What does your relationship with your phone look like? It keeps us connected to those we love and can allow us to serve our readers with our writing. But for many of us, (myself included!) it is a source of distraction and stress. It reduces our ability to concentrate and focus—needed skills for a writer!

This week, I interviewed Hannah Brencher, author of the book “The Unplugged Hours”. We talked about ways to use our phones without being constantly distracted by them. Hannah offers practical tools and suggestions for setting digital boundaries and fostering the abundant life Jesus promised us. (John 10:10)

Hannah Brencher is a writer, TED speaker, and entrepreneur. She founded The World Needs More Love Letters, a global community dedicated to sending letter bundles to those who need encouragement. Named as one of the White House’s “Women Working to Do Good,” Hannah has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Oprah, Glamour, USATODAY.com, the Chicago Tribune, and more. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, Lane, and daughter Novalee. Find Hannah at hannahbrencher.com. Her newest book, “The Unplugged Hours: Cultivating a Life of Presence in a Digitally Connected World” releases today, September 17. It is available in paperback, kindle, and audio formats wherever books are sold.

The Purposeful Pen is a weekly podcast for Christian writers designed to help you build a writing life with eternal impact. Each week you’ll hear practical tips and Biblical truth on topics such as improving your writing, honing your message, and managing your time. I always respond to listener emails and I’d love to hear from you! [email protected]

Disclaimer: I believe in and approach life (and writing) from a distinctly evangelical Christian perspective, but some of my guests may not. When I interview a guest on a specifically spiritual topic, I do my best to know in advance that I can support their theological stances on the topics that relate to our interview. When the topic is not particularly spiritual, our theological views may differ. My interviewing of guests and providing links to their work does not necessarily indicate a complete theological endorsement of all their written work.

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