I'm gonna try to go 2 weeks without the internet (For me, that's unheard of)

[alkalien]

It is frightening how much we rely on the internet today. I'm only offline when I sleep, but even then a few servers are running in the background to prepare whatever I did not finish. Opening my laptop is one of the first things I do in the morning and turning it off one of the last things in the evening. My phone, of course, checks mail 24/7.

But then again, that's what pays my bills, so won't complain. The amount of information I can get everywhere makes me crazy, I want to know everything!

From time to time I need to get away from that! I go skiing, sailing or just read a book in the sun. That is enough for me. I got friends that work in the woods from time to time, just to get back on ground.

I found the biggest problem is not beeing only but beein reachable. Everytime you do something a mail, a call, a IM or anything else shows up and distracts you. Work out how to avoid that and you're golden!

 

[longearedfriend]

do you have carpal tunnel syndrome ?

 

[HighPlainsToker]

Can't do it. I use it for finances, e-commerce, school and news.

But no games at all, no entertainment (I don't use YouTube except for education) and no forums (except this one!).

 

[supermanlives]

i could do it easilly. go out and breathe some fresh air. you dont need the internet.

 

[JustDoIt]

do you have carpal tunnel syndrome ?

haha not to my knowledge!

ADD for sure, though not "diagnosed by a doctor", and never been on meds for it. I've got plenty of things to do besides surf the net, that's not the issue... If I was getting done the things I know I need to do, I'd be in a much better place than I'm at right now.

What I find happens is one little thing will start a chain reaction of thoughts/events/decisions and before I know it, half the day is gone and I'm playing catch up but with little energy or focus left.

Most of these problematic distractions are actually business related, not me goofing off... but for example I might be working on a deal and need to look something up, so I search and find some information, but realize something different that I hadn't even thought about or something in the information that I want to learn more about or clarify, so that leads to reading ANOTHER article, doing ANOTHER search, watching ANOTHER video.... how ever it is that the information I'm after is available. And after a certain point I forget that I'm no longer focused on what I'm supposed to be doing and then all it takes is a catchy headline or interesting blog post title or a related video or related thread and I'm going deeper in to a subject that wasn't on my main list of shit to do, and it makes sense because I feel like now I know that I don't know something, and the info is available right there so easily, and if I don't do it now I might forget later or not be able to find the article or video, and besides, having that knowledge would be useful in the future!

Even just writing this post is making me see this all in better perspective and focus, with more understanding...

I remember when I was younger and the internet hadn't become what it was today and I didn't have the knowledge of how to use the internet and find information as much as I do now...
If I needed to learn something, the main source of info would be going to the library and getting a couple books that covered whatever it was. The amount of information available instantly was limited So the amount of info my brain would be absorbing and processing would be what, a couple hundred pages of text spread over a few books that I wouldn't probably read cover to cover anyway?


I know our brains are THE supercomputers with power beyond our comprehension (hey, we're all alive and none of us could explain how to pump blood through our bodies or process food or convert light into images... we don't need to know how to do it really 'cause it's programmed in so deep), but I'm wondering if this is a side effect of exponentially increasing the amount of information I consume as compared to all the generations before computers were around?
Who knows... I'm off for a walk... Really excited about this challenge, I'm gonna take this time off from smoking as well, so the next time I get high it'll be from my own garden

I'll keep a journal and post it all when the two weeks are up, thanks for the encouragement and accountability!

I don't play videogames or watch TV (okay, maybe 1-3 hours of on-demand programs per week, sometimes not at all though).

 

[BigDawg]

I think there is an amish vacation stay in PA. Might have some nice & tight there too.

 

[JustDoIt]

Well I'm past the two weeks and I still haven't updated this thready...

I confess, I didn't really put much effort in to keeping a daily journal about this experiment, and I didn't really stick strictly to the rules the whole time either.... After the first couple of days, I did allow myself to search Google and I even watched a YouTube video (first related to something I was working on for work, trying to figure out how to do something in Excel. Second when I had a question about my grow that I couldn't just ignore. I kept it brief though and caught myself before getting too off track).

No facebook though, no ICmag, and less than an hour between the two weeks on anything EXCEPT the basics for work. So it was still a good vacation away from my normal browsing habits.

Honestly it wasn't that hard to stay away from surfing like I normally do... I spent some of the time that would have otherwise been burned in front of the computer doing things like playing guitar, walking in the woods, hanging out with friends/family.
However, it was very difficult to completely avoid taking advantage of how easy it is to get information using the internet. I think this was partly because I was still sitting in front of my computer, connected to the internet, and able to do it... If I had been going 2 weeks without turning on the computer maybe it would have been easier.

So what did I get from the 2 week internet vacation? Well, first of all I don't really need to spend much time doing the things I used to do... constantly checking facebook, spending hours watching YouTube videos or surfing different forums...
Secondly, with the ease of use of the internet and convenient access, trying to resist it's power for quickly finding information is kinda pointless... It's here, a question can usually be answered within 1-5 minutes by typing something in to Google rather than spending a LOT more time trying to find something in a book or asking someone else...

Since the two weeks were up I haven't spent much time on here or of the other sites I used to spend hours on every week (or every day!). I'm gonna try and keep it that way, and not go back to my old habits.

Some time in the future when I'm in a better position as far as work goes (right now it's kinda do or die time for my company) I'd like to take a REAL break and unplug completely for a few weeks or a month or two. I never have a problem going without the internet if I'm traveling (not for business) or don't have easy access to a computer... I'd love to do some world traveling and leave my laptop at home.

Well... that's my story... haha

 

[GP73LPC]

so in other words you couldn't do...

welcome back

 

[JustDoIt]

so in other words you couldn't do...

welcome back

pretty much lol

 

[mrcreosote]

I find myself working the corner at IC Mag more than I need to...Maybe because of the higher grade of clientele.
I don't have much to add as far as experience in growing so I hang at the Tokers Den just to stir up some shit.

I get too depressed perusing the world news and analysis sites and eBay and guitar sites are dangerous places for fiscal sanity.
My Scottish ladyfriend has been beating the snot out of me in dominos so I'm hiding from her for a while until my bruised ego heals.

Maybe I should take up collecting used vegetable cans or something.

 

[kmcb]

I find it funny you announce your gonna quit the interents for two weeks by posting the plan on the interenets. anywho, good luck!