Could you live without the web? How long could you totally unplug? Do you want to? Do you long for the days before email and social networking? Recently on Facebook a friend (thanks, Alex!) shared an article that she read over at Slate written by By James Sturm called Life Without The Web. It’s about the resolve of one man to sign off for four months to see how it changes his life — work, family, etc.
I think most of us can relate to James when he confessed, “The question I’ve been wrestling with lately is whether it’s all going by so fast because…of the way I’ve been living my life. Specifically, I’ve started to wonder whether that feeling might be connected to all the time I spend online. Too often I sit down to dash off a quick e-mail and before I know it an hour or more has gone by.” I found his perspective interesting, you may too — you can hop over here to read it and then pop back to leave your impressions below because I think as a community we could have a pretty neat discussion about it today if you’d like. I wonder if you can relate to any of his “issues” with being online a lot.
Perhaps you can relate to James on this point, “Over the last several years, the Internet has evolved from being a distraction to something that feels more sinister. Even when I am away from the computer I am aware that I AM AWAY FROM MY COMPUTER and am scheming about how to GET BACK ON THE COMPUTER.”
After reading the article and his resolve to completely sign offline for four months I came to this conclusion: Part of me understands James’ decision to go offline. I totally get it. But another part says it’s like anything else — it’s a self control thing, not an internet thing. If someone has an addiction to the internet they need to figure out why and how to change and then take the necessary steps. I don’t think that cold turkey will help long term because eventually he’ll be back online and then the pattern will most likely emerge all over again. I think it’s more important to learn balance and practice self control in everything we do — even healthy things can be bad for us if we over-indulge. If you remove a vice without first learning self control you will only replace the vice with something else like television and book reading. And what really is the difference – watching television and reading books can be done online so doing them offline doesn’t accomplish much.
So my questions are this: could you totally unplug for four months like James? Would you want to? Do you wish you could unplug completely long-term? Do you think self control plays a part in all of this and that the web can become an addiction turning an otherwise healthy activity into something unhealthy? How do you balance your life online with your life offline — any tips for other readers who may also be a bit frustrated by all of the time they spend plugged in?
(image: holly becker for decor8)
What are your thoughts?
April 15th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Wow, this hits a cord with me too. I find myself loggin on for a quick post or email and the next thing I know 2 hours has flown by. I think I need to schedule my “unplugged” time more often.
xo,
cristin
.-= cristin @ simplified bee´s last blog ..Top Ten Eco-Friendly Home Decor Finds & LED Lamp Giveaway =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Sometimes I feel I am becoming an Internet addict, but then I only have to recall that I never miss internet when I’m with family or friends having a good time, or when I’m shopping or drawing or working on something. I spend time on the web because is an important tool, because it enables me to stay in touch with people in a way than traditional mail/telephone or other media cannot.
I agree with you on the self control aspect of this article. I don’t think the internet is more dangerous than gambling, drinking or whatever. It’s a matter of knowing what to do and how to deal with it.
.-= Esti´s last blog ..Playground =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
James’ words and post rings so true to home! I just had to laugh at the ” Even when I am away from the computer I am aware that I AM AWAY FROM MY COMPUTER and am scheming about how to GET BACK ON THE COMPUTER.” part! It’s a battle between me escaping on the web and me being with my daughter & husband. I have to make a conscious effort to turn it all off! Luckily, my connection at work is limited and my kid keeps me plenty busy. Also, having just lost 3 important people in my life makes me appreciate life a bit more. Anyone else out there with the same battle for yourself versus family like me??
.-= chantalep´s last blog ..in memory of =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
I experienced being unplugged for 2 months or so once and I totally felt ok – I survived. But that was before I had my blog, now I’m not sure I’d be able to do it! Although I must confess I wouldn’t mind some rest.
.-= Ludmila {CreamyLife.com}´s last blog ..Bedside House =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
I have had people ask me if I’m ever not on facebook. And really I don’t think I am. The problem here being that my phone keeps me in the loop whenever I want to be. I probably check my email on my phone 20 random times a day (this mostly to see if I have a message from my hubby, who is gone frequently). Subsequently I check my facebook a lot on my phone as well. And I feel super naked when I’ve forgotten my phone, and have to physically stop myself from running back to the car with my 4-year-old to grab it before going grocery shopping…unless my grocery list is saved in the phone and then I have to have it! Therefore I could never unplug completely from the internet. Couldn’t.
Computer time has increased for me, and I think you are right – it’s all about self control. I do the same thing – go to the computer for a specific task, whether printing photos or looking up a recipe for dinner – and an hour has flown by without me doing what I set out to do.
I think now that it’s spring it will be easier to not let time get away from me. The weather is increasingly lovely and my child wants more time outside. Now that I think about it I’m thinking it’d be a good idea to only do the internet in the evening…so I can maximize my daytime hours.
April 15th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
I would have a problem unplugging for 4 hours let alone 4 months! If I switch on first thing of a morning, well nothing else gets done and it gone Lunch time before I know it. It all started when I discovered blogs and started my own, and I’m glad I’m not the only one who checks for comments and Amazon clicks every hour…. I could live without my mobile but not my computer, I’m practically joined at the finger tips, but truth be told it does comsume far too much time, and its not even for a paying job!
Perhaps home computers should come with a cut out option that after so many hours the comouter goes down for at least an hour so that family members can get more then just a ‘be there in a minute’ out of me.
Tips?
Don’t switch on to early in the day if you don’t really have to.
Weekends are for family, not for surfing the web. (so my family tell me)
Go and meet your friends in person, and not on face book, yes I have a friend who live on my door step, I could walk to her house, but we chat on line!
And finally think if this one, sitting at a computer desk all day will make you FAT!
.-= Samantha´s last blog ..Interior Styling, April Challenge =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
You know, Holly, I think Jeff’s personal study was aboslutely relevant; but, I agree it comes down to self-control, self-policing. Sometimes just a self-assessment of time management is enough to spark a change, I think. I had been coveting a super-cute Anthropologie kitchen timer, and bought it specifically to set when I got online to network on Facebook and reply to inquiries via e-mail… worked like a charm!
.-= Sara LeeAnn´s last blog ..BUBBLEGUM =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
thanks so much for posting this, holly. it’s something i’ve been thinking about everyday for the past month. i recently began a new blog to join in this whole design blog community & with the hopes of starting up a small business, which would be a dream to have if & when we have kids one day. what i didn’t realize was how much it consumes my life — not just the blogging, but staying on top of everything that’s happening in this huge blog/small business community. if i don’t try, i can stay glued to my macbook from morning till night. i ask my husband every night if i should stop, because i feel it affecting my daily life, my thoughts, my priorities, and even my relationship with my husband. but he encourages me to continue & says it’s a much harder thing to learn how to exercise self-control than to give everything up completely. we’re trying to think of some practical things to help me in my balance between “real life” and the web, and since we’re going to vegas this weekend, we decided that we will both be unplugged during our whole trip except for 30 min in the morning & 30 min at night. i think it’d be neat to go unplugged for a longer duration of time though… it sounds refreshing :]
April 15th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
I don’t think I could unplug for four months…particularly because I need the internet for my job! But in addition to that, I just enjoy being able to look up answers to any of my questions and to find new recipes and ideas at the touch of a few buttons.
I agree with you that it is a control issue. If you find yourself addicted to the internet, just set boundaries. Because I am at a computer from 8-5 everyday, I refuse to turn mine on in the evening. On the weekends, I only go on to work on my budget and perhaps look up directions or a good restaurant. I don’t allow myself to get distracted by e-mail, etc. because on Monday morning I’ll be right back at my desk behind that computer!
It’s all about limits and balance.
April 15th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
I do struggle with controlling how much time I spend on the internet. I go on mini internet fasts where I set really strict limits on how long and for what I use the internet. Like, I can check my email and respond to any important messages and spend a half hour on other things. But I couldn’t cut off completely. I’m in college and it’s expected that I will check my email at least once a day for any important announcements from professors. Also, four months is a long time. When I do internet fasts I do it for a week or two. The goal for me is just to make myself more aware of how much time I spend on the internet and how I am using that time.
April 15th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Thank you for posting that article. I’ve been thinking about this issue a lot lately – especially since I started blogging. It’s hard to not feel over-connected since I sit at a computer all day for work, and when I’m not at work my iPhone is usually close by. A good part of every day for me is spent online, but I rarely consider that time wasted. I learn new things every single day that I otherwise wouldn’t be exposed to – from friends, family, and total strangers. It’s really remarkable, and I rarely ever feel like I’m missing out on “real” life. I know when to shut off and I think that’s a balance everyone needs to find for themselves. If you’d rather be online than spending time with your friends and family then you should seriously reevaluate your priorities. Otherwise, you have no reason to feel guilty.
.-= Allison´s last blog ..make this look: skirting the issue =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
I think it’s a question of balance. Since I bought my laptop, I definitely spend more time online at home. But it’s opened up a whole new world to me as now I read design blogs–like this one–and about artists I never heard of and see places I might never see in person and, in general, I think, enhanced my creative life. And there are still plenty of days off when I’ll spend the whole day immersed in a book or writing or what have you. I hear a lot of people say that things like Facebook are a time suck, but to me, if what I’m doing online is helping me learn and expand my brain and if I’m still connecting one-on-one with people regularly, then I think it’s okay.
April 15th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
I love the internet and spend a considerable amount of time online, though it sort of goes with the territory when you work from home. As far as being totally dependent on the computer… I like to think I’m not, but any time we loose power I freak out because checking email/working/editing photos/whatever is not an option. I definitely couldn’t make it 4 months without!
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..New Shop Additions: Venise Lace =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Good topic for discussion, it something that I think about quite a bit. I went to Mexico for a holiday recently and we didn’t have access to internet and it was wonderful. To add to the non-internet life, everyone had their cell phones off and stashed in their luggage; beautiful. People were forced to talk to each other and sometimes my partner and I could go MIA because no one could contact us to meet up with us (it was a business vacation). AWESOME!
Maybe it is a need to just run away from it all sometimes, to be not found by your boss whenever they please, or maybe we just need to slow down and relax. Why do we always have to be going full steam? Does everyone feel this way, it seems to be some people definitely do.
The funny thing is, I’m writing this on the internet. Hmmmm
April 15th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
A very interesting topic Holly, Ive actually been thinking how many sites are out there that just seem a new way for us to procrastinate and be less productive.
I remember once talking with a friend who said they were going to delete all their online profiles. When I asked why they said “because they were wasting too much time on the internet” and my response was “the internet is a tool, like any other tool and its not the internet that is the problem but the way we choose to use it”
.-= Liss´s last blog ..Polaroid Transfers ~ She Hit Pause Studio =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
Since it’s the only way we can inexpensively stay in touch with friends and family (we live overseas), no, I could not unplug for four months. That’s just too long to be disconnected from my kids!
I agree it’s a self-control issue. While it’s possible to “waste” a lot of time online, it also streamlines communication and facilitates staying in touch with a greater number of people in a shorter amount of time.
.-= Kim´s last blog ..Really, Really Random Dozen =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Balance ? I wish !
This is the impossible dream IF you have a blog AND a job.
Of course the length of time spent on preparing/researching (and eventually actually writing !) posts varies depending on the type of blog one has I imagine.
Experience has taught me though that it’s essential to be thorough.
It amazes me just how quickly sites that I link to come in checking up to see what I’ve been saying about them.
So far so good – haven’t heard from any lawyers yet !
.-= Jan´s last blog ..? Pleased To Meet You =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Hi Holly: Great post and I do think that you are right. I believe it is all about balance and being smart and organized with your time. I have two blogs and if I plan it right, I can get a post done in an hour if I need to and no more. Frankly, its Facebook that eats up a lot of my time!! finding old friends from high school has really been a lot of fun, but, you are right too about TV. If you turn off the computer are you watching TV? reading? scrapbooking? any hobby or activity that anyone does away from work will be time consuming. That’s just life. Balance, balance, balance. I find if I set myself a limit before I log on and stick with it…this works. Say you will only be on FB for one hour, then post for your blog another hour. Or half an hour, whatever. Set limits and you will see a difference.
I went without the web for 2 weeks last summer and frankly, I didn’t miss it at all. I was surprised. It is fun though huh?….:)
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..Fabulous Fabric Fridays…new series… =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 8:23 pm
I’m having seriuos trouble disconnecting from the internet, and i started to realize it was dropping my productivity at work. I work with eMarketing, so internet is a constant part of my work but i started to catch myself spending a whole lot of time on social networks and reading blog posts on google reader all day and my colleages started noticing that too. So i started watching myself and i haven’t checked my personal email or google reader at work for 2 days now, but i make it all up for myself when i get home and spend hours and hours online. I hope i can dettach myself from the web slowly until i get to the point when i don’t need it anymore.
April 15th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
As the new author of my own blog, I often feel almost guilty for the amount of time I spend online. I’m also in engineering school which required me to be a slave to the computer about 90% of the time. I don’t always love it, and yes I wish I could be doing other things at times. However, I think what counts is that the time you spend OFF the computer and lacking the glazed-over look be good and relaxing. To really unwind, I like to spend a lot of quiet time outside, listening to the sounds of the outdoors. If I spend enough time reflecting, I’m ready to go back to the computer for a short while, at least. :)
April 15th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
I found that I was losing way too much time on the internet, so I decided to unplug for one week. It was glorious! I got so much done and felt much less stressed. I do agree it’s a matter of self control; I couldn’t go for four months, but I did decide to continue to limit the time I spend on the computer during the day, and (with the exception of tonight!) to not be on in the evenings. It seems to be working well for me.
.-= Bobbi´s last blog ..Thursday Shenanigans and the US Mail =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
Holly, i think you might like this article that i read the other day:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2010/apr/11/giving-up-the-internet
it’s interesting that you’ve raised this issue too – must be a zeitgeist in the air!
.-= lindsey clare´s last blog ..Melbourne snaps =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
also, i’m not sure that i could ever call book reading a vice! ;)
i think the problem with being addicted/spending too much time on the internet specifically is the way in which it requires and encourages a short attention span. while being able to think quickly and broadly is a good thing, i find so many of our generation to be lacking the ability to think critically and live slowly.
another article i read recently (sorry can’t remember where) described the new way of learning (i.e. internet based) as “wide but shallow”, and i don’t think i want to be like that, you know?
.-= lindsey clare´s last blog ..Melbourne snaps =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
Well, this is coming from a bit of a different angle, but I am a Christian and part of a Christian community. A number of my friends/peers decided to give up facebook, twitter, blogs, and all email except work email, for Lent. Some of them gave it up for Holy Week. Everyone who did it reported feeling refreshed and feeling like they had a new perspective by the end of their time away from it all. It helped most of them to focus on really important things like faith, taking time to prepare healthy foods, taking time to exercise, taking time to mail a friend an encouraging (handwritten) note, etc. I am about to move to China, and have a lot of work/personal stuff I have to do online before the move, but once I am there and settled, I plan on taking a week or so to unplug and just be. I think it will be very important, being in another culture, to stop and take inventory of what I want to be my priorities, and to plan how I intend to take care of myself through culture shock.
April 15th, 2010 at 11:01 pm
What I can’t stand is the lack of internet eitquette. those friends who, while I am telling a story that would be wildly amusing if they just actually listened to it, are constantly on the iPhone. I ask a question and they google it for five freaking minutes – I don’t care that much – I just wondered if YOU knew, not your phone – I’ll look it up at home, or when you leave to go to the bathroom and I’m left here alone. There’s a buzz and they immediately pick it up and read the email. They’re texting. The phone sits face up at the dinner table and the keep looking at it anxiously. They take calls while sitting at a table in a restaurant, in the car, when you’re in the park, when and wherever.
Also, if this guy thinks he’s on the internet too much, why the heck does he write for Slate? Perhaps he needs a career change? he’s part of what he’s deemed the problem. (I still need to read the article, btw).
It is important to unplug. It is hard unplug when people out there expect to have access to you 24/7, whether it’s your boss, your readers, whatever – they expect their comments to be published, your immediate answer to a question. I feel like when I want to unplug I have to tell people “I’ll be in a remote place that does not have wifi.” I mean, they even have it at 35,000 feet now. Semi-related to that, I dread the day the obnoxious loud phone people who talk the entire time they are in line at the post office can use their phones freely on flights.
Ah, rant over. Thanks Holly! I’m off to unplug and read a print magazine in my bathtub now ;)
.-= becky´s last blog ..A New Housewife? =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 11:16 pm
I love this topic, Holly. So glad you brought it up. Can’t wait to see what your readers have to say about it.
.-= Design Mom´s last blog ..Tea Collection Giveaway =-.
April 15th, 2010 at 11:45 pm
I totally believe in unplugging. In fact, churches around the country and schools encourage students to do technology fasting. Not because the internet is the devil or anything dumb like that. Basically, it’s a way of understanding that our focus on using technology is eating away at time that could be better spent. I was looking at my Facebook profile, and I was like… I have 432 friends. What a lie. No one can have that many friends. It’s an online reunion site. It’s online PR for regular people. Lots of people spend a lot of effort to sell, “I’m living the life people dream about”. I have even seen people put that in their “Write something about yourself here” box on Facebook. The worst of it is that I am a social media manager. My livelihood is connected to people using the internet, but, at the same time, I’m connected to the fact that people don’t want another advertising blast, they want meaningful interaction. You can’t do that with 400 people. I think people get lost in the black hole of the internet because they are seeking authentic interaction when it’s not been traditionaly available- times when they can sneak their celly out of their desk drawer at work, make use of bathroom time, and stop lights (and, of course, on the road).
I think a good technology fast is good once in awhile to help you prioritize what your real focus should be on- the important relationships with a few.
April 16th, 2010 at 1:23 am
Living in Italy, it’s a natural part of events that the DSL/telephone line goes out occasionally. The last time it happened, we were down for three days. Because we live in the countryside, the cell only functions when you stand under one specific tree.
This last time when it went out, I noticed a pattern. The first few hours, I get very irritable and nervous. Like someone locked the booze cabinet. I started to scheme about going downtown to the internet cafe to… what? check to see if someone wanted a booking in the last two hours? To see who twittered me about a new polenta recipe? I resisted and actually knitted instead that evening.
The next morning, real withdrawal set in. I snapped at the construction workers. I speeded downtown first thing to get to the internet cafe. What did I find? Fourteen facebook updates, six direct Twitters and someone wanting a cooking class with their booking. Ok, that’s important, but it could have waited another day.
But that afternoon, I worked in my garden. Focused. No big magnet with an apple on it pulling me back into my office. I let it go, my angst of being off line.
The next morning, I woke up and did a month worth of back filing. Now, that’s never happened. My routine is coffee-emails-blogs. Not filing. By 8.30 I was caught up and organized for taxes. And I thought, ok, if it does not come on line by 4, I will head downtown. But I felt free.
By two, we were back on line.
The next morning started – coffee-emails-blogs. Again.
I am still working on balance, and probably always will. My mother used to call the TV the “idiot box” and the computer threatens to be the same, making me more passive than I normally am (living on a hill in Italy makes me very aware of the tendency toward passivity so I need to be proactive against it in the off-season). The computer is a tool. And you are right, Holly, we need to control it so it does not control us.
.-= diana strinati baur´s last blog ..Gina DePalma bakes for Oprah! =-.
April 16th, 2010 at 1:30 am
I think more and more people experience that – the feeling that you begin to lose yourself living more online, than in “real life” and in the years to come I think there will appear this huge movement for “unplugging”…
.-= Masha´s last blog ..Minimalist Shopping =-.
April 16th, 2010 at 1:36 am
Diana – I really enjoyed reading your comment and I’m willing to bet that others will too. I had a laugh, “This last time when it went out, I noticed a pattern. The first few hours, I get very irritable and nervous. Like someone locked the booze cabinet. I started to scheme about going downtown to the internet cafe…” — that’s so funny!
I think the “problem” with web addiction is that there are no symptoms that a doctor can measure — at least not right away. If you drink or eat too much, your doctor will see damage and give you warnings and hopefully that is enough to make the person change their lifestyle. But with web addiction it’s usually very late that symptoms result and often when it’s too late. Our marriage falls apart, our children feel neglected and do something pretty bad to get our attention, or even physical signs — our eyes start to fail, we experience muscle and back pain, weight is gained…
April 16th, 2010 at 1:40 am
Liss – GREAT point.
April 16th, 2010 at 2:10 am
Oh my goodness, this is a GREAT topic. I would love to unplug for four months and am actually in the process of trying to do that. Not completely unplug, still check emails twice a week. But other than that, I think it’s so important to remember that there is still real life outside the web!
.-= Corin Jones ´s last blog ..Shane & Carly ? Married =-.
April 16th, 2010 at 2:29 am
Why am I spending so much time online?
In the last 2 weeks I have made some kind of dramatic turn-around in my online time that has been ‘deeper’ than my last 2 efforts of ‘kicking the habit’. Last fall I let my office kick me out with it’s messiness and retreated to the chaise section of our living room couch to camp out and do the following: eat breakfast, do emails, blogs, surf, take an online class and work. Bad.
Over the Easter break we finally grabbed the bull by the horns and bought tons of shelving and storage supplies for my office. (cue sappy inspirational music) Now that I LIKE being in my work space, I’m doing more creative (read: non-computer) work in it, and because I have a whole set of shelves, rather than stacks and piles,for my editing resources and files, my work is less like a chore and more like a choice.
I’m online less because I only have time to look at the things I really want to look at; I’m otherwise preoccupied with doing other things offline. Like needing a clean kitchen before I can start to cook, I need a set-apart space that’s also clean and organized so I can survive working at home. I knew I wanted to have my own set-apart space for an office, and now that we have an apt that allows this, I realize how much I needed it. It sounds so basic, and I know I’ve heard it before, but it’s true!
If you think you’re online too much, I think you need to really ask yourself WHY. It may not be the reason you think.
.-= juliette´s last blog ..Roadtrip 2010: dream Helsinki =-.
April 16th, 2010 at 2:41 am
yesterday I killed my googlereader. I will still be checking on soem people but I felt I found it hard to cope with so manyu stories to follow. I have real life friends to care about and it got to much.. I do love going on of line vacations but woudln’t want to live ofline forever.
But you are completely right I need to work on selfcontrol!!! My reader was to much for me sometimes…
April 16th, 2010 at 4:28 am
I’ve been thinking about this issue a lot lately, i feel everyone who spends a lot of time online often thinks about this, time does fly by on the net, all the things that should be done in those hours, are postponed.
I belive it takes a lot of self discipline not to be lost for hours in this internet world, there’s just so much to see & read, page after page, it’s really easy. I think having an online schedule helps, fixing online time, just like any other activity, i’m trying to keep up with mine, but it’s not easy.
I unplug on weekends and it feels great, i recomend it to everyone.
Sometimes i unplug one day during the week but i can’t help but feeling that i’m missing something.
.-= Maria Helena´s last blog ..In the woods / White Birch =-.
April 16th, 2010 at 4:33 am
I agree with what James said about technology making our lives go by faster… or at least appear to be that way. The thing that I don’t like about it is that I’m always contactable. I’m old enough to remember life before computers were in general use, or answer phones, or cell phones. If you weren’t home to answer the phone then you weren’t contactable. If you were out you used a pay phone. And now I can communicate from anywhere by using my cell phone to text, talk or email.
I don’t use facebook or twitter because I fear they are just two more things that will chew away my time, and I don’t have enough of that now!
I’d love to step away from modern technology, but realistically I just don’t think it’s an option. What is an option is choosing how we use it. Which means I really do have to take control back with my time on the internet… it’s like a black hole!
.-= lisa :: the red thread´s last blog ..Have a bright and beautiful weekend =-.
April 16th, 2010 at 5:38 am
What an excellent, excellent topic to discuss!
I, like most people here I believe, spend a lot of time online. Even my work (architecture) is done 95% on the computer. When I have a deadline I rarely leave the computer for more than an hour or two, even to sleep. And it is horrible. Honestly, at that point I always wish I was doing everything with my own hands, not with the help of the computer because of my headache, my eyes hurt etc. But then again, it does help me a lot, and internet and computers help us a lot, that is a fact. I believe the fine line is between using it to help your life get better and easier and using it to do the opposite.
What I usually do to relax is after spending too much time on the computer at once, like when I have a deadline and have spent about a week non-stop, I like to leave everything and just go somewhere in the forest for example and “escape” even if it’s just for one weekend. It helps me a lot to recharge my batteries, I warn everyone not to call me unless there is an emergency and my laptop stays at home.
Another rule I have is when my boyfriend comes back from work I just get away from the computer. No matter what I do, if it’s very important I just finish it quickly, and then I just leave all of it. Because real life is more important and the work online is just endless.
.-= Iva´s last blog ..Lovely =-.
April 16th, 2010 at 6:57 am
I can related. Sometimes, it seems like all I do is get online. I have day where I just unplug. Usually, I don’t get alone at all unless it is for homework. Our culture encourages busyness and connectivity(social web) as a way of finding meaning but I think that is incorrect. I noticed that it is far better to spend time with people in the real time and use the internet as a supplement. The internet should not be your life and if it is I think that is a problem. It is a tool to be used. Just like your car(or mode of transportation).
I think this a deeper problem, a feeling of boredom and loneliness that makes you think-if you are always connecting with people that you are okay. I would say we are afraid that if we are not online we are missing out, we are not included, we are alone.
I struggle with understanding this problem. People need to have community and information(that is a given) but we are tending to ignore real people around us for cyber pals and that is a big problem.
Good topic!
.-= googlover´s last blog ..Oh Joy! =-.
April 16th, 2010 at 9:06 am
The internet, like anything, is something that is best taken in moderation. I’m a firm believer in moderation – which is directly correlated with self-control.
I wouldn’t want to unplug for four months. Not because I have an addiction, but because the online world has helped me think about things outside of myself. In the past, I’ve had a horrible habit of losing touch with friends, forgetting birthdays, ignoring everything outside of my little bubble of myself. But social networking, email, and the internet help me to stay in touch with the people I love, and the exciting lives of my friends that I might have otherwise missed out on. That said, on the weekends, I rarely spend time on my computer. Maybe an hour or two of the entire weekend is spent online.
If it gets to the point that you feel you have to suspend yourself from anything for four months, the self-control factor has disappeared. If you have to quit brushing your teeth, cold turkey, for four months? You probably had an obsession.
April 16th, 2010 at 9:30 am
No, I personally wouldn’t want to unplug for any extended period of time, but then again, I don’t feel that my online time is interferring or detracting from the rest of my life. If anything, I feel it adds to my life in terms of connections, inspriation, and information. Sometimes I feel a bit of a jonzing for checking email or missing the blogs I follow if I go without, but it doesn’t distract to the point of cold sweats or anything. I whole-heartedly agree on the self control & moderation angles.
.-= Katherine´s last blog ..outta the funk =-.
April 16th, 2010 at 10:56 am
What a double-edged sword the internet is. It can provide so much in the way of knowledge and inspiration, especially for those of us living in small town middle America. It keeps me connected to the world. What I don’t like is the constant advertising for goods and services everywhere you go…all websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter…it’s becoming all about selling something. Personal I feel this constant in your face consumerism starting to drown me, and disgust me. The social networking sites are the things that really get me though. What was originally meant to be something for kids has blown up into a time consuming network of sales and “who knows who”. Frankly I don’t care what someone just had for breakfast or that they took the dog for a walk or even what is on sale at some retail location. Does anyone really connect in love and friendship anymore, off line or on-line? Just my two cents after spending an hour surfing this morning!
April 16th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
I wouldn’t even try to live without internet. I love it. We have no cable TV at home, this is our choice. But when we want to watch a movie we have a living room pc plugged to it with a harddrive full of movies. But we don’t need that everyday. Mostly the evening is the time where we gather around a table with friends. Weekends we still go shopping.
So why cutting us of from internet? We can totally live with it. We could buy anything through the internet and never go out of the house (which is so sad), but we don’t because we prefere to interact with people.
I can say I’m addicted to the internet ( and that is because of
the blogs!!:-D) and for reading the news… I think internet is the greatest invention of the century. No need for paper anymore, isn’t that great to save trees? Electricity? Well sunpannels! I don’t even have a cell phone, I do everything via Skype.
April 16th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Many of these comments reaffirmed what I”m feeling, and to keep it short and simple, I find the more one is on the internet the more you want to be on the internet. I do spend alot of time on blogs, and web surfing for work as an interior designer, but I could let it all go. I recently went camping fall and we didn’t have any technology for 4 days (even phones were dodgy) and it felt exhilirating. Most of all I didn’t miss it one bit. Although, I will say four MONTHS of that might be a little extreme for me!
April 16th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
Hello, My name is Melanie and I’m an internet addict.
Ahh… ok, now we’ve got that out in the air….
That piece was really interesting and I could really relate to a lot of what he was saying. It’s funny, a couple of years ago I was travelling around a part of the world for a number of weeks where I knew I wasn’t going to have internet access. Before I left I was really worried about how I’d go without the net, being a compulsive email checker and blog reader. In reality – I loved the break! And when I returned from my travels I was slow to get back onto the internet.
Now, with my computer in my studio, I find it can be really distracting, so when I’m getting stuck into designs, the computer gets turned off. Even when I’m working online, I now have a piece of paper beside me to write down the other places I want to visit/things I want to research so that I’m not getting distracted by the task at hand. It doesn’t always work, but it is helping a little.
.-= Melanie (Kimono Reincarnate)´s last blog ..My Creative Space =-.
April 17th, 2010 at 9:12 am
I think this definition is great: Internet is just like refrigerator: you don’t keep doors open all the time, but only when you want to take something.
It’ all about control, or better say – selfcontrol.
April 18th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
scary how close to home this is…..you sit down to check e-mail for a minute and before you know it, 2 hours have flew by. such an interesting subject to discuss…wonder where we’re going as a society….huh. Need to ponder a bit. Thanks for bringing this up in your blog!
April 19th, 2010 at 8:57 am
This is a really great topic. For the past couple of years I have been giving up “unnecessary” computer use for Lent. In other words, I go online to run my business and to communicate with friends and family via email, and of course I work on photos, but I avoid playing games, putzing around on forums, or spending hours reading blogs, etc.
Let me tell you – my house was sparkling clean, I had more energy, and I read a LOT of books.
But yeah, once Lent was over I slipped right back into that comfortable routine. I think my issue is more of a time management one. If I have X amount of hours to spend online before cutting myself off then I will focus on the priority tasks instead of dawdling around. I do best with a daily routine so I am planning to incorporate an hour here or there of yoga or meditation or gardening to give myself a break from the computer several times during the day. http://e.ggtimer.com/ is a great tool that I’ve just started using to help myself focus on one thing for 20 mins or however long.
Every time I do “give up” the computer I find myself less interested in jumping right back in. So I think it is worth it. I’ve been giving myself more time off on weekends and in the evening. It’s a balancing act!
.-= Diana´s last blog ..More Dogwood =-.
April 19th, 2010 at 11:45 am
Well… addiction for addiction the same was said, lots of years ago, about the TV. as well as people are just addicted to sms’ing ;-)
I think is up to everyone to control how much your “addiction” is a bad vicious or something useful!
I need a computer to work on, and a lot of times, the internet.
And more than that, emailing and video-calls for me is essential as I live in Amsterdam and my whole family live in Rio de Janeiro.
I can be offline, and then enjoy the simple things in life, and real people (not that you are not real ;-)) company instead of only virtual talk. But I wouldn’t choose to be offline completely.
I think the web is a good thing, but is up to each one of us to realize if we just need one email account and one blog and one community or if we need 5 email accounts and 10 social sites ;-)
xx,
A.
.-= Ana´s last blog ..Lovely Etsy of the day! =-.
April 21st, 2010 at 4:54 am
funny that i read this (extremely thought-provoking) post just now. :) the internet was down for 1.5 business days at the paper studio i work at… and you all know how crazy that can be when you’re juggling clients on top of countless other projects that are dealt with via internet! the minute i got home from work (without even taking off my shoes), i logged online to see what i missed.
some times i can’t even imagine how things would be if the internet was no more! it’s a gift and a curse that i (and we, since i’m echoing the sentiments of those who posted above me) am so dependent on the internet! :)
April 21st, 2010 at 8:46 am
If whole internet would fall down I would not miss it, am shure I would love to do other things. Or if my TV is not working, I would read a book. If phones are out of order for weeks I would write letter to my sister to ask how is she.
But, if everything is working I cant keep myself away! And thanks to facebook I can catch up others life without even contacting them, chek the names of relatives children before party and so on. And folloing my favorite blogs just makes me happy!
.-= Katarina Kotselainen´s last blog ..What will I do in Fasting camp? =-.
August 19th, 2010 at 12:30 am
oooh, i think about giving up the internet all the time. when i first met my boyfriend in 2006, neither of us had an internet connection. my laptop had died and i was too poor to get another and he had a desktop but used it only for music. we spent a lot more time talking, going out and creating and when we wanted an internet connection we could just walk down to a net cafe. now we have internet at the house and sometimes hours pass without either of us saying anything cos as we call it, we are too busy “internerding”. even when my desktop recently died i could get a connection on my phone so i’d just end up looking at things on my phone for a really long time. when i force myself to really limit my internet time or leave my phone at home on purpose, i get so much more done and feel better as a human being. it’s hard though, the internet is like instant gratification. easy access to entertainment, news, projects, communities of people!
August 24th, 2010 at 4:16 am
addictive..did someone say addictive..nah..I have been on-line since 9.30 this morning and it is now 11.30. I have managed to wash one set of dishes. The other lot are in the water soaking until I get a moment to do them..i.e. (after I have finished reading another article on-line ) ahem..by then the water would have probably gone cold.. so I will need to refill the sink with hot water (only to probably let it go cold again because I just HAD to do something else on-line.
In the BC days (Before Computers) ..I would have not only washed the second lot of dishes straight after the first lot..but by now would have had a reasonable clean and tidy home. Instead I have a mess ! Addicted..nah !
And so my day goes on….and on-(line)..the flotsam and jetsam of daily life are painfully ticked off my ‘to do’ list as busy inquisitive time wasting fingers tap away at great pace to find other things to distract me from the daily bog..er..blog ;)