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Curing the Web Addiction

Curing the Web Addiction

I have just had another enforced absence from the internets, and to be honest now the dust has cleared, I think it might have done me some good …

We have just got back from another week in hospital fretting and worrying at my daughters bedside. Thankfully I can say now she has made a good recovery and is almost back to her normal self.

While I would have preferred to have been offline by choice rather than this traumatic reason, it did make sure that I stuck with the rules. The last thing I would have wanted was to upset some vital piece of hospital technology in order to catch up on tweets.

Therefore my only internet access was a strict rationing of email checks and the duration of my live webinar which I couldn’t really cancel or pospone because people had paid a charity to get access to it.

Now I am sat here tired but relieved I have realized that my compulsion to check twitter, email and RSS has gone. The weeks incommunicado I have spent this year have accumulated to cure me of my net addiction. You know what? I don’t miss it.

Sure, I still enjoy social media and such just as much as I used to, but going cold turkey has made me realize that having my nose stuck in a screen 24/7 is not only unhealthy but is making me miss the truly important parts of life that are better experienced as a participant rather than a bystander.

See Also
The Importance of Being Kind to Yourself; And How To Do It

Hopefully lesson learned for me.

What do you think? Are you or have you been internet addicted? How did you cure it or plan to? Please share in the comments …

View Comments (11)
  • Glad things went well with your daughter.

    I did a week-long media fast once when I was blogging at SpaceAgeSage.com, and now I’ve stopped blogging for 3 months. It’s been a nice break, but a new blog based on an ebook is calling from the back of my mind. Twitter and a private, family ning site have crept back into near addiction mode, though, so I will have to back off again. The addictive mode just makes me too needy catch up on the latest and keeps me from the more valuable things in life.

  • yeah it’s all very seductive and far too easy to get sucked into 24/7 ‘just checking this, that or t’other’. I’ve just agreed to have my grandaughter one day a week – so no t’interneting then – sad thing is I had to think hard before agreeing – when actually it’s a no-brainer.

  • I am indeed Internet addicted. Hope to kick it this week when I go on vacation to a place where there will be no Internet access. Nothing to distract me for 10 days but the beach and my family–and I’m really looking forward to it!

    So sorry to hear of your daughter’s health struggles, and am glad she’s on her way to being well. Nothing–and I mean nothing–wears on a person like watching their children struggle with a serious health problem. Glad it will be okay!

  • I have to say my addiction isn’t cured yet, I am still madly addicted to Twitter and other Social Media tools. Good to hear that your daughter has got better, I wish her the best of luck and to continue strong.

  • Blogging about how you have cracked your internet addiction is like drinking a bottle of vodka in celebration of being teetotal :-)

    But I couldn’t agree more. It’s good to realise what’s important and it’s easy to inflate how important your web site stats are and it’s good to take a week off (I took 6 months or so) lose all your traffic and realise you were actually a slave to yourself.

    And now, maybe you’ll spend more time doing things you enjoy, maybe gardening or painting or playing music or socialising. Just don’t spend the whole time thinking “this’ll make a good post” or “I could twitpic that flower”…

    I think one thing is true of quality bloggers/tweeters/artists/human beings. You don’t mind how much they produce you are just glad they do.

    Anyone idiot blog once a day – and I used to.. more even.

  • Good to hear your daughter is doing well. I went through a similar situation with my niece. Continued good health!

    Provocative piece, but as a mostly solo entrepreneur, I adhere to the Huffington famous characterization of Bloggers as OCD. Not happily or unhappily, but necessarily so.

    I have little desire not to be instantly informed. What I would love, however, are better tools to filter and synthesize that information.

    BTW, also loved your Making the Move to Video bit. Good stuff!

  • I don’t have anything to add, Chris. I just wanted to let you know that I’m thinking positive thoughts for your little girl and give my best wishes for her speedy recovery. You know how to reach me if you need me to help with anything so you can take care of dad stuff.

  • I had to move back to my parents and couldn’t take my laptop; I leave my laptop on my desk at work. So I can only do the internet thing at work, not at home. I do use my phone to check my vitals but I don’t miss the constant email, Friendfeed and Twitter checking.

  • Chris,
    Being a dad IS the most important part of life. Your daughter – my daughters – all daughters, deserve the attention of concerned fathers. If we are addicted to our children, then our priorities have been set on the right course.

    I too have spent many hours by a bedside, and now my grown children have their own addiction for their kids…
    This is why I use social media; to stay connected to my family – my addiction.

    I wish you all the best.

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