How Do You Decrease Distraction During The Lenten Season?

[White Knight]

How can one find time to put distractions aside during this Lenten Season, and increase our time with the Lord during this time of giving and sacrafice?


I thought about giving small amounts of time each day to the Lord, one day I'd give 5 minutes, the next day it would be 10... then the next day 15.. etc etc.. however its hard to find the time everyday... because distractions get in the way..


How can I put my distractions aside effectively and increase my time with the Lord?


I go to Mass pretty much every other day. Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. so outside of Mass I give Him the time He deserves. I'm looking to going to Adoration more often in front of the Blessed Sacrament, or even Stations of the Cross.. but as far as my home life, I'm distracted with all kinds of things.. and need to find some time to give to Him in my home life and increase it.

Any suggestions, Ive been praying the Rosary more often, is there any advise, anything that would help, I want to start Lent Strong and End Strong.


God Bless, Pax Christi, Have a Blessed Lenten Season Everyone.

[CatherineM]

I turn off the TV and stop reading the newspaper when I want fewer distractions. I also carry a pocket sized rosary, and say a decade at a time while waiting in line, at the grocery store, or in elevators. You can almost get one in at a long stoplight, but since I don't own a car anymore, I do it on the bus/subway. It's a great way to keep people from hitting you up for money at the bus stop to have your rosary out.

[scardella]

You'll probably find that if you turn off the TV entirely until Lent is over, that'll help.

[Guest MaryAlphonsus]

I wake up very early in the morning to say my morning prayers and to read Matins and Lauds from my breviary. But if you're not a morning person... then I don't recommend it.

I agree with the above posters too. Don't watch the TV and you will find plenty of time.

[White Knight]

Well all thats great advise and thanks everyone... I actually did stop watching TV for a long period of time and evenually got rid of my television set, I figured since I dont watch it much anymore, I dont need it, so I gave it to charity.


So basically shutting off the TV is a good peice of advise, but what about those who dont have a TV anymore? I'm very busy with work and such so There must be something else.

[scardella]

Turn off the interwebs.
Turn off the radios and the iPods.
Go to the adoratorium where Jesus is sacramentally present.
Shoot everyone around you so that you can sit in silence.
Okay, maybe that last one is a little much.

[Paddington]

Are there a few things that tend to cross your mind that don't do any good in your mind? If so, you could give them up.

[29908]

Close your laptop, turn off the tv, and go into your closet or tub. Haha... I'm telling you- it works.
Or go out in nature. Sometimes, I sit on the golf course at night...

[journeyman]

how do you spend your day now?

I found it helpful to make an appointment . . . and added it to the calendar on my pc

one year I added [url="http://www.scborromeo.org/prayers/angelus.htm"]the Angelus[/url] to my calendar - another the [url="http://www.scborromeo.org/prayers/gertrude.htm"]prayer of St. Gertrude[/url]
another year I added Evening Prayer (EWTN doesn't seem to offer that audio stream anymore) [url="http://www.universalis.com/USA/-400/today.htm"]Universalis [/url]might be a source (link is for USA - but if you aren't in the US, you can click "local calendars" and get the one (of a dozen) most applicable to your area)

embedded in the appointment would be the text of the prayer or the link to the site I wanted to use
The Jesuits of Ireland site [url="http://www.sacredspace.ie/"]Sacred Space[/url] requires about ten minutes for their daily reflection

Rather than avoiding/deleting something that I hadn't identified in advance . . . I made an appointment for the better activity