How do you keep focused?
I haven’t been writing much lately as I’ve been consuming masses of information. For someone like me who loves to read, loves to learn, it’s easy to get sucked into the never-ending on-line world.
Facebook is a major vaccum. It is my primary connector with family and friends who live miles and miles away. Similar to many others, it has also been the source of reconnection to long-lost friends. I would not have survived living here this long without it, but it can also be a major time waster.
Twitter is my favorite information source now, but it too can become addictive. I’ve only been using it a few months but it is by far the best way to get the information I’m interested in. By following the particular people or businesses that appeal to me, I get the latest and hopefully the greatest filtered out from all the stuff I don’t want to read, hear, learn about when reading through newspapers, magazines, journals, etc. Plus, the humor and quick wit is a bonus in brightening up my day! Local, global and trending topics make their way to me even if I’m only following a couple of news or other sources.
But over the past week I’ve been giving some thought as to how I want to use these. Otherwise, they are using me. Or at least using my time.
Part of this occurred to me while talking to DD about the need for down time. Time alone. We are both very social creatures but also cherish time by ourself. Solitude. I don’t know how teenagers manage it. All the text’ing, MSN’ing, and BBM’ing that goes on every minute of the day is manic! Exhausting!
So following her lead to disconnect somewhat, I’m also going to put some restrictions on my time on-line. Spend some time with my self to notice again what’s on my mind. What’s happening in my life. Rather than being focused on what is going on out there in everyone else’s.
It’s not like I can head back to this beach in India, but just looking at this picture and reflecting on how it felt to be there…..
ahhh…. makes me realize how great it is to slow down and disconnect in order to reconnect – with my self, my life.
barelynoticeable 
I, too, need that solitude although I, too, am very social. (Do you think its a family gene that is passed on?) Being of an older generation I simply cannot conceive of using all the social media available now. Why, I ask myself, would anyone be interested in whether or not I’m doing the dishes or how I feel about it! The kids nowadays are connected at all times to dozens of people, and seem to think they have to be. Do any of them realize there is a difference between being alone and being lonely . . . . or possibly there is no difference anymore. Yours is a good decision, but don’t disappear completely or I might show up on your doorstep !!!!!