Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Unplugged...Kinda


Well, I'm back! (sorta.)
I decided to go unplugged for Lent.
My rules were simple:
1) No Facebook
2) No general internet browsing
3) E-mails are to be checked once a week.

It all seemed simple enough I was excited to start. I had fiddled around with the idea of getting rid of Facebook all together, but there was a bit of a public outcry from long-distance family members who wanted to be able to keep up with baby Eloise's exploits and glamor portraits.

I had to physically remove my laptop, or I knew I'd be too tempted to use it. So I unplugged it and threw it under the couch where it sat.
One of the odd by-prouducts of not having my internet is that I suddenly had little patches of time, normally used to browse, which I didn't know how to fill.
I grabbed one of my unused journals and started journaling with reckless abandon. Sometimes I'd have up to four entries just in the one day - I'd write about my plans for the day, Eloise's eating and sleeping schedule and general thoughts and feelings.

I had such lofty thoughts about being internet-free until the end of Lent, but I didn't make it.
I got to the three week mark and I started making little allowances, like checking my emails more often or peeking over at pintrest, until finally I admitted defeat.
I have been off of Facebook and will do my best to keep off until the end of Lent.

It was eye-opening to realize how much time I actually spent on the internet and not actually being productive; even though I was rarely online for long chunks of time, I was constantly flipping my laptop open just to "check" something.
It's that need for constant information, to know everything that's happening right away, even though it's not of any consequence. (Do I really need to know what my friend is eating for dinner through facebook??)

I also read more than I had since having Eloise.
For my birthday in February, Jeremie got me a Kindle! My folks got me this beautiful cover for it.
That, coupled some free e-book sites like Inspired Reads and Pixel of Ink, I had more than enough to keep me busy.
I tried out some new recipes, decluttered and cleaned out more boxes from my basement.

It was a good experience and I'm glad I did it, even if I didn't quite reach my initial goals.
I'm going to try to unplug more often, and will probably do so again in a couple of months.

 Peace,

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2 comments:

Cel said...

I really aught to spend less time online, it's just a little more difficult for me because my PC is also my source of music, video games, and the thing on which I watch movies or tv episodes. I can't really not use it hah. Facebook is a big time eater though, good grief. I'd have gone mad not being able to browse Pinterest for recipes :p

Niki said...

I think any time reduction is success! you did great! xxoo

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