if the small steps you're taking are actually making a difference, this episode will speak right to where you are.

Over the past 55 episodes, I’ve learned that clarity often comes after you take action, not always before. I’ve discovered how faithfulness over time builds momentum in ways motivation can’t. I’ve felt the quiet tension of creating something without visible results, and the deep peace that comes from trusting God with the outcomes I can’t measure. I’ve stumbled through perfectionism, embraced messy progress, and even learned that I kind of love the tech side of podcasting. But most of all, I’ve been reminded again and again that this work isn’t just something I do for others, it’s shaping me, too.

I’m also sharing a sneak peek into what’s coming next: a new workshop called Focus Modes Made Simple. This 1 hour workshop is designed to help you stop defaulting to distraction and start using your phone with intention. Focus Modes are one of the most overlooked features on your device, but when customized well, they can protect your time, support your spiritual rhythms, and help you stay fully present.

Resources & Next Steps:

THE BRICK GIVEAWAY!

🔲 Win A Brick: A Digital Wellness Device to Help You Overcome Digital Distraction. You just tap your iPhone to it, and it activates a custom focus mode you’ve already designed. The Brick Giveaway closes for entries midnight Feb. 28, 2026 EST. The Brick Giveaway

📲 Grab Your Free Wallpapers Get your free gallery of truth-filled phone and desktop wallpapers, designed to help you pause, reset, and refocus every time you reach for your device. 👉Digital Wallpaper

Let’s Connect! Share your experiences by leaving me a voice message through Speakpipe on my website! Scroll down on the blog page to find it!

📩 Email: hello@julianneaugust.com

🌐 Website: julianneaugust.com

🎙️To celebrate my one year podcast anniversary leave a 5 star rating or written review, or send me an email to share more!

Hashtags: #FocusModesMadeSimple #DigitalWellness #OvercomeDigitalDistraction

I thought I was going in for a simple eye glass prescription update. What I got was a gentle rebuke… from my optometrist and my eyes.

In this episode, I’m sharing a fresh-from-real-life story about what happens when even the person teaching digital restraint starts slipping into too much screen time and how my blurry vision became a physical symptom of something deeper.

Here’s what I cover:

• The sneaky reason your vision might get blurry (even if your prescription hasn’t changed)
• The eye mask I wasn’t using… and the eye doctor who knew it
• Why your eyes stop blinking properly when you're on screens
• My daily (and doable) habits for reducing digital eye strain
• A reminder that caring for your eyes is about stewardship

If you’ve been brushing off the eye strain or telling yourself you'll deal with it "later," consider this your friendly nudge because when we ignore those nudges, we miss more than clear sight. We miss what God is trying to show us.

Resources & Next Steps:

Check out Episode 5 and download your FREE Guide to Grayscale with step-by-step screenshots to turn your phone into a calm, less-distracting space. 👉Guide to Grayscale

Listen to Episode 20 to find out more about digital eye strain, the 20-20-20 rule and blinking exercises.

📲 Grab Your Free Wallpapers Get your free gallery of truth-filled phone and desktop wallpapers, designed to help you pause, reset, and refocus every time you reach for your device. 👉Digital Wallpaper

Let’s Connect! Leave me a voice message with your thoughts or questions via Speakpipe on my website!

📩 Email: hello@julianneaugust.com 🌐 Website: julianneaugust.com

🎙️Would you leave a written review on Apple Podcasts or a comment on Spotify? It helps this message reach more listeners who need it! Thank you!