Our Viewpoint

Over the weekend we visited our favorite fishing spots and our favorite huckleberry picking spots. We love that there are places in Sanders County where cell service is impossible. Hiding away for just a few hours and disconnecting for everything is a pretty unique experience these days.

After that, we challenged ourselves to "unplug" from TV, Internet and the phone for 24 hours. Long story short, we failed. TV wasn't that hard, but we caught ourselves reaching to Google for something a couple of times during a conversation. And setting up dinner plans is pretty hard without the phone to make a quick call or send a quick text.

So maybe unplugging isn't the answer, though it's a fun challenge. Instead, we decided we're going to try and be more present. During dinner conversation, we're going to try not to look at our phones every time they vibrate or ding.

Being present makes us better communicators. We love to see how many things we can juggle and put our multitasking talents to the test. But the feedback you get form people when you practice good listening and give them the respect of focusing on them is worth much more.

We'd like to challenge you to be more present. If you can unplug for 24 hours, you deserve a major award. Let us know how it goes.