Internet Diet Diary: Day 2

I started an internet diet yesterday. I've decided to turn off my computer's wireless during "business hours" each day. By that, I mean the hours during which I normally get writing done– 10:30 am till about 6:30 pm.

The reason? I've been binging. What started as an honest desire to be more interactive devolved into an obsession that stopped me from actually doing what I'm supposed to be doing: aka writing! The problem with social media, blogs and the rest is there's always more one could be doing: another post to read, or comment to reply to. There's always more promo one could do, or opportunities I just don't want to miss.

But none of that is writing. (Well, the blog posts are writing, but not the type I can sell.) Like most writers, I get anxious and sweaty when I'm not producing words. Words=happy. Books=money (in theory at least.) So if I want to be happy and make money, I need words.

In order to do that, I need to reign in my attention.

More than just time, the internet sucks my attention, and even more importantly– my emotions. I can't believe how much energy I can waste on stupid things like that Chinese Parenting article or some upsetting video on YouTube. Without access to the web– I would never know those things existed, and I'd probably be a lot happier as a result.

Already, my diet has yielded good results. Yesterday I rewrote a problem chapter. Today I'm halfway through another chapter. My mind is clearer, my thoughts more focused.

Maybe after a couple more days I'll manage to not "cheat" by checking mail and Twitter on my cell phone.