An experiment

[elaby]

I love the internet. I love it to what is sometimes an obsessive degree. I depend on it to distract me. But lately, instead of finding it relaxing, I feel like it dusts me with a vague melancholy, like snow, that grows heavier with accumulation.

I'm going to try an experiment - one week with no internet. No e-mail, LJ, or Tumblr. I'm going to see how it effects my mood, and hopefully the result will be a better way to manage my self-care.

Love you all <3 If you have my cell number, please feel free to call or text. I love to hear from all of you; it's the obsessive refreshing-for-distraction that I'm trying to get away from, not my wonderful online friends <3

Comments

[lathriel.livejournal.com]

Good luck! I find unplugging is really amazing and healing once you get through the initial withdrawal phase ;D It really helps you be more mindful of how you're using your time and where you're putting your energy.

<3!

[costumenut.livejournal.com]

I've done this a few times doing "The Artist's Way". It's great.

And I get that from the internet too sometimes. I think if you're empathetic, you can pick up on all the negativity so easily.

[storyfan.livejournal.com]

Let us know how you feel after a week off the nets.

I used to be on Huffington Post and a few other news/political websites, arguing with strangers, feeling awful when someone made a nasty comment. I changed to NPR and BBC sites for news and felt a lot better. I also didn't check the sites every day, either.

The internet is a huge time suck, anyway.

[coastal-spirit.livejournal.com]

I think this sounds like a good idea.

I feel like it dusts me with a vague melancholy, like snow, that grows heavier with accumulation.

I think that's a very good description. I have times when I feel like this as well, and that's when I know I need to take a break, or a partial one.

Annnnd ... you probably won't read this until the week is up, so I'll tell you when I talk to you.

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Thank you! The week is over and even though I totally felt that withdrawal phase at first, it was over in a couple of days and it WAS really healing.

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I bet you're right :) It worked really well for me!

[elaby.livejournal.com]

I found it really freeing :) It's been a week and while I definitely was jonesing for the internet the first few days, it wore off quickly. There's such negativity sometimes that you can't get away from it. Thank you for your comment! <3

[elaby.livejournal.com]

^_^ I love you! <3