Digital Sabbatical
In 2005, during yoga teacher training, a teacher explained the importance of off-the-mat time. She recommended we go on retreat four times a year - once a quarter. I recall internal resistance. As the discussion unfolded, it turned out I wasn’t alone. How could we take time away from yoga? Yoga was the retreat. Who has time for vacation four times a year? If you own a studio or teach for a living, will your students understand and wait for your return? Isn’t it self-involved to take time off?
Almost daily since joining in 2007 I’ve been a proponent for, and teacher of the micro-blogging site, Twitter. The dynamics have shifted in three years. At first, innocently, I used it as a digital diary. This was pre-@ days. It was pre-conversational. Pre-lists, pre-promoted tweets. I used it as a tool for mindfulness, just simple daily updates. Spontaneously, in answer to the question, “what are you doing?”
2007. That was about the same time I started blogging seriously. Though I had been blogging on LiveJournal since 2003 (I've been blogging for seven years this month), it wasn’t until 2007 that I built out a site at GwenBell.com. I went to BlogHer, a blogging conference, for the first time. I shared my world digitally - and began building business structures to work in the digital world for a living. In 2007 I set a goal - to speak at the next BlogHer (in 2008). I spoke, achieved the goal and have been making a living in the web world ever since.
Two seemingly separate worlds - yoga (on the mat) and digital (on the web). On closer inspection, they’re similar. Increasingly, yoga becomes a branded place. Same for Twitter, for the social Web. Twitter, once a place I engaged with innocently is now a place I approach with trepidation. Knowing that anything I publish can be mined/sold as part of a massive data set. I publish with more care than I did seven years ago this month.
The evolution of the social Web in the past three years has resulted in a subtle shift from a place of discovery to, recently, one of guardedness. I realize this is all happening within myself. No one TOS dictates my life - I’m not responding to changes in the Facebook privacy settings. This is what I want. I want to get back to that place of free-wheeling-free-spiritedness with the social Web. I’m aware that pulling out completely allows some time to reflect on the most purposeful and fulfilling ways to engage.
Where does this bring us? Yesterday, June 30th, I reviewed my month and confirmed what I'm needing - more time off the Web to focus on project execution. Today is July 1, 2010. For the month of July I’m evolving the Digital Downsizing I started at the beginning of this year, into a Digital Sabbatical. Off-the-web time.
What does a Digital Sabbatical mean? What this means to me is that I’ll be engaging on the social Web infrequently. I’ve asked someone I trust to send daily digests of the state of the social Web because this is my work and I want to stay lightly abreast without being immersed.
For this July retreat:
- I will be reading books, writing thank you notes, practicing yoga and meditation
- I will be journalling by hand
- I will be drinking tea slowly, researching and writing my book (on creating intimate spaces in a digital world)
- I will eliminate insecurity work
- I won’t be taking meetings (other than client meetings. This sabbatical doesn't impact current client engagements.)
- I won’t be reading blog posts, nor will I be posting to my blog
- I won’t be tweeting (I’m taking all apps off my phone) or reading blog posts
- I won't be moderating blog comments
- I will be having conversations, as they arise
- I will be engaging with the heat of summer
- I will be studying kung fu
- I will be engaging in Noble Silence once a day
This July, I won’t be taking meetings to talk about new projects. I’ll be focused on current projects and a project that has long been in my heart and mind, and is waiting to be expressed. In keeping with a promise I set earlier this year, I’ll only be checking email once a day, and will only respond to current clients and those that would like to begin work in August. My goal during the Digital Sabbatical is to empty my (web) cup. I think a month, my birth month, square in the middle of the heat of summer, is the best time to do it. I want to answer, “what are you doing?” for a while for myself, in the spirit of discovery.
To return to the questions.
To engage mindfully.
I anticipate seeing you in August with a book manuscript, a new collaboration announcement and a calm smile.
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A few folks have sweetly asked what they're going to read while I'm away.
Books, I say!
Or, try one of these Digital Tonics:
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Experiencing Web Fatigue but
For some reason can't get off completely? Cut back
Or leave your desk and
Have a Creative Weekend
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Bonus Summer Reading
Read what I've read and saved since 2007
Read The Social Web Guide (folks love it)
Download The Social Media Meditations
And, always, The Archives
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This month we can communicate by snail mail. If you'd like to send something handwritten, I'll respond to as many as I can.
Gwendle, LLC
Gwen Bell
1209 Pearl St Unit 4
Boulder, CO
80302
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See you in August.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Reader Comments (15)
Good for you! Something for me to keep in my too here soon for some projects I want to pursue.
Enjoy this time, Gwen!
This is awesome. I'm sure it'll be fabulous.
I took a small digital sabbatical during my move back to Japan two weeks ago and it was just what I needed. It felt wonderful to spend so much time offline and enjoy life. I feel like spending a lot of time online makes me paranoid and irritable. I wish I could have more digital sabbaticals, but that also means time off from work, which I can't afford at the moment!! I miss the days when I'd only check my email once a week, if even.
I'm with you sweetie, enjoy and i'm doing the same in August. It's so great what you are modeling for the plugged in generation - really beautiful. I'm so happy to be getting to know your world. Since you are gone for July and I am gone for August, let's connect in SEPTEMBER, Unless I send you a snail mail note first.
Happy time off! I went digital free for 3 days completely cutting out everything including email & it was fabulous. A month is way longer but what an experience that's going to be. Was a time when that WAS the norm, not so long ago. Funny huh. Have an awesome, reconnecting with self and fun summer! @TiaSparkles
Too bad it has to be somewhat all or nothing. Moderation in all things. But for those of you who have been hooked up digitally constantly for years, this would be needed..and a big deal. So back to nature, back to nurture, back to how it use to be...you've come full circle. And funny for me, I'm just starting to be digitally obsessed but am trying for moderation since I've experienced living with a digitally addicted person. But I'm single, live alone, no kids, no pets, just me and my thoughts and my dreams and my re-envision and re-invention from the last twenty years. I will learn from you all.
Gwen, I think this is an admirable undertaking and I wish you the best of luck! Recently on my honeymoon, I did the same thing and found it to be an amazing experience. Of course, I was only unplugged for two weeks and it was in a location reminiscent of a tropical paradise, making it that much easier. It would be much more interesting to give this a go at home given the daily routines that we all fall into.
Hope you have a great time...I look forward to hearing how it goes!
I love this Gwen. I just got online after 4 days totally unplugged and it was marvelous! Enjoy your sabbatical! -Christine
This is going to be a very interesting venture! I can't wait to see if you love getting back into the digi-world or hate it... like getting back into the city after a retreat... I know personally when I go 3 or 4 days off of Facebook and then go back, I always feel like, "Oh. I wasn't really missing anything at all. This is boring!"
Here's to your triumphant return in August. Your calming tweets will be missed in my feed <3 :)
Sounds so lovely. Enjoy!
Good for you! Sounds wonderful. :)
Gwen, you're a thought leader in every sense. I hope the time refreshes...I've contemplated and practiced this in different forms both this year and last year, and found it crucial to maintaining any sort of momentum on projects that on their face are daunting.
A full month is something I haven't done, however, and may try to fit into my life.
D
Gwen, this is a wonderful idea! I hope you enjoy your peaceful July and reconnect, realign, rejoice.
I can relate to what you wrote about here, actually I started off writing micro-poetry on Twitter. Seems a long time ago, and your observation on how Twitter has changed is so wise. Thanks for putting words on that change.
Take care!
You continue to inspire me, I want to arrange to do this for myself.
and I know you're away but I still wanted to wish you a happy birthday. :)
Steph
Enough is enough come back online already it's BOOOOOORING without you!