The Web Gambit

I took a week off before starting my new job and I decided it would be a good time to try a little experiment.  I decided to unplug myself from my computer.

Since last Friday, I did the following:

• Stayed off instant messengers (no Googletalk or MSN)
• Limited checking email to once a day
• Twittered maximum once a day
• Ignored my RSS feeds completely
• Posted no blog updates

Basically I kept my computer time up to a maximum of 10 minutes per day for an entire week.  I initially started out by traveling to visit my parents and not opening my laptop at all (even though I took it with me).  When I got home, I resisted the urge to setup my laptop (it stayed in its bag until this morning).  By forcing myself to use my aging desktop, I was able to limit my computer time significantly.

At first I thought I would go nuts not checking my email/twitter/RSS/IMs, but after 2 days I found the whole experience to be quite liberating.

So what did I do during this week of no computer time?  I read a few good books, played some xbox, got LASIK, and spent quality time with family.

Now I’ve got a lot of catching up to do, but I had to prove to myself that if the Internet was to suddenly go dark, I could still maintain my sanity