Like all baby boomers, I grew up in the days of carbon paper and white-out. So it’s funny to find myself, at this age, more or less addicted to the Internet. I spend way too many hours online. Maybe you do, too.
How many is too many?
It’s too many if you have a hard time breaking eye-lock from the small screen long enough to pay attention to the people you love and/or live with, if you’re late to everything, and if your to-do list chronically goes unfinished. I am guilty of all this and more.
I love the Internet. It’s so much a part of my life, for information and community. I wouldn’t truly say I’m addicted, but I am habituated. I’m on two computers and a smartphone all day long, checking email or social media, handling little tasks or answering a million questions. Like:
- when is Jersey Boys going to be at my local theater?
- where is my new doctor’s office?
- how hot is it going to be today?
- can Elon Musk invent a way to stop wasting flared gas? (I tweeted him)
- must compliment my local paper on new Home section
- must share this/that/the other article with my networks
- must entertain resulting comments from said sharing
- how many tablespoons in 1/4 cup?
- how long have the Sunnis and Shi’ites been fighting?
- ideas for new blog posts!
- must order that from Amazon
- must see what Goodreads friends say about this book
- etc. blah blah blah
Once in pursuit of the above, I fall down the rabbit hole, chasing other pretty stuff. Although it’s fun, the time expands as I read one thing after another, commenting and/or sharing, and hurrying, always hurrying. Because I’m aware of time slipping away, I’m anxious to get off the computer and go do what I do in real life. (Sound familiar?)
But that’s the problem. This is real life. Used to be we would separate Online Life from Real Life, but no more. Online is our Barbershop, our Cheers. We all know each others’ names.
As enjoyable as it is, I really need to work on my next novel (and pay some attention to my sweet hubby), so on Sunday, I decided to stay offline and see how it felt. To prepare for this foray into unknown territory, I made a list of offline things I could do. I’m so unused to going natural that I wasn’t sure I would know how to act.
So, that was last weekend. How did it go?
Fantastic! I worked on the yard; organized a bunch of recipes; read in a leisurely way; sat on the patio and listened to birdsong; with my darling honeybun, watched Michelle Wie finally win a major; meditated; and wrote in my journal (with fountain pen, in cursive, on paper).
The main difference between a regular online day and Sunday – the Lord’s Day, the day of rest – was that I did feel more rested, grateful, present, and in control of my time. Reading was especially rich, being able to savor the meaning and depth of the writing, whether fiction or non-. I liked it very much, and felt more at peace. Strangely, time seemed to expand and last longer, but I was never bored.
It was beautiful. I’m thinking of making it a twice-a-week thing, at least.
Do you ever feel like you’re online too much?
Lynne, your blog was so insightful that I found it applies to me, as well. Strange that I grew up in an era when life was spent outdoors, either working or enjoying the smells, sounds, and touch of things that existed with us. And now, I smell the papers stacked alongside my monitor and on the desk, hear the clickety-clackety of the keyboard, as well as the finger-tipped search for keys. I do spend one day per week playing a round of golf (outside of the Coachella Valley, though), so I spend time on that day in the sunshine, rather than before the bright light of the monitor. Thank you for the reminder to get out more often, or get off the computer so much.
Bob, I’m rushing to thank you for commenting. My family is outside by the pool and I’m going to unplug and go spend the day with them! Best wishes and happy 4th.
Lynne,
Great insight. Enjoyed your observations.
Denis
Thanks, Denis. Nice of you to comment.
Lynne, I felt burned out by my computer time. When I started blogging I heard you were supposed to blog every day and answer comments as soon as possible. The computer took over my life. One day I’d had enough and announced to my readers I was taking weekends off. The computer never gets turned on and I love how much more I get done in “real life’.
It’s weird, isn’t it, Lois, how peaceful and rich/organic your hours become? Although I do need my computer for offline writing, I plan to stay away from the Internet on Sundays.
I have felt that way. I told someone a few weeks ago, again, .. “I use to read REAL books” …but haven’t in a long time. I would love to get away from the net once in a while. I do but never for a full 24 hours.
With my recent change to satellite internet service and I am now paying for Gb’s per month, I amy have to have some down time to stay within my 15Gb limit. I could pay more for the next level of 25Gb/month but I don’t want to pay the additional $25.
This could be a good thing for me … I NEED to get off the internet!
Thanks for your post.
You’re welcome, Steve, and thanks for stopping by. I was planning to “go organic” (be offline) today, but I have a project crunch next week so don’t have time.
Isn’t that a wonderful excuse?!
PS Now that this comment is approved, any future comments will be published instantly.
Wow, I sure can relate! Even when I’m reading a book, it’s hard to escape in the plot without thinking of how I’ll review it or what snippet I’ll extract from its pages for my blog. This is not how I planned to waste the later years of my life! I like your idea of unplugging for a day, and I think I’ll try it too. After all, what’s the worst that could happen? Somehow I have the feeling that the world will manage to turn on its axis whether I’m involved or not.
Sandy, what you said got to me: you can hardly read without thinking about sharing it. Me too! That has been the weirdest thing of this new age. But I try to think of it this way: it’s like I can’t wait to tell my friends. Maybe the silver lining is, I never had so many friends before. And some may scoff, saying online friends aren’t REAL friends, but there is a core of several dozen, which includes you, that I do feel I know. That I would love to meet IRL. That I can’t wait to share stuff with. In the main, isn’t that a plus, humanity-wise? But back to the point, just like I can’t spend all day drinking coffee with my friends, I can’t spend so much time online. It’s just a new form of coffee klatch.
Thanks, Lynne. I enjoy listening to your fun spirit in your words. My favorite thing to do here in La Quinta in the summer is to get up early….reminds me of Mary Oliver’s book Why I Wake up Early…
and listen to the birds join in their sweet chorus. Then of course, I go in and get stuck on the computer!
Cheryl, the thing about that Sunday was, all the energy I used to spend getting “stuck on the computer”? I was able (resigned, forced) to apply it to non-electronic reading and writing. I felt a wonderfully organic energy! I’m going to do it again this Sunday.