Digital Overload

I'm not sure when it was, but the church has beefed up their overcoming pornography site a ton and it's lots better than previous. Here's the link if you haven't been there recently: http://overcomingpornography.org/individuals?lang=eng.

I was looking around it and found a talk about making good decisions with technology and felt it really applicable, because while I'm doing quite well with recovery, I still think that I am sometimes in a state of "digital overload." No quesition, we are bombarded by stimuli in a face-paced, have-to-know-everything-right-now kind of world where any kind of knowledge, picture, music, video, TV show, etc is just a few types and clicks away. If I take a moment and think back before the days of internet, email, etc I wonder what did I used to do? I remember listening to the radio religiously trying to catch my favorite songs so I could record them on a casette tape - and I'm still in my 20s. Times sure have changed.

Anyway, here are the 10 signs of it:

10 Signs of Digital Overload

1. Slipping away from activities with people to check e-mail or social networking sites.
2. Checking the same sites repeatedly within a short period of time.
3. Spending little time outside.
4. Finding it hard to complete a task such as writing a report without frequently breaking away to check e-mail or unrelated websites.
5. Spending little time in face-to-face interactions with friends.
6. Going online or using a digital device when you feel stressed or want to avoid an unpleasant task.
7. Family members spending most of their time at home in separate rooms interacting with screens.
8. Frequently using digital devices to entertain a child instead of talking, singing, playing, or reading with him or her.
9. Checking the computer first thing in the morning, or getting up during the night to use digital devices.
10. Spending long stretches of time surfing for content, often viewing content that is inappropriate or borderline.

I'm nowhere close to where I used to be with these 10 items - seeking recovery has helped me walk a long ways out. BUT, I still feel like I do lots of these sometimes, for example:

Checking the same sites repeatedly within a short amount of time, and sometimes way too many times a day (#2) (facebook, email, blogs, espn, news, etc). I find myself checking the websites just as something to do, and it's typically in the middle of my study sessions when I feel like I need a break (#4). I spend little time outside (#3), and like to check things in the morning (#9). 

I'm doing way better with the above than before though! Much of the improvement has come from a rule

that I don't surf the web or check facebook, news, sports, or frivolous emails when I am alone. So most of those aren't even an issue when I'm by myself. That has helped a lot a lot. 

Also, I feel like I'm doing great with some of the above. #10 for example, hasn't been a part of my life for over a year. Also #6 - I feel like I had a big tendency to do it before, but have really sought to not turn to other things when I feel stressed but to turn to God and deal with them in a healthy manner. Also I'm perfect at #8, but we don't have kids so that's cheating :)

Anyway, below are some suggestions of ways to get out of "digital overload."

10 Ways to Cut Back

1. Check and answer e-mail only once or twice a day, at scheduled times.
2. Use social networking sites only at scheduled times and for a set number of minutes.
3. Practice a “digital Sabbath”—setting aside one or two days each week to “unplug.”
4. Leave your cell phone in another room during time with family or friends.
5. Call instead of texting.
6. Invite children to help search the house for supplies that can be used in nondigital activities: children’s books, board games, art supplies, and equipment for outside play.
7. Organize a talent show, art show, or service project with family or friends.
8. Use Internet-blocking software to keep on task while working.
9. Limit recreational surfing; watch TV and videos selectively and intentionally.
10. Keep a gospel-centered perspective, using technology to uplift yourself and people around you.

I just think these are fabulous. I'm curious what everyone else has done to avoid digital overload. What things have you tried that have worked? Not worked? How has it influenced you? This is something I feel will only get so much more crazy. This is a challenge we are dealing with now and will be an even more significant challenge in the future.

Perhaps I will make a goal to only check email, blogs, news, espn, fb at a certain time each day, or set a limit of once or twice a day. A digital sabbath sounds fabulous. Or maybe we can focus on doing less online and more recreational things: like exercise, read a book, play a musical instrument, just talk, play a game, cook a new recipe, go for a drive, go for a walk, go walk around a mall, play tennis, make a craft... there are just so many more fabulous things to do than waste time online.

My wife's been a great example to me recently - she set a goal to not surf much at all (and she loves the blogging and pinterest scene as much as anyone). It was hard and she wasn't perfect, but she was able to make that sacrifice and see the blessings from it. And she didn't even explode, which is sometimes how I feel if I don't check my email or something. AHHH WHAT IF I GET SOMETHING IMPORTANT???

 let's be honest, I never do. Noone really writes to me on facebook anymore. I could check it once a week and that would be more than enough. 95% of news is garbage and just for shock factor anyway. i get more than I need to know from 15 min of npr on my way to school.

BUT I do love sports... would have to be the last thing to tune down :)

I was in the airport the other day and looked around me and saw a family of 4 (clearly LDS.. not sure why that matters but I noticed), and each of them was sitting down, 100% engulfed in his/her personal electric device and completely ignoring each other. Then I looked around at everyone else, and almost everyone I saw was on a phone/ipad/computer of sorts. It's just nuts. Anyway, that's a thought I've been having and I know it's something I have improved on but still could do lots better in.

On that note, I'm getting offline :)