You Know You’re Too Plugged In When…
In this day and age of connectivity and 24 hour access to the ‘net and some kind of gadget, it’s hard to unplug. I am one of the most accessible people this side of the equator. I can be reached via Gmail, GChat, Text Message, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, BlackBerry Messenger, IG bird call…
I am THE person to reach at all times of the day, and it is wearing me the hell out. This child of Generation Facebook wishes she could unplug myself a little bit just for some sanity, and this weekend, she surely did. I made the conscious effort to keep my Blackberry further than arm’s length away, and my laptop stayed mostly closed. Reason being that I just know my perpetual leash to technology oughta be slightly fixed.
You know you’re too plugged in when…
- You have to do thumb stretches because you scroll too much on your Blackberry (and can now make a cracking sound with your thumb)
- There’s an amber alert out for you if you haven’t updated your Facebook profile in 3 days
- You get a text message and don’t respond within 10 minutes, and people get worried
- You don’t check your email in 5 hours and you have 15 new messages (no spam)
- You’ve received an urgent message from someone via 3 different mediums (Facebook, Text message, email)
- Flying is a pain in the butt because it forces you to be without your gadgets for a couple of hours
- When you wake up, the first thing you reach for is your phone
- You check your email before brushing your teeth
- Like Pavlov’s dog, your phone’s vibration automatically makes you reach for it
- You thought you lost your phone and did a wall slide before realizing it was in your bag
- You spend twice as much time online as you do sleeping (these eye bags ain’t make it there magically)
- Even when you’re offline on GChat, folks chat you talm bout “I know you’re there. You’re just invisible” (and unfortunately, they’re right)
And yes, all those apply to me. It’s a shame. This is why I need to schedule some NO GADGET time for myself. My eyes would thank me and my fingers will straighten out.
So, am I the only one who feels too plugged in at all times? Got any tips for me in my quest to pull away from my addiction?
P.S. As if my addiction to the ‘net isn’t already illustrated by my 4 Gmail accounts and presence on every social network. Coincidentally enough, my boss decided to have jokes. Our organization’s annual conference was last week and the photographer was going around taking pictures. I was holding down the registration table and was forever in front of a laptop (or 2). Wells, I looked at our org’s blog this past Monday and saw that the latest post from my boss had THIS pic as the header!
Awful picture but hilarious nonetheless. But umm… why is my mouth agape like that? iCan’t with me. Clearly I was *cough cough* multitasking. Maybe I was on our organization’s Twitter account. Yes. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
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13 Comments
damn. I thought I was the only one. my comp is never off and my cell is on me at all times (so I still have access to myspace, FB, twitter, and even xanga/blogger/blah blah blah). the last three especially apply to me.
my trick to escaping all the internet stuff is to go jogging. its super relaxing, and although it hurts to leave the phone at home, its worth it. 🙂
You know my web detox method: cupcaking, lol… get you a snuggle buddy and that will get you off the grid… anytime ePosee doesn't see me online for a couple days y'all always assume I was somewhere cupcaking, and y'all would be correct… another plus is my boo doesn't watch TV (it's not even plugged in) so I get that detox too… Know what I do during those times??? Read books, write, and talk *gasp*
damn girl. lol
yeah i'm mostly the same way although i don't know the hell linkedin is (and i don't want to know what it is either).
the first thing i do when i roll over is check my email. i might check it if i wake up in the middle of the night. i've admitted that i have a problem. now its up to me to try and resolve it. lol
Sarah – Nope, you have a compadre in the gadget addiction. And umm… I'm also a bu so going jogging isn't an option. Running makes me itch.
Alise – Talking?? Uttering words from mouth? Surely you don't think I'd do that when I can type said words. Maybe I'll give it a try
True – *hangs head*
Tunde – Glad you feel me. I've also admitted this problem. only 11 steps to go.
Hot damn girl! If I ever thought I was bad, I was tripping. I do admit to feeling lost without one of my cell phones. LOL I have two and don't even use the other one. What can I say…my addiction to new phones kicked in one day and I had to have another one since I couldn't upgrade the other.
Cold turkey is the way to go, hands down. Yeah, initially you'll shake worse than Rihanna at a car show, but the payoff is so worth it.
Yer High Awesomelyness,
Wow. I just couldn’t …
My mind needs its ‘alone time’, to think about life’s forward motion and reflective contemplation. Sounds like you could use some of that.
Sooo, here’s what ya do … dig up those Running shoes (you know there're in that shoe closet of yours. At the back probably, lol), lace ‘em on and … go outside. No phone, no Crackberry, just your shoes, shorts, super-fly top and some ID (best to be sure, just in case). And your own consciousness, free of everybody else trying to force in on that.
You know you want to. Meet me at Grant Park. By the Fountain. We go … I won’t talk much (and you’ll be huffin’ an’ puffin’ too much TO talk, LOL!).
ChiChi – 2 cellphones? Well, I cant judge. The balckberry is like having a cellphone & laptop all at once
Kindred – Cold turkey??? You must not want me to LIVE!
LiteBread – Heyyyy. I does own running shoes. I've rocked them very little. Would prolly have to blow dust off em. Once again. Me + Running = EPIC FAIL. I'd wheeze after 2 blocks.
i am the exact same way…my detox time is running and yoga! can't have any contact during either of those 🙂
Miss High & Lovely Awesomelyness,
Would it be, like, uh, eSteppin' Out if I hit "urbsoph" up for a run?
I mean, like you gonna eKick my lily-white a@@ all over the ePlace? 'Cause, Wow, a Brown Girl that RUNS … my heart twitter's (Copy-write infringement! RIGHT there, lol!).
Great post. The part about people getting worried if I don't respond to a message in within 10 minutes is…truth.
Like @urbsoph: My only downtime from being connected is during yoga, working out and sleeping. Although I don't check anything while at the gym, I have my BB with me and can if I just have to.
Hey there!
It takes a lot of discipline to control the boundaries that others attempt to violate with us due to the instant accessibility that these tech gadgets and social networking sites offer.
I don't accept personal calls every day of the week and my friends all know it. They adapt and they must adjust. I will not put myself into that tech insanity where it's a major feat not to check email or Twitter for 24 whole hours…
I know some people who mention that they have been offline for one day and they act like they have climbed Kilamanjaro.