If you’re a Sensory Overload Tracker (a formal expertise) like myself, the cover of the Sunday Times elicited a big, "Ha, I knew it would come to this!" In Matt Richtel’s article, In Web World of 24/7 Stress Writers Blog Till They Drop he chronicles the exhausting journey of "the blogger" and shares some disturbing news about the recent passing of several bloggers. He also lists the common physical ailments associated with those who make a career of blogging 24/7. So much for worklife balance.
"To be sure, there is no official diagnosis of death by blogging… and also no certainty that the stress of the work contributed to their deaths," said Richtel in his article. But one wonders. And it’s not just the world of the blogger that is in danger of overload. Richtel’s feature should serve as that little nudge we all need to examine our lifestyle.
Participating in the 24/7 world of the internet requires a certain stamina, regardless of whether you wear the persona of a blogger. I personally don’t think 24/7 internet participation is a sustainable path unless you have the tools to handle the info-mania that comes your way, along with a proven personal method of cultivating resilience. As a meditation teacher once told me, "You have to drink as you pour." That means consistently checking in with your inner-battery to gauge whether it’s real low – or about to blow a fuse. Taking charge of your fuselage requires daily maintenance so here are some tips:
- Internet Inquiry: Examine your internet behavior. Must you surf a bazillion times an hour? I recommend taking a serious look at how much time you take surfing. For those of us who do this for a living, can you just say no during your lunch break?
- Creating Internet-Free Zones. I have a habit of taking my computer to various rooms as Wi-Fi makes it way too easy to do. As difficult as it is, I’ve established my living room as an internet free zone. This stops me from surfing during commercial breaks during American Idol. (hey – it’s a way to wind down)
- Volume Vigilance: Limit your incoming information. If you need to surf the web limit your click- throughs. Unless I’m doing research on a deadline, I click through only three times. After that I put an interesting URL on a post-it to check out later.
- Cultivating Resilience: As I said earlier – you have to drink as you pour. You must schedule the white space in your calendar. Whether it’s exercise, meditation, taking a walk – you have to make time for down time or you will burnout. You have to get off the ride of our 24/7 world.
- Human Connections: When is the last time you picked up the phone to speak with a friend let alone, visit one in person. Novel idea, human contact. It gives the fingers a rest, and the heart a little bit of TLC.
If you need a breather, check out my meditation CD; PRACTICAL CHAOS:Reflections on Resilience at JudyMartinSpeaks.com.
