(Hello there! You might want to hop over here and read the post that precedes this one. Don’t worry. This article will still be here you when you get back.)
I’m sitting in a coffee shop as I write this. Stir Crazy Coffee has become my usual haunt after one month in LA, some quirky little place to call home whenever I’m itching for a caffeine buzz and a first-hand glimpse of faux wood paneling.
Sixteen tables line the hardwood floor. I’ve frequented here for a few weeks, now, and this is the first time I’ve seen every single chair full. From my spot in the back, I can see about sixteen different people going about their business, sixteen different laptop screens glowing at once.
At any given time, three-quarters of those screens show just the same thing: Facebook.
There’s something weirdly sad, I think, about sixteen people in a coffee shop connecting with their ‘virtual selves’ instead of one other.
This isn’t new. It’s not even strange, I think, when you consider the modern coffee shop: MacBooks and headphones abound, a group of people bottled in one place who never meet, never speak, never do more than exchange a smile and an occasional request to plug in a power cord at one of the wall outlets.
I notice it more now that I’ve tried to pull myself out of the crowd — to separate myself in some way from the cloud that keeps step with us every second of the day.
A few months back, I wrote a post called “Close the Laptop (and Change Your Life)” in response to a scary/sad realization I’d made about my own life: I was addicted to technology. I was addicted to social media, even, both eyes glued to my iPhone and very rarely peeking up at the sky.
I made a bold plan to change. This post, accordingly, is an update on how I’ve done, and a chance to write down some thoughts I’ve had about the entire experience of going ‘tech-lite’ in a world that increasingly encourages connection.
1. It’s hard.
But that much should be obvious.
Just a week back, I found myself waking up and reaching for my phone, meaning to check my inbox in a bleary, half-conscious haze. I stopped myself just moments before checking, blinking and wondering what in the world I was doing.
Hadn’t I decided not to do this? Hadn’t I decided to break the email habit just a few months prior?
I hesitate to call technology an addiction, but the word — for me, at least — fits like a glove. These last few weeks have found my inbox an increasing attraction, an easy getaway plan for those moments when I didn’t want to admit that I was out of my element: a new kid in a big city, the guy at the party that absolutely no one knew.
I’m learning Los Angeles. For every moment that I grow here, though, there’s another where I feel like I’m the same guy I used to be: a little uncertain in social situations, a little hesitant to speak up, a little scared to walk that new path through an unexplored part of town.
The iPhone comes in handy. It’s pocket-sized comfort, a chance to explore a world I already know and can fully control. It’s an escape. And it’s something I absolutely do not need, as easy — as convenient — as it is to keep within a comfortable distance.
If nothing else, I’m realizing how hard it is to break the technology habit. It’s even harder to keep the phone in my pocket — or my inbox unopened — when I’m feeling out of my element, but it’s a decision that has repaid me in spades each time I’ve decided to face this big city straight on.
2. It’s scary.
I still struggle with feeling disconnected. I realize, of course, that the world — virtual or not — won’t stop spinning if I’m not constantly checking in, but the thought of taking any extended time away from the Internet makes the blogger inside cringe and start running for the nearest internet cafe.
And isn’t this my ‘job’? Isn’t it my duty to keep up with my blogging circles, to linger on Twitter and make connections at every possible opportunity?
Maybe it is. But I’m remembering, now, that there are twenty-four hours in the day. I’m remembering that there are twenty-four opportunities to dive into the virtual pool and swim around for a short while. I don’t have to be connected every damn hour of the day. I don’t have to know what everyone is doing at the exact moment they do it — I don’t have to and I don’t want to.
I want to focus on me. I want to admit that it’s scary, sure, not being ‘in the loop,’ but that there’s something even more valuable outside of it: my life. My time in California, my hours spent with friends, my days to kick back in a coffee shop and really think about who I’m becoming.
I don’t need Twitter to help me do that. I need my voice (and a cup of coffee, or two, or six), and I need a willingness to sit down and reflect, but above all that I need time to think about all the incredible things happening to me every hour of the day. That time is harder than ever to hang on to when you’re logging hours each day into social media.
It’s still scary to stand outside the circle. But a little fear, I think, makes my hours away from the Internet more important than ever.
3. But you know what? It’s worth it. Really worth it.
In so many ways, now, I think that’s a reflection of something deeper: happiness. Fulfillment. Satisfaction of a more personal level, the kind of positive emotion that justifies any hardship you might encounter.
This is a world that lives and breathes for quick entertainment. We have phones to keep us connected, laptops to keep us online, TVs to watch movies, and so forth — a dozen different ways to fill the white space in our life and keep ourselves from ever feeling bored.
We’re lacking, though, that something deeper. We seek easy entertainment, but we should be striking out instead for a genuine happiness. And don’t get me wrong — I’m not arguing that you have to go tech-lite to find it. I am saying, though, that reducing your reliance on technology and the social media can only help in how it forces you to focus on the things that truly matter: where you are, who you’re with, how you feel, etc.
Every second you separate from the cloud is another second to watch the sun rise over a misty morning. Every second you spend with the TV switched off is another second to play with your children, to cook with your husband/wife, or to spend creating something memorable. Every second you keep your phone in your pocket is another chance to smile at someone on the street, someone you may never have noticed otherwise.
That might seem a little drastic, I know. It’s hard to use any other kind of language, though, when I’m watching over a dozen people absorb themselves for hours in a virtual world instead of the one that’s already thriving and vibrant all around them.
(More practically speaking, why go to a coffee shop at all if you’re just going to kill time on Facebook and Twitter?)
SO WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE ME?
I’m changing.
For all the bold language in the previous post, I’m still struggling to reduce my reliance on technology and social media. The person I am now, however, is dramatically different from the one of just a few months back, from the person who missed a remarkable sky because he was too entrenched in his Twitter feed to even glance up.
That’s a hell of a good change, I think. I feel like I’m living more than ever before, and I feel too like I can only get better from here — that I can only grow to better appreciate every new moment I’m given.
And so I’m asking, again, that you join me. For a day, maybe, or even a month. What do you have to lose? Nothing. An idea of what all of your Facebook friends have done in the last twenty-four hours, maybe, but it’s hard to call that a loss.
What do you have to gain?
The most precious and important thing we possess: time.
A NEW PERSPECTIVE
You’re not just going tech-lite. You’re going full-life.
(Cheesy? You bet. But stick with me for just a little bit longer.)
You’re recognizing, now, that every moment spent glued to a screen is a moment you could be using to live instead. You’re recognizing, now, that every moment on the couch is a moment you could be using to walk instead. You’re recognizing, now, that the virtual world is an easy escape for an uncomfortable situation where you could be socializing — growing — instead. You’re recognizing, lastly, that Twitter, Facebook and Gmail are an important part of your routine, but that you don’t need to be connected to them every single hour of the day.
Join me. It might be hard, and it might be scary, but a few small changes alone can have a huge impact on your daily routine.
Here’s what I’m doing, now, 3 months after the “plan of attack” I laid out in the last post. Consider each an idea you can work into your own routine, but by no means a necessity to help you focus on the happiness — the life — all around us.
1. Take a digital sabbatical at least once a week.
Tammy Strobel of Rowdy Kittens signs off on weekends, using those forty-eight hours in the pursuit of life in the best way she can. I’ve been experimenting with going Internet-free at least one day a week, and there’s a trend I’m seeing emerge stronger all the time: that one full-life day is my absolute most productive of the entire week.
It’s amazing how much you can accomplish when you’re not constantly switching between work and Facebook. It’s even more amazing, I think, how much more satisfying the creative process can be when there’s absolutely nothing to distract you.
2. Spend an hour daily in the happiest way you can.
Maybe that’s reading. Maybe that’s painting. Maybe that’s walking, running, playing basketball, or just cooking — do whatever you like, but do try and keep the laptop closed while you do it.
Again, I’m not saying you can’t find true happiness online. I’m more inclined to believe, though, that it’s easier to find real satisfaction when you’re disconnected, especially since some of our favorite — and most fulfilling — activities don’t require 24/7 connection to the virtual world.
Make it a daily habit. Get selfish, even, and demand some of your time back to use as you please. It’s worth it, I think, for the satisfaction that comes with participating in something you genuinely enjoy.
3. Pay attention to how you use the Internet.
I call it the “social media dance.”
It’s a (spectacularly!) bad habit of mine that I never really noticed until a few days back. It goes like this: I start out strong, working hard for an hour or more and checking Twitter maybe once all the while. After that hour, though, I start flipping over to Twitter and Facebook more often, usually during a fit of restlessness or an occasional moment of writer’s block. Two hours (often shorter) in, all bets are off — I find myself in some weird cycle of checking Facebook, Twitter, and my inboxes almost constantly, dancing between all three for minutes at a time.
It’s weird (I admit it!). It’s pointless. But it’s a problem easily fixed, too, if you ever find yourself doing the same thing.
The minute you find yourself bored on the Internet — the minute, likewise, that you start the social media dance — I want you to close the laptop. Shut it. Save your work, if you need to, but push the lid down as soon as possible and get away from the computer.
Take the time you just snatched away from social media and put it to better use: something you really enjoy, perhaps, or something that lays well outside the laptop screen. Call a friend and reconnect. Do any of the activities mentioned in step #2. Do real dances around your home. Whatever it is, keep it away from the computer and try and absorb yourself fully in what you’re doing.
4. Don’t be afraid to single-task.
Try this: prepare, cook, and clean up a meal without doing anything else. You can have music in the background, sure, and you can sing your heart out while you do it (I always do), but don’t let the laptop creep in at any other point.
Prepare your food. Cook your food. Eat your food slowly and with a big smile, enjoying each bite.
You don’t have to do this for every meal. Try and do it at least once every few days, though, and hone your appreciation for doing just one thing at a time and giving it your full attention. It helps if you love cooking, of course, but I think there’s universal appeal in a job well-done — a job not distracted and unfocused as you keep the alluring laptop screen well out of sight.
5. Keep your phone in your pocket.
Pay attention to how often you use your phone in social situations. If you’re interacting with someone, interact with just them and keep the phone out of sight. If you’re standing in line somewhere, study your surroundings with the same eyes you would use for a place you’ve never been.
If you’re just trying to kill time, try this instead: think. Think about you, your life, your goals and your dreams. Use that time to reflect on what’s happening in your life instead of keeping yourself easily entertained with social media. Technology allows us to do a hundred different things faster than ever before, but it comes with a price: time to reflect on what we’ve done, and time to try and think about who we’ve become as a result.
Wrapping It All Up
There’s a trend, here, that might stand out: simplicity. You’re taking control of your minutes, now, plucking them from the clutches of Facebook and Twitter, and eliminating all distractions so you can live your life stronger, fuller, and simpler than ever before.
You’re sitting in a coffee shop, in other words, for just an hour or two, and finding that they’re some of the most productive hours of your week. Why? The Internet is off. Facebook and Twitter are a distant afterthought, as they should be, and you’re participating solely in the act of creating something that matters.
You’re going full-life. It’s a cheesy label, sure, but the appeal should be undeniable.
You want to live. You want to live mindfully, aware of every moment that you’re given, and you want to tackle each opportunity head-on instead of retreating to the comfort of a virtual world.
We might only get one shot at this, ladies and gentlemen, so take a moment to ask yourself this: at the end of your days, what do you want to remember?
A life full of laughter, love and happiness, the laptop closed and your phone out of sight, or a life where you spent every free second lurking on Facebook and Twitter?
The former, I bet. Let’s make it happen.
Join me. Remember that Facebook and Twitter are tools and nothing else — tools that we can use to spread the message of this post.
–
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46 Comments »
I'm a writer, minimalist, and health dork with three goals in mind: to teach you how to lose weight, move more, and be happier by living a simple, natural life. It works. Like what you read here? Get 3NL delivered straight to your inbox!
Oh, man, if @wildfledged sees this, I’m going to catch hell. My phone is sewed onto my hand. Sometimes I catch myself with Twitter open on my laptop and ON MY PHONE. WHAT THE HELL?
I like to think I’m addicted to information. Not technology. As a kid, I always had a book in my hand because my border collie brain gets so bored if I’m just being quiet with myself. Now I always need incoming knowledge, but it’s not always valuable knowledge so my head is always full of noise. And then I have trouble sorting out my own thoughts and only post once a week, which is lame.
So I’m going to try to join you in your quest! I should start by not repetitively watching all these cute animal videos…
I know the feeling, man. I was able to justify the hours I spent on Twitter and Facebook by saying the same thing: it’s information, and it’s not like I’m just watching TV or something, right?
Which is a fair point, I guess, if Facebook weren’t an absolute waste of time 99% of the time.
Let go of the phone, Chase. Do it for Alex!
(After you watch the panda video one more time, though.)
Thanks, I really needed this post today…been guilty of doing the social media dance lately. I should take advantage of my coffee shop because of the forced face-to-face interaction of everyone knowing me & not letting me even sit alone.
My pleasure, Elle.
Your coffee shop sounds like an excellent place to socialize, but maybe not such a great place to work. I have the exact opposite problem! Haha.
THIS IS ALL SO TRUE. Going full life, single tasking, having a reverence for all things real life and tangible and smiling while you eat your lovingly prepared food – all of it.
Funnily enough, I have the exact OPPOSITE addiction Chase has, and should probably pay more attention to my social media.
What’s cool is that the same advice you’ve given works for me, too, because I never feel like I have enough time to make art, connect in RL, do all of the meaningful, creative, nature stuff that I get afraid to put too much time into social media regularly. I find weeks go by that I don’t even USE my iPhone, or know where it is, lol. So being mindful in the ways you’ve described will also help me free up my time for a good, balanced, healthy amount of attention to both my real and virtual lives.
Thanks for this great post! Also, so glad you’re enjoying your life in LA.
My pleasure! Glad you could make use of it, even when you’re in the enviable position of not being chained to your iPhone.
Your position is a pretty unique one, all things considered, and a pretty hilarious counterpart to Chase’s. Haha!
LA is changing me all the time. I dig it.
I actually shut down my facebook completely about a month ago, and the results have been completely positive. At first, I just thought that I would shut it off for a few weeks, but after seeing how much better it is without it I decided to just get rid of it for good. It actually has lowered my stress and anxiety. Im not always wondering what everyone is doing every second of the day. And why should I? I shouldn’t really care what everyone else is doing unless it involves me directly. it just feels really good to not be thinking about facebook all of the time and to know that I am living a better, more real, life without it. Good post. Peace!
Hey Travis!
There’s been a kind of exodus away from Facebook for that exact reason: it’s a time-sink that offers very little in the way of actual value in return. That said, I do think it has some uses, though your example proves you can function just fine without it. Kudos on making the bold change!
Well, I commented on the original so I might as well follow up on part 2 right..?
On my original comment I outlined a plan for reducing my FB consumption and this is what transpired… I kicked the habit, for a while. Then FB crept back into my life to the point where it was before. I stuck like that for a few weeks then hit the point of no return again.
Annoyed with myself I resolved to drop the FB habit for a second time and am still going strong after 3 weeks of no FB. Seriously, its just the worst tech addiction in the world but again I’m not missing it. I’m still on Twitter, but with a follow count of 30 (including your good self Matt..) I can be on/off Twitter fairly quickly and have found it easier to keep up with people I know. I think I’m done with ‘Fakebook’ completely but have kept my account on standby just in case I need to get hold of someone quickly. I have no intention of signing in for ‘entertainment’ reasons at all. I even made mention of it in a blog post I wrote (no cheap link plug, but if you want to read it Matt I can e mail it to you)
I have managed to minimise my online time, TV viewing, my email newsletter subs and a chunk of possessions with the pay off that I’m writing and creating again, back in the gym and will be back on my bikes as soon as the weather plays ball. Losing FB still can’t outrun a freezing cold British winter!!
Hey Rich!
Go ahead and post that link here, man.
You’re the exact opposite of a spammer, so I have no problem whatsoever with you doing a little link-dropping while you’re here. Haha!
I know what you mean about the technology habit creeping back in. I did so well after that first post, but a month later saw me waking up and reaching for my iPhone out of pure habit again. It’s a strange thing, in any case, but this post has helped me regain control of my tech, so hopefully it’ll help you stay strong as you avoid FB for the second time running.
Good luck with that, Rich, and good luck too with all your future projects. I’m glad to hear you’ve made room in your life for two things that genuinely matter: your health and your words.
http://ridemind.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/how-to-ride-your-bike-better-by-clearing-out-a-wardrobe-and-killing-your-tv/
Here’s the link. My blog is based around a collection of thoughts and essays on the subject of sports psychology for two wheel athletes. Its a passion of mine and something I’m really interested in. I did think about starting a minimalism blog but didn’t feel I could be original and that it would just be a ‘me too’
Matt, you were interested in my ‘Simon Cowell made me a minimalist’ story, that would have been the first post had I started the other blog. I can email it over if you still want to read it…
Please do! Still sounds like an interesting story, especially since my knowledge of Simon Cowell is limited to “grumpy bastard on American Idol.”
Just read your post, by the way: nice. You encapsulated pretty much every idea of minimalism, and you did it with the kind of angry energy that people usually need to get their ass off the couch and moving.
Kudos for emphasizing what matters and encouraging your fellow athletes to stick to what’s important!
Yes. Yes. AND Yes. Thank you for perfectly articulating what I was thinking.
That’s what I aim to do.
This is what I am trying, needing, and wanting to do. I need to write about this too. I think we are not alone. Many people need and want to do this.
I do okay for a few days and then am back to old wishy-washy habits.
You are right, for some reason i get the most done at a coffee shop. And although i covet a wifi connection. I am SO better off when there is NONE and i can simply WRITE!
I just lost a big freelance client so i have been cooking more, but other days I am still in my PJs at 6pm (like today). This MUST stop. I never feel like i even get going even though i am on my laptop the ENTIRE day with nothing to show for it except tweets, FB updates and some answered emails. But no real work that takes any concentration.
Thanks Matt. Keep it up.
I may be out to LA soon…hope to meet up!
Lisa
I know that exact feeling. You spend an entire day in front of your laptop, but when you look back at what you accomplished, you’re staggered and disappointed to feel like you really didn’t do anything at all. Going without Wi-Fi, as you mentioned, is a great way to fix that problem.
I wrote this entire post in one sitting, coincidentally. No Internet, no distractions, nothing more than a good cup of coffee and a determination to write something that mattered. Today, though, I find myself lingering on the laptop for longer than necessary, so it just goes to show hard it is to break the technology addiction.
Good luck beating it, Lisa, and please let me know when you’re in LA. I’d love to meet up!
PS! By the way, the one good thing is i do NOT own a smart phone…in fact my cell phone is pre-paid so I barely use it. I got that going for me!
Exactly! You don’t have an easy way out of an awkward social situation. Lucky you! Haha.
Amen. Said the lady who has been on her laptop, iphone or desktop computer for 12 solid hours today. Amen.
You’ve inspired me to shut down all browsers and just WRITE tonight. For this, I (and my client!) thank you, man.
Thoughtful stuff here. Thank you.
Jenny Foss
jobjenny.com
I think I’ve been on my laptop for a similar length of time. I’ll call it working, sure, but I’m inches away from following your example.
Glad you liked the post, Jenny! Thanks for stopping by.
Funny how these posts seem to go in waves, or maybe I’m just noticing them right now. I’ve just in the last month or so begun spending FAR more time engaging social media having just started a blog. Before I did I didn’t mind my fb engagement. Now I all of a sudden am never on and have felt a wonderful release from that as a social media outlet. It just seems like excessive connectivity. I’m happy to make my circle smaller if that’s what comes of being less connected. And I’m committed to my relationships that won’t be impacted by my having fb or not. So I’m thankful for this wave of posts as I think it has just further reinforced and encouraged my no longer wanting to be on fb and “connect” with friends in yet another way. It’s just excessive and it’s time to be selective. Because as you said, I’m worth it.
That’s exactly it: you’re worth it. The life outside of the virtual connections is so much more important than most people give it credit for. Kudos to you for keeping your digital life in check and taking deliberate steps to emphasize the real world, Kristy.
Best of luck with your future endeavors!
Great post, Matty. Very thoughtful and thought provoking.
Thanks, Mike!
Dare I ask why you call me Matty, though? Haha.
Sorry. Force of habit. It’s what I call my colleague, also named Matt.
No worries! I’ve never had anyone call me that before, so I was wondering if there was something I was missing.
“If you’re just trying to kill time, try this instead: think.”
I don’t know why this has become so hard for us… I mean, I could write for days on why it has become so hard for us to just “be” with our thoughts, with the nothing in front of us, but that would take a while. And I need to close my laptop
It’s a great point though. On the bus. Standing in line. Watching a sunset. Eating lunch. Having coffee. Why do we need anything more than the vast sea inside to keep us company? And if we are feeling like a bit of stimulation, what happened to shooting the sh*t with perfect strangers?
If there’s one thing I miss about my bar-fly smoker/drinker days…it’s all the random conversations with oddball people who lived very interesting lives. There’re a good many reasons Bukowski had plenty to say. Or Celine. Or Papa Hemingway. At least one of which is that instead of spending their time in virtual conversation, they lived close to the bone. They drank fully of life. Maybe a little too fully at times, but me thinks there must be a middle ground somewhere.
Closing now. Off to find my middle way.
Great post. You really have articulated what I’ve been thinking and feeling lately. For me its to the point of getting rid of internet access at home (and no iPhone to supplement). I’ve tried digital sabbaticals but they just don’t seem to stick. I think I have to go cold turkey. Yikes! I don’t have a facebook problem as I rarely (every couple weeks) check it. I don’t have a twitter account so I don’t know what I’m missing there. I compulsively check my email, read a ton of blogs and watch some TV ALL DAY LONG. For me it’s a crutch to not get up, get out, and get going. Great points to ponder!
I’m likely a few years older than most here… but it hit me that what you describe and aspire to is how I lived until about 20 years ago!
While I have snooped at FB and Twitter, I like my privacy too much to join them. I’d also rather meet real people than virtual ones. That said I like blogs where it’s an exchange of ideas, in a way a personnal exploration with very varied feedback.
Like you, I spend too much time online. The wireless connection is insidious that way… too easy to just escape in that cyberworld and miss the real one! I alsotake one day a week to only live in the real world!
Exactly, Marie. Part of the reason why the virtual world is so popular, I think, is because it’s flat-out effortless to escape into it. It doesn’t help too when our phones are becoming increasingly connected all the time.
Best of luck returning to the older way you did things! I think we’re all trying to approach that point now.
Wow, is this a great post, Matt! Shortly to be twittered, etc.
We get it though, we’re in a super remote location and that sense of connectedness can help. I think you are making an honest go of it and challenging all of us (who occasionally do discover twitter open in more than one location:/) to do the same. I will be repeating close the laptop, close the laptop, more frequently. We took a speedy walk for 15 minutes or so in the middle of a writing session and that really did help, less fuzzy, less temptation to switch over to social media and get sidetracked. Thanks for the encouragement!
Thank you, Gena! I’m glad you liked it.
“Close the laptop, close the laptop..” has become my own personal mantra of sorts. I caught myself saying “oh, the social media dance!” earlier too! It’s interesting, in a sense, how putting a name on something automatically makes it more visible than it was before. In any case, a little bit of awareness really helps when examining our internet habits — especially since they’re rarely as simple or clean as they could be.
I am going to try an experiment over the next 30 days where I only use my laptop 3 hours of the day, from 9AM-12. After that, I will live real life. I will walk around the city. I will meet real people. I will sketch things and write things out on paper. It will require me to be hyper-focused for those 3 computer hours and to prioritize income-generating activities. I will write back in 30 days on the result of my experiment. Thanks for the inspiration.
My pleasure, Luther!
Please report back with the results of your experiment. I’d love to know how it works out for you. Best of luck with it — trust me, you’ll need it.
I had a similar awakening if you will.
http://readgrice.wordpress.com/2010/06/17/who-is-your-master/
I deliberately didn’t buy an iPhone, for that reason! I know I am a tech addict, and know that I spend too much time on Facebook. My justification is that a few of my close friends are travelling adventurers (well, all of them are – but only a few live overseas!) Lately I have been asking myself what the **** I am thinking though. Spending an hour (or more) on Facebook every day, checking in with 150 people because I really care about ten of them? What the hell? Yes, Facebook can be a great way to connect with loved ones you dont see every day, simpler photo sharing, etc. But is that really what I do on there? Not really -usually it’s reading the latest obnoxious status update which just annoys me anyway. So-and-so is at the shops. Such-and-such just changed a pooey diaper. Somebody I hardly know is at the gym. Big f-ing deal.
I can’t help but wonder if it is killing my creativity. I often “dont have time” to write or sketch but always find time for Facebook. It mildly disgusts me. I read a study that said around a third of women check Facebook, Twitter and email before they even pee in the morning. I think that’s scary.
Thanks for the awesome (as usual) article, and metaphorical gentle slap in the face. I needed it. I think today is a good day to make some changes…
It’s an uncomfortable feeling, isn’t it? The realization of just how much time we spend with social media, keeping up to date with things that we normally don’t give a damn about. I’ve been struck by a similar sensation when looking over Facebook and seeing all of the utterly useless updates my virtual friends like to push out.
You’re right to wonder about the effect on your creativity, in any case. It’s difficult to take time to create — let alone reflect — when every spare moment is sucked up by social media. Kudos to you for making changes, Mia, and I wish you the best of luck with them in the future. Glad I could help!
You’re right – this spurred me into action last night. I informed my close friends I was abstaining from Facebook for a week, possibly more, then culled my list of blogs I read by about half and didn’t even check my email after work, or this morning. I feel weird and disconnected, but I am sure that will soon go – I survived quite happily BEFORE Facebook after all! Thanks again!
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Hi Matt,
I’m curious…when you take a Digital Sabbatical, is that just no internet, or no computer at all? It was interesting you’re so productive on those days…is that typing on your computer, or actually staying off the laptop and handwriting, meeting people, etc? Thanks, good post.
Hey Michael!
No Internet, mainly. That’s a little hypocritical, I know (or at least paradoxical, given the name), but it’s also the nature of the beast for me. The majority of my work right now involves writing, so killing the ‘Net and just hammering on the keyboard for awhile is usually the way I operate. That said, I also make sure my “digital sabbatical days” involve a lot of time away from the screen, so I guess I shoot for a healthy mix of both.
It’d be easier to go no computer, I suspect, if your work doesn’t rely on it.
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Another fantastic post. I’ll make this one simple – The time for me to change is… NOW!
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