I LOVE blogging. I have a huge passion for it. And it has definitely brought out some great things in me. However, it also kind of contributes to this issue I am describing. It kind of caters to an ADHD type mentality (for me, anyway): tons of people have short essays; there is always something new to look at or take in; you can click away when you are bored; there are constant comments to leave/e-mails to read/friends to make. There is always something to do - and you could potentially sit at the computer all day and never see the same thing twice. While I don't do that, I do realize that it is contributing to me not being present in my life. So I have decided that for the rest of this week, I am not going to post original material, I'm not going to be seen in the blog world, and I'm going to attempt to be in the here and now. I won't be gone completely; I will check my e-mail and blurk on a few of your blogs. I'm just going to do it for this week, and then (if I feel like it) I will report on how it went. Oh, and I will be re-posting a few of my old posts that will help you to get to know me a little better.
It's also no video game and no computer game week at our house. The kids are complaining, and that's exactly why I am doing it. We will spend lots of time reading books and playing outside this week.
Miss me!
P.S. Monday's post is going to be a deep one. Well, deep for me anyway. With the things Christian and I have been talking about since Saturday, my mind is all jumbled and somewhat philosophical (since I don't get existential stuff very easily. Okay, not at all.)
40 people wanted to leave a comment:
Good idea! I probably will do the same thing very soon. There has to be limits, ya know? And while it is fun to make new friends and click away to fun websites, and MAKE comments on all your friends blogs--I have to realize my children are growing up before my very own eyes and I have to spend some time with them before they hit teeagerhood. Thanks for the insight. Appreciate it!
You will be missed! But I think its a great idea. I know I have had to step back a few times and not let blogging rule my life! Its all so true...you can get sucked in and never make it back to reality!
Did you listen to Elder Bednar's CES talk by any chance? Have a great week with your kids.
Good for you! I am the exact same way, with the wandering mind. I am not that great at blogging as you are, however, so my brain turns to the trash or diaper duty ;) Have a great week off!
I do the same thing a lot, but not blogging won't help much--I have characters and dialogue wandering around in my head! (Okay, and yes, blog posts, too.)
Have a good break. We WILL miss you!
YOu are such a wise woman. I admire what you are doing!
Good for you! (and your family)
I HAVE to do this periodically...for the same reason you're doing it now. Taking an occasional (or even frequent) break helps keep me grounded in the "now".
You'll be missed...but admired just the same =)
I miss you already.
You know I have the exact same problem I am always thinking ahead. Or I'm somewhere else instead of enjoying where I am at the moment. My husband helps to ground me once in a while but I don't even think he realizes to what extent I'm "not here" much of the time.
Enjoy your week off. Dance and sing and read and play. Do some of that for me, will you?
Oh, Erin. I so get this. Even while I'm typing this comment, I'm thinking of something else (that's probably why I have so many typos in my writing).
I totally got your back on this one; I have been thinking about doing something similar myself. Not cutting blogging out completely, but definitely scaling it back.
Best of luck with your week off, and we'll see you when you get back.
Good idea... I think it would do us all good every once in a while. It is dang hard to do though. I totally am always writing the next blog entry in my mind.
Have fun! Enjoy your kids and the real world!
Have a geat time off! I think that when my kids get out of school, I may follow your example for a little while!
I don't think you're alone in this. I have such a hard time focusing on one thing. My mind tends to race. A lot. My husband is always asking me why I can't do one thing at a time. I try, because it can be kind of exhausting to run in circles all the time. It's just that I've been operating like this for 33 years. It's a little hard to undo. There, right now I was going to continue that thought and my mind wandered off to something else. Sigh.
I am rethinking about my life too. You are my inspiration.
I totally get this. I used to continually and constantly worry. I could never just relax because I was always on guard for potential danger/ mishaps. I still lean towards those tendencies, but I am doing a lot better at enjoying the moment and not stressing out so much. It takes real and conscious effort though.
Enjoy your bloggy break!!
Because of my job, I spend WAY too much time in front of the computer. It's tough, because I think about taking a blog break during a time when I'm working, but I would be bored out of my head!
Have a nice bloggy break!
I feel very much the same as you do, and since I actually have ADD, I think blogging often makes it worse. I've really been working on being more present, as you say, too. It feels better.
Good luck with everything!
This sounds like a good idea. I hope to hear how it goes :) It was really nice when I took my blog vacation while I was finishing school. I missed everyone, but I found I had so much more time.
Don't worry, we'll miss you.
this is exactly what drove me to a bloggy break.
i still blurk, of course.
ENJOY your break!
Have a nice week off:) As I don't have children to read to or play with yet...I'm not quite at this point:)
Great idea. Last year when I had to go to Reno for a few weeks and we had no internet and we were away from my real life and house and all that, it was SO nice to live more simply and focus on my family! I loved every minute of it. It was very easy though, since I couldn't do what I normally do anyways since it wasn't an option, but it was so refreshing!
Hear, Hear! I feel so guilty for all the time I spend sitting at the computer on blogger, facebook, etc. It's even more annoying that my husband spends most of his time at home on the computer too. I'm trying to tactfully think of a way to let him know that I think we spend WAY too much time on the computer. I think we need to keep a log of how much time we were on just so we can see for ourselves what a time waster it is and that it's more important that we spend time with each other.
That's a great (and challenging) idea. I hope that you and the boys have a great. I'll look forward to hearing about how it goes.
P.S. One of the things I love about my job are the opportunities to be completely present (although it took years to get there).
I was just talking to a friend yesterday about really enjoying what's going on now. I think what you are doing is something everyone can relate to. Enjoy your break.
I am the exact same way... my mind is always somewhere else. And sometimes i feel so guilty because I will have a conversation with someone, and have not paid attention to anything they are saying.
It's so easy to "drift" off and start thinking about other things. Im working on being in the here and now too...
Have a nice blog break!
I'm constantly in the process of "cutting back" and it always feels good to give more attention to the ole here and now. Blogging is an appendage to our life, not life itself. Nothing like a sabbatical to help that hit home. Enjoy your time!
I so totally get it. Right now I'm supposed to be making brownies and cleaning my house for book club, and here I am.
Because I haven't commented on anyone's blogs for the past 2 weeks.
Guess there's always something....
On one hand - don't beat yourself up. Women are wired that way - we really can think of several things at once. It's very very normal.
On the other hand - it's not good when priorities get out of wack because of it. So ... happy VK! (We'll miss you.)
i have that problem too -- but am constantly trying to give myslef my own advice "ENJOY THE JOURNEY!!" (like, daily.) i must not hear very well.
I am impressed that while enforcing the kids off the games, you are stepping back from blogs...good job.
Now I have kind of a different take. Blogging has allowed me to be more present. I take more pictures, crack more jokes, look at my life through blogging eyes (even the things I don't end up writing about), and when I go back and read my own posts, which I do often, I am always taken back to the memory. I have loved my life in a new way by peeking at it through blog eyes.
What the trick is, is finding the balance. Sometimes I only check or write once or twice a week. Other days, I am on five times in 8 hours. That's okay, for me I do it when it feels right. Weird, I know...
good luck figuring out the right fit for yourself. Just know that you are loved in blogland!
Can this be my reason I don't blog as often as I should (rather than flat-out laziness)?
I have been thinking of doing this very thing for several weeks now... but since my blog is my lifeline to my family and friends while I'm out of the country, I hesitate. Maybe I'll do it one of these weeks. :)
Good for you! I always tell myself I'm going to do that... but when my kids are asleep and I'm awake all alone... blog land is my best friend :) sad to admit...
And good luck with the no video game or computer game week! That would be ok for us but no tv for a week... WATCH OUT! no good. Maybe I will try it though. I totally should. and NEED to.
Good for you. I am looking forward to my vacation come mid month so that I can step aside from the day-to-day and actually enjoy the majesties that life has to offer. Since I'll be going to Yosemite I should be able to live more in the here and now as you will be and come back humbled and refreshed.
Have a great week. Enjoy your time with your husband and kids.
Surely blogdania is a symptom of the times we live in--you are certainly not alone in this. Have a fun week!
I hope you post that post you wrote about in your comment to me. I would LOVE to read it. Have a good break, being present is very refreshing!
Enjoy the time off and I can't wait for the deep post on Monday!
This is actually something I've been meaning to do. It sounds like such a great idea. I'm just worried about losing followers in the process.
I'll be here when you get back!
You can get sucked into this blogging world way too easily! I did at first but have been able to cut back!
It is always difficult to change something about yourself that is a habit from forever. I wish you luck
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