I am Featured

I am featured over @ Everyday Minimalist.  Should be viewable at this link.

Everyday Minimalist writes a great blog that I follow.  Serena blogs about how being minimalist isn't about not owning anything, but about owning just what pertains to her living the life she wants, according to her own needs and desires.

Two Days in a Row

I'm trying a new thing this week. Instead of taking Tuesday and Saturdays off from the computer, I'm giving a 2-days in a row trial.  Since I tend to be busy on Fridays making challah and helping the children clean house before the Sabbath, I've decided to take Friday and Saturdays off.

Hoping this break will seem even more beneficial, while it might also be more stressful (?) .  But this is a great time to give it a try.  Rauchelle is coming for the weekend to help celebrate my birthday, and it will help me prep for family time.

So, wish me luck!!

Digital Sabbatical, What It's Looking Like

I am still practising taking breaks on Saturdays and Tuesdays from my computer.  It's a practise because it isn't habit, yet.

I am doing well at it, looking forward to the breaks where I don't surf, where I ignore FB, let my emails pile up, etc.

I get more book reading done and am more likely to play board or card games with the children.   I am finally getting around to doing projects with them that I've been intending on doing for quite some time but just haven't gotten around to.

You know, things like teaching them to sew.

Everette and I often sneak in a 'coffee break', even if we aren't drinking a coffee.  It might be a quick walk somewhere, a jaunt to the grocery store where we are able to get some adult conversation done without little ears listening in.

Or lots of Saturdays now we go to the Royal BC Museum, or  take in the IMAX , or the aquarium, or the Art Gallery now that we have a bunch of annual passes (thanks, Ministry of Education!)

When the weather gets drier and warmer I'm sure we'll be taking more family walks at Whiffen Spit, or down at the river or at the Potholes.  Or checking out the Galloping Goose Trail.

Like so many people, I enjoy the wealth of information and experiences made available via the internet.  But there are some things that I don't like. ...and that includes the Time Sucking feature of it.   I want to be able to find a balance.  I know it doesn't have to be an All-or-Nothing scenario.  This tool can be beneficial, and that's what I am actively pursuing.

I don't have an iPhone and a bunch of other digital and techno stuff (although I do now have an hTC but I don't use it for much more than a phone and a voice recorder), so taking a Digital Sabbatical for me is mainly just taking a good-sized chunk of time away from the computer.  And I take that time to refocus, and do stuff I often (ashamedly) neglect.

Maybe you need to practice a Digital Sabbatical too.

For some people it might work to take 2 days off in a row.  Or during certain hours each day, say from 7pm until the next morning.  Or lots of moms who have little ones at home, they are well disciplined to stay off the computer unless their littles are sleeping (& no, I don't think they are drugging them to sleep longer hours!!).

My system is working well for me.

I've been hashing over some stuff with Everette over the last few weekends (see, the Sabbatical lets me fit that in!) and am likely to be implementing some more changes in my life concerning the internet, blogging, family time and health topics, but that's all a work-in-progress.  This week I already cut about half my 'friends' on FB who I really didn't converse much with anyways(& that's usually superficial) and I feel better with that already.  Not that I spend a lot of time on FB as it is, but each thing I spend a little bit of time at seems to eat away all my days.  You know what I mean, don't you?  You are likely experiencing the same thing.

Even the good things seem to be robbing from us.  And we are letting them.  I know I am;  that's my present struggle.

Being careful of the little foxes that ruin the vineyard (Song of Solomon 2:15).

If you take a Digital Sabbatical, what does it look like for you?

Freedom

If you've tried taking a Sabbatical, but you give in to the temptation to get back on your techno to do something, Freedom is here to help you!

Maybe one of your resolutions for this year is to do more writing, or painting, or reading tangible books.  But you find it difficult to find that quiet time to do it.  Freedom might be the tool you are looking for.

2(Sabbatical)

I enjoy taking Saturdays off from using the computer so much that I've decided to also take Tuesdays off.  So, there you have it.  I won't be posting anything tomorrow, and hopefully taking every Tuesday off to get more accomplished with my family and enjoy life a bit more.

Blessings to all of you,

Today, Tomorrow and Always.