Hi, I'm Anna! I'm a wife of 5 years to James, mama to my precious 6-year-old and 2-year-old, and soon-to-be foster parents located in Birmingham, AL!

Do you have a moment when you realized your phone was getting in the way of what’s important to you?‍

Oh, gosh, yes. I was in college for a lot of my daughter’s early life (I had her during my second semester of my math degree) and formed terrible habits with my parenting. I was always on a screen, catching up on coursework or vegging back out on social media to “chill” after my long day. I remember after I graduated, now with my newborn son having joined our gang, those habits didn’t leave. One day, I was catching up with my husband after work and sharing how our day went, and he asked what I did with the kids. Not for them, WITH them. I couldn’t think of anything. In fact, I couldn’t think of anything I’d done with them that week. Or maybe even that month. And I knew immediately, it was because of my phone.

What attracted you to Aro?

The gamification and racking up those minutes! It’s also such a pretty box to have in the house. I had tried all the apps and the hacks and the drawer and the shoe boxes and was desperate to try anything that could help me break this addiction. I heard about Aro on the 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, and the rest is history.

What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever received?

It’s better to aim for mediocrity and overshoot it in your actions than to aim for perfection and fail every time. This is me summing up Jon Acuff’s book Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done. I was never ever able to finish my goals because I was a perfectionist, and if it wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t happening. His book and tips helped me realize I was focusing on the wrong things and setting unrealistic goals for myself, helped me break free from perfectionism, and actually learn to finish the goals I set.

What’s your favorite book?

Tough one! Favorite recent read was Fourth Wing, favorite all-time read in fiction is Lord of the Rings, favorite reads in nonfiction are Finish and Atomic Habits.

What are some of your favorite activities to do when you do put down your phone?

Actually catching up on housework (hard for me with ADHD, lol), playing games with kids and coloring with kids, going on walks, reading, playing outside, working out, spending time in Bible study and prayer, prepping the house and the family for the next day.