Day 4: Technology Sabbatical

Addiction comes in many forms. A few years ago I realized I was addicted to technology. First thing in the morning, I would check my email. Throughout the day texts would fly between my new love and I. The drone of the fax machine kicking into gear meant someone was sending me something important, and I would rush to respond. Of course, I ended my day checking email.

So, I chose to change that. One Friday, I left my office, shut the door and vowed not to return until Monday morning. What an enlightening experiment! It was hard not to go up and check my computer, fax machine, and business line. As much as I whined and moaned about the demands placed on me, I realized I had begun to define myself by others' needs of me. I was addicted to the rush of being "contacted." I actually had to stop myself from going upstairs at least ten times that first Saturday.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh wrote, "For it is only framed in space that beauty blooms." Inspired by her wisdom, I used my newly recovered time to take walks in the woods, plant flowers, and sleep on the couch pretending to read the book on my lap.

From the space came moments of inspiration--inspiration that felt like a song singing me back to me. From the silence came new ideas that had room to breathe. In the past, they had been choked by faxes, emails and phone calls.

It is hard to believe that only 25 years ago many people did not have a personal computer at their desk; just 15 years ago email began to be widely used; and the Blackberry's popularity is only 5 years old. How did we survive without all of that "help?"

I am not proposing we throw our technology away and go back to the 1950's. I am merely suggesting we block of a period of time...half a day, a day, even a whole entire weekend when we choose not to use some or all of our technological devices. Imagine what might bloom in that fertile ground of unfettered time. Namaste

This post includes excerpts from my spiritual memoir, Dancing Naked Under the Moon Uncovering the Wisdom Within which may be purchased at Amazon. com.