Do You Need To Schedule Your Technology Down Time?
from the shut-down-and-go-outside dept
One of the best decisions I made when I first start blogging on Techdirt oh-so-many-years ago, was that I wouldn't blog on weekends. While it wasn't on purpose, it's worked out nicely as it gives me plenty of time on weekends to disconnect and do other stuff. I've found (surprising to some, I'm sure) that it's not at all difficult for me to pretty much ignore my computer for the weekend if I need to. And, then, there are some weekends where I do end up using the computer, either for fun or to catch up on some work-related things. However, I never considered setting up an official "schedule" of tech down time. Yet, Mark Glaser, over at MediaShift notes that a growing number of people are setting aside "tech sabbaths" to force themselves to disconnect. Interestingly, he even notes that it's often quite common for religious people, who observe a religious sabbath, to embrace this idea as well. I can see the point for folks who really have trouble disconnecting, but if it's not that big a deal, I would think that the situation should dictate how people act. If they have no pressing reason to be on the computer -- then don't use it. But that doesn't mean necessarily requiring it be out of your life for a specific time period.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Filed Under: downtime, technology sabbath
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You can DISconnect?
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Unnecessary...
"MediaShift notes that a growing number of people are setting aside "tech sabbaths" to force themselves to disconnect. Interestingly, he even notes that it's often quite common for religious people, who observe a religious sabbath, to embrace this idea as well."
Now there's marketing for you... lol. Change it to "Day of Rest from Tech" and I'm pretty sure that'll appeal to a lot of Christians (fundamentalists, primarily).
All in all, something like this shouldn't have to be dictated by planners or PDAs - it should be common sense. But then again, we're talking about human beings in which whom common sense seems to be quite lacking these days. Now excuse my while I go start a torrent and head off to work =P
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I was an early adopter
Surprisingly when we turn the stuff back on, we haven't missed anything.
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Less useful for you, more useful for others
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Re: Less useful for you, more useful for others
The thing is, if you are supposed to be on call and purposefully make yourself not available, that could have a very negative impact on your reviews, and possibly result in termination if you happen to tick off the wrong people. I'm not saying we should be forced to be workaholics, but there is a certain amount of job responsibility that you need to deal with too.
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Welcome to my world -- you're invited.
It's the most refreshing part of my week. I didn't grow up keeping Shabbat, so I've experienced both ways, and having the one day a week spent focused on family, resting and community outweighs anything I could ever get from being online or working.
If you're ever interested in seeing how it's done, get in touch. You might actually enjoy it.
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Duh.
"Lately, I’ve been experimenting with taking one day each week away from work completely."
I recently took a five day vacation with the family to the beach, no cell phone, no laptop, no Internet, no office. It was the best family vacation I ever had, my kids and wife had my full attention the whole time, the world didn't collapse, and I came back to the same amount of work I left, which is tons.
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Why is this a techdirt question?
Some people need rigor in order to maintain order in their life. When I work on side projects and issues at home, I set a timer, because if I don't I'll loose sense of time and work all night and then be shot for my meetings or personal life the next day.
If you don't rag on how stupid everyone who suggests a regimented work out routine, or everyone who obey a strict planned out diet, why rag on these guys?
"unplugging" can be a healthy thing. If I don't turn my phone off it rings, If I don't turn off messenger, I get IM'd, if I need down time, I have to turn those things off. Plus doing it to a schedule makes it predictable, which allows the people around you to adapt to the situation. If people think I'm not answering my phone cause I'm busy they'll just keep calling in an emergency. If they no I'm on some sorta "sabbath" then they'll take the extra measures to contact me, and not depend on tech I decided to put down for a while.
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I've been doing this unconsciously for years.
To completely get away from technology, I LOVE to go camping. Where I live you can drive about 45 minutes to be up in the mountains where a cell phone signal is nowhere to be found.
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Kick Out the Tech Days
For a really good tech break-- take the battery out of your cell phone for the day.
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Bloggers: A Dying Breed!!!!
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I think you're missing the point
For example, I was on a complete "tech Sabbath" when I participated in Habitat for Humanity in Tennessee. I wasn't allowed to even have a cell phone or ipod. Even watches were not allowed.
In the end, I am confident that it strengthened my experience, it allowed me to be more involved in my activities.
You will have no idea how huge a distraction something like a cell phone really is until you set everything aside for a week and actually DO something.
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Downtime is valuable...a "sabbath" is even better
Put overly simply it's a one day retreat, if you like, where you shut down the rest of the week in order to look inward to yourself, review the week in relation to your real (ie non work) goals and your relationship with yourself and those people important in your life.
It's a time for stock taking. Getting a chance to catch a breath and re-establish some inner and outer piece with yourself and your place in creation.
if it's sounding too religious, I'm sorry I'm doing the best I can without writing a long piece myself about it.
While not everyone can do something like that on a regular basis due to work pressures it is something we all need to do from time to time.
Not just turn off the cell, iPhone, Blackberry and internet connection.
Turn on the connection to your inner self, you family and that real world out there that you actually exist in.
ttfn
John
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