You never miss something quite as much until it’s gone. You also don’t get the same perspective about things until you step back and look at it from afar.
I’ve enjoyed reading various articles about people abstaining from the internet or social media. I have often pondered the possibility of disconnecting for a period of time, if for no other reason than to see what it’s like since being plugged in is now a way of life.
Most recently I read an article by Adam Brault called: I quit Twitter for a month and it completely changed my thinking about mostly everything. What I found most interesting about the post were his comments about the value of uninterrupted thought and the concept that Twitter is outsourced schizophrenia.
Uninterrupted thought
My favorite time of day is EXTREMELY early morning (4:00-5:00am) or VERY late night (10:00pm-2:00am). Why you ask? Because I receive virtually no email. I know that during these windows of time, I can do anything virtually uninterrupted. Writing a blog post is far easier at 5:30am than it is at 9:30am…no one is looking for me yet.
Outsourced schizophrenia
It’s not JUST Twitter, it’s all inbound communications. When I wake up and immediately check my email or Facebook or Twitter, my brain starts to go off in a million different directions. But if I wake up, have breakfast and spend some time lost in thought, I can often populate the contents of an entire blog post in my head, or plan out my day to be more productive. The influx of people’s questions, comments, concerns via email and social networks becomes simple “the deluge of others” and it inhibits clear, concise thinking.
Am I on break?
I’m not quite ready to disconnect from Twitter for a month. I’ve thought about taking a break from Facebook, but in the end, I don’ because since social media is what I do for a living and it’s important for me to stay current. I do appreciate the perspective of those that have taken the time off, and though a month may not be necessary for everyone, I do think it’s important to take enough of a break to find time for uninterrupted thought.