Okay, so I didn’t completely delete my email account. But I did delete it from my Kindle Fire. Along with Twitter and Facebook, too.
Going back to the Quality Versus Quantity post I wrote on Monday, I realized my life is driven by technology. And even more so, technology that connects me with work.
My phone allows me to check my emails, update social media, and even write a post if I want to.
My laptop and Mac have shortcuts to every email address, blog stat site, and project I run so every time I even open up the Internet, the ability to work is right there.
On top of that, we have Google TV which means that our television combines all of these aspects into a giant screen that blows up my blog to twice the size I’m used to viewing it at.
And at one point, until only a few days ago, my Kindle Fire had all of this, too. Which meant that every time I read a book, browsed the Internet, or used an app without turning the WiFi off- I’d get a notification about an email or a mention on Twitter, or be able to work with a few swipes of my finger tips.
Reading used to be one of those things that took me away from everything. I’d settle down with a good book (or in this case my Kindle), a cup of tea, and forget that anything else existed for even 30 minutes. But combining it with the ability to link me to everything I’m trying to get away from didn’t allow for that to happen. So eventually it just became a piece of work equipment to me. In my mind, I associated even attempting to read on it as being on call, waiting to work whenever that notification popped up. And I knew that wasn’t right. So I fixed it.
I deleted anything that could be linked back to my blog, my shop, or my other projects. No Twitter, no Facebook, no emails, no bookmarks – nothing. And then I settled down to read.
It brought me right back to where it used to, completing disappearing from the world if even for a few moments.
Such a simple thing was SO liberating and allowed me to reclaim something I used to love doing. It reminded me that unplugging from the daily responsibilities (work-related and not) is easy if you want it to be.
Maybe my phone is next.
I choose solitude over social scenes. Tea and wine over soda and beer. Simplicities over complexities. And chocolate over all of those things any day.
So true! It is crazy how technology driven we are. Don’t get me wrong, I love my blog, I love my twitter and email, etc, but there comes a point where it is just exhausting when it is non-stop. There are days where I cringe when my phone notification goes off with something else that is demanding my attention. It is nice to just turn it off, whatever “it” is, and enjoy life rather than life through a screen of some sort.
Dalayna
I did a No Tech Day last year. I surrendered my phone, ipod, macbook and TV for the whole day. I think the only time I used a phone was using the house phone to call my Mum about something that was important enough that it couldn’t wait. But I figured that the home phone was less technologically advanced in comparison to switching on my phone.
While I hate to promote, this makes me think immediately of a competition I’m holding. People live with technology too much. I love my laptop and my ‘pooter, but I don’t have an iphone/blackberry/ipad or anything like that, I have a £200 dell netbook that I use to write my novel on, and a £350 Acer I use to update my blog, keep track of my shop, and play world of warcraft.
I’m hosting a competition where I’m trying to get people to see the benefits of paper and to put aside technology – especially because if you spill water on an iphone, then that’s it, isn’t it!
From time to time I attempt to step away from my computer. It usually works and I glue myself to a book in the garden, but from time to time I yearn to just stare at twitter, even without doing anything. I’m most comfortable at my computer. It’s so sad!
Kim, A Blackbird’s Epiphany
This is one of the reasons why I refuse to get a kindle – it’s just another piece of technology I don’t need. Physically picking up the book and planting myself on the sofa gets me away from technology for an hour or so. Plus a real book is much better then staring at a screen in my view.
Good for you Ashley! I was just thinking I need to turn off the notification of a new email on my phone. I check it way to much when i beeps at me!
This makes me so thankful that I don’t have a smartphone (yet)! My computer at work and my laptop at home are the only things that take me online.
I absolutely LOVE the ad you made for me :)
this is one of the reasons i purposely didn’t want a kindle fire. because i knew i’d be in the middle of reading and think, ‘oh let me just check my email!’ which leads to things other than reading. i’m happy with my black and white kindle :)
I really need to do that same thing. I held out from getting a Kindle for so long because I didn’t want another way for me to check my email. Then my folks got me one for graduation. And while I love it, you’re right, it makes it way too easy to cheat.
I totally agree with you! I moved to college this past weekend and it’s been such a whirlwind running around and not checking my email all the time!
i love this! i sometimes wish i could just completely disconnect from technology, but i’m just way too dependent on it. i really need to change that. kudos to you for taking a step toward that, though!
I really enjoyed reading this. I’ve been thinking about the same stuff lately … how I can’t get through a book without hearing my iPhone make pinging sounds. This was really inspiring!
Agreed! Now it’s just removing mine from my phone :/ Just the thought is daunting and sends me into a bundle of nerves. Thanks for your perspective!
That’s so true – even if I want to work on something else on my computer, the possibility to head on over to your blog is right there! It takes a lot of discipline (… that I don’t always have ;-)
BTW, I just wanted to introduce myself as your blog angel from Rosie’s Blog Angels program! xo Anja
You make a very good point. I had at one time deleted all the auto-notifications from my iPhone and it was very nice to not be instantly alerted to everything as soon as it happens. Needless to say that didn’t last long and now I have all alerts turned on again. It’s a weird conundrum. I like the idea of being disconnected and more relaxed, but the actual feeling of being disconnected is so strange that it’s a bit unnerving! Lol. How much life as chnaged in the past 15 years or so.