Member-only story
To reclaim your life — a life you don’t even realize you’ve lost — you need to put the Internet in a tightly controlled box.
I’m not a Luddite. As a kid, I read a ton of science fiction. I was into computers when they were a hobby. I was always interested in the new “tech thing.” I’ve been heavily involved with the Internet for decades, starting as one of the first web developers in Philadelphia.
I love creating websites and continue to do so — even into my “retirement years.”
But there is a point where it is too much, and I’ve started pulling back. I quit Facebook and Twitter a few years ago. My social media is now limited to LinkedIn (very little) and Medium (quite a bit).
Still Too Much Digital
I typically wake up and check my phone. First thing.
Reminders? Email? News? And I especially focus on the contents of my “to do” app. I take care of the dog and breakfast, but my phone stays with me. Often my iPad is nearby as well.
Soon, I’m sitting behind my laptop screen, my third screen of the morning, doing my “most important” tasks and, also, handling the easy, quick stuff. I check off items from my list and I’m feeling pretty good about the rest of my day. The pressure is off.
