This Time It Is Personal
Things have been quiet around here.
A bit too quiet for my liking. I have also been real quiet with commenting on other people’s blogs or paying more attention to Twitter.
I wish I could make the announcement that this is all going to change with this post, but I can’t make that guarantee. Finding time to get online to write, to find time to think for myself, as been extremely limited. Partly due to me being busier with the consulting work, and partly because of my daughter being sick, but more because I have been suffering through a bout of depression.
No, this isn’t a post asking for support and sympathy. More like a post to explain what has been happening, for anyone interested.
I also did something today that I generally don’t like doing: I marked all my blogs in Google Reader as read. That wiped out over 1400 unread items, a good portion from blogs that I enjoy reading and commenting on regularly. I feel guilty for doing it because I am sure I missed a lot of great posts in there, but quite honestly, I can’t handle all that reading and commenting right now.
I really would like to take a digital sabbatical. I need to take one, as well as a vacation to get away. Since my consulting business is so deeply tied to the Internet, it isn’t possible, but I think I am going to cut back on the number of blogs I follow regularly. I also need to do a better job of cutting down the number of Twitter users I follow (I made the mistake of auto-following people who added me, which leads to a lot of spammy accounts on my following list – I switched this off a few weeks ago).
A bit of a downer post, but there is one thing to be taken away from all this:
Don’t be afraid to hit “Mark All as Read” and to escape the responsibility of reading every post from every blog you follow. The stress caused by having a large Unread number in any of the inboxes you deal with is simply not worth it.
Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming or to read the next post in your reading list.
Living and working the online is living in the fast lane. It’s been like that since 1996 for me. I drop out from time to time.
At least twice a year, I drop out for two weeks to a month. Almost drop out. I’ll follow email, Twitter and facebook from the iphone – but I keep replies and engagement to the minimum.
On the other hand, dropping out when you’re down may or may not be a good thing. The best cure for the blues is action, doing, and executing on moral decisions. Epictetus, the ancient stoic philosopher, is a great therapist. And I’m not alone in this opinion.
There is much to discover and discuss. You said that in your about.
Get well soon.
Oh- I started a novel. That’s something you’ll want to follow. The draft of the first page starts here: http://bit.ly/eK5jxe
With so much information at our fingertips, it’s very easy to get sucked in an to experience information overload. On occasion, I’ll take 5-10 days off for a “digital detox.”
Hey James,
I can sympathize with you, we probably all can. I feel so guilty when I don’t accomplish more than I should have for the day. I use to beat myself up all the time but finally said to hell with it. I’m doing the work, I’m getting things done so accept what you are able to do and move on.
Sorry your daughter is sick and hope she’s feeling better soon. And you too for that matter. I’ve been down, I’ve been depressed, I’ve been in your shoes. It’s not fun but hang in there because this too shall pass.
Hope to see you back to yourself soon.
Best to you,
Adrienne
Wow James, sounds like you’ve been going through a lot man. And I feel for you and hope your daughter is now doing much better and that your spirit is on the uptick again. And one other thing, if you’re really bored and want to chat on skype sometime, I’d love too, seriously. My account is marcus_sheridan …Take care my friend,
Marcus
You make some great points here. Taking time for a digital “detox,” getting away from the computer – and just focusing on other things are certainly okay and good! I think we’d be served by doing it more often.