If you’ve been following Intentional Moms for any length of time, you know we warn against the epidemic of “Present Absence” – the trend where parents may be physically present with their children, but they’ve emotionally checked out. You can witness this unhealthy tendency everyday across America at Little League games, school performances, playgrounds and yes, even church. Moms are spending more time looking at their phone and computer monitor than they are gazing at their own children.

However the same is true in our own lives. We get so busy multi-tasking that we fail to give our all to the task (or person) at hand. What does this look like? You may be trying to counsel a friend on the phone while checking email at the same time. You may sit down for your quiet time, but following Instant Messages on your phone. You may even try to pray, but all you can really think about is the to-do list that awaits you.

Whatever the case may be, when you fail to be present in your activities, you ultimately end up feeling unfulfilled and unproductive. We are not guaranteed tomorrow; all we have is today. So instead of rushing through life worrying about what is left to do, why not pause to be truly present in the moment you’re living in? You’ll find you’re a better wife, mom and friend as a result.