I am guilty of digital overload.

The idea of giving up and downsizing gives me the shakes.

Using the "Freckle" timer has been really eye-opening. I've been attempting to do email 2x/day (early afternoon and before bed), using the timer and focusing on JUST email for about 20 minutes at a time. Its hard to resist checking new emails as they come in (especially when I'm doing other work on my computer), but on a good day I succeed.

How do people eliminate email? I can't even comprehend how that would work. I'm looking forward to hearing about your plans!

GREAT POST!!! I have started using the timer on my iPhone and allocating time to internet research / tasks that I know could take a lot of time (owing to the 'fascination channels' of the internet).
Thank you - I'll look forward to hearing/reading more to help streamline my life and workflow.
Appreciate you starting the conversation.
S

I have the feeling that the trend regarding digital downsizing is the by-product of the usual Anglo-American culture that basks in excess. So from one side you've got the super-digitally-connected stepped out of an Apple ad, with little time for real-life interaction because they do it all online. People who don't know that blackberries are also something you eat, not just something you use. And on the other side, you've got people who have spent God only knows how many hours coming out with a list that vomits another 25 apps to try out in order to simplify our lives. Yes, sure, and by the time I've gone through all of that, I could have finished what it was that I really needed to do to begin with.

Have you seen the pic of the Mac desktop with no icons at all? It reminded me of those ridiculous World of Interiors shoots that show you 'minimalism at its best': an empty white room where you cannot sit, because there is nothing to sit on, nor put a cup of tea down, because there is no other flat surface bar the floor (or you could always try the ceiling), nor window, just in case what is going on outside distracts you from the nothingness of the inside.

There is a middle way; there is a way that ensures the time-drains are kept at bay while your necessities are still met without having to scour your entire hard-drive for the Safari start-up. I find that NOT reading the news, forums and a zillion blogs is all that is needed in order to get work done. I've got a PhD in cultural studies, so how could I possibly advocate a media black-out? Because I believe that a media black-out is impossible to achieve. News will reach you, even when you don't want them to. The radio could be on in Starbucks and I would hear of such-and-such tragedy anyway. I could be skimming through my Twitter feed and find 50 different people yapping about the same thing. I could be pushing the trolley through the supermarket and still see 10 headlines all trumpeting the very same, with minimal orthographic variations. If there is something big going on, not reading about it online first thing in the morning will not prevent you from hearing about it anyway.

By all means pull the plug on whatever you have personally identified as the black hole(s) of your working day, but spending much time in over-analysing it resembles philosophical over-kill. A chair will never again be 'just a chair'. And my desktop will never be just... a pic of The Batman with a few folders on top. So what is it?

I have been teetering on the edge of this kind of feeling for a long time. When I was living in India, it was so easy to stay connected to my UK life, but as a result I spent a lot of time in the digital world rather than the vibrant world on my doorstep. Since I have been back, I have pulled back a little from the online life, but I think like you have suggested there needs to be some discipline... I too have a desire to come back to snail mail. You post has spurred me on. Thank you.

I've also read The Power of Less, and it encouraged me to make some serious changes to the way I organize my work. I agree with Christine that it's almost impossible to eliminate email, because so many people correspond that way to ask simple questions for which it's important to send quick answers. But I did implement his "Most Important Tasks" idea, which has made me more productive by helping me to eliminate needless procrastination.

The most important "digital downsizing" that I did after reading this book was to eliminate Facebook completely. I found that it was spending too much time communicating with people that I didn't know very well (or had once known better) and not enough with the people and activities that mean something to me right now. Most of the useful information I was getting from Facebook was easily located on websites or on Twitter, and I found that after I left Facebook I didn't waste time caring about how many people had written on my wall or which pictures of me had been posted. The people I most care about are in my life and I can wish them a happy birthday in person.

Great post, very thought provoking!

Here's my problem with losing e-mail completely, however - if you go to DMing on Twitter, people have to be friended by you in order to talk to you. So if someone wants to get in touch with you but isn't on Twitter, they're SOL pretty much.

I agree with Steph that there’s a middle way in that – cutting out all the extra stuff that tends to come with an e-mail inbox is a great thing, and cutting out the amount of time you spend on e-mail is also great. I’m all for having a standard e-mail that gets sent to anyone who e-mails you, offering up an explanation about cutting much of e-mail from your life, offering answers to the five questions you get asked most, and saying that if the e-mail was about that stuff, they won’t hear back from you. That way you know that you can go through e-mail and get rid of the stuff that standard response has answered without feeling guilty.

Most of my online stuff happens through e-mail though – connections made with people who want to donate items to charity, people wanting to discuss knitting, potential new clients, etc. To cut that part of my life out would be detrimental, not beneficial.

I’m excited to read Leo’s book, however, and to read more of this journey you’re on as you travel it!

Gwen,

When I read your post, I had a selfish thought: will Gwen Bell disappear from the net? Will she stop answering emails?

We all deserve to determine our lives, but you're a social web consultant! Didn't you commit to be there?

Eric

I seriously want to be you when I grow up. I love this idea. I have tried not checking email during the weekend so perhaps I'll try it again. I actually loved it. But seriously, I've been noticing recently how my iphone is the first thing I run to come morning. I remember reading somewhere about how you first write your intentions for the day. Again; good idea. Even better that you're so willing to share them with us.

I too have recently realized how much of a tweetaholic I have become. I think its mainly attributed to the fact that I sit at a boring desk job all day {for now}. But I'm trying to cut back, and one way of employing that is to stop having "conversations" on twitter with people. If its something that needs to be discussed in length I'll either DM|email them, or if its someone I know personally I'll just text or call them. It's that simple.

I've been thinking about a lot of this lately - particularly the shutting off on a regular basis. That's tough now since I'm making my money by freelancing and a lot of that involves commenting on what's happening in the digital space. However, now that i just moved to a new town (I'm in love with your city, by the way), I want to be engaged in BEING here rather than writing and tweeting and talking about being here.

It'll be an interesting balance, since so many of my connections here came out of blogging and Twitter. I'm kind of excited to explore and find that, actually.

I'm with you on this! I've been turning things on and off - rather than living in a constant noise and endless sea of the internet. Cutting back on social media, blogs etcetera to focus on creating. I feel GREAT and get so much done. Also feeling less stress and boredom.

Amazingly important post. I think we all need to think about Digital Downsizing even AS we get more involved in social media. I have to get better at this too. When someone is sitting in front of me, I have a harder time making eye contact as I scan for emails.

One thing I am going to try to do is not check my iPhone every five minutes. This is quite a difficult accomplishment. I think that it's key, though. It is also the first thing I reach for in the morning. It's good to force ourselves to confront this question.

I particularly like your idea about more handwriting options. It's definitely a great idea.

The only problem with you going without email is you will leave those of us running at a much slower pace in the dust.... (which you do already anyway!:-)

TV is gone, I have one cell phone, One PDA that I call "My second brain", One laptop with internet and a wireless router, and my radio. I don't hesitate to turn off/disconnect any of them. I have whole days where I'm nowhere near my home office.
I have a wireless printer that I am thinking of getting rid of somehow. It was fine while I was in school. But now that I'm retired and going paperless where possible, It just doesn't serve me any more.

Glad to see you've started a great discussion, Gwen. I recently also start practising the Simple living concept of "Less". I also blogged about it too on a different topic.

Streamlining digital information certainly will lead to a much quality life, or should I called it, a simpler, balance life. Feel absolutely bombarded with technology, constantly checking blackberry or iPhone, twitter, RSS feeds, feeling I am left with no time to accomplish what I suppose to set out to do for the day. I now only turn on email at 4pm everyday. So, I have at least a good 7 hours to focus on my to-do list; including time set aside for creativity... and when my brain needs the distraction, I start answering email. It has been working quite well, it's a mind cleansing activity.

Good luck, Gwen!

I read Leo's book a while ago and implemented some of his suggestions. My only suggestion regarding email, is you might find that email control is better than elimination. In this day and age, I just don't see total elimination as an option - there are more and more of us out here that only communicate through email and social sites. My eyes have never seen my best friends in real life, yet I would say that my friends that I've met only through the availability of the net are better friends than any I've ever had in 'real life.' I think that removing email in this day and age is like a carpenter removing his hammer from his toolbox and instead relying on rocks to pound nails. Just my 2 cents....

Thanks for posting this. I'm finding the importance of the connect (wired) and the disconnect (people / nature / non-wire) a tenuous balance. I derive great joy in drawing postcards to zip off to friends. I think more of these inspired moments in 2010 is something I'm aiming for.

"Track my internet usage using a timer. Respond accordingly."

RescueTime is great for this. I personally use it and recommend it. It's like Mint.com for time/productivity.

http://ow.ly/WJgJ

It's amazing the hold that the internet has over me. Turning it off for an entire day and focusing on creating for a day is both the hardest and most rewarding thing I can do in a 24 hour period. Sad but true.

Thanks to you and Sarah Bray I am more serious about applying restraint AND strategy to online time. What seems to work -- except of course for those days when I'm on deadline and "expecting" e-mails that require rushed replies (not sure yet how to remedy that) -- is to NOT check. Period. Ditto for mindlessly checking Twitter and other social media sites. We have to remember that these things are there for us to use ... not the other way around. It's another example of how being aware and deliberate in our decisions will serve us well.

This is an excellent post, Gwen...and now I really want to read "The Power of Less"! I'm intrigued.

I really love the idea of using a timer for internet usage. Sounds like a great way to see where those minutes are actually going.

I also am enamored by your "eliminate e-mail by 2011" plan. Tell us more about how you plan to accomplish that. I get hundreds and hundreds of e-mails every day...and it would be nice to use some other medium for communication. I try very hard not to "live in my inbox," but it's a daily struggle.

Thank you again for this thoughtful post.

First coffee, now email? What's next, air? :)

Seriously, I don't think I could give up the timeshifting ability of email - the fact that the respondent gets it instantaneously, yet can read and respond whenever. Contrast this with voice phone, where to get the most value you have to be available that second, and willing to be interrupted. But my inbox is probably better off than most because I travel in small circles, both socially and professionally. I'm ruthless about mailing lists and newsletters, and I try not to get involved in projects unless I'm going to play a big role, which keeps away the useless FYIs and CCs.

The biggest things for me have been going on a media diet and ditching mobile internet on my phone. Tim Ferriss' 4HWW gave me permission to ignore the news, and I've never been happier. Canceling mobile internet was a decision I made after a few days of being mindful about how I was using it and how it was affecting my interactions with others. Turns out there was nothing I was doing that couldn't wait, and it was disconnecting me from my surroundings. That's not to say I'm not still jealous of my friends with iphones.

I, too, really like Leo's book. His writing style is true to his philosophy, communicating his ideas as simply as possible. My one disappointment is that he doesn't give credit where it's due. In particular, some of the ideas he talks about are directly based on GTD, yet there is no mention of David Allen.