When Is Enough Enough?

Let's face it, we have a limited resource -- 24 hours in a day and we need to decide how we want to allocate our time to meet our needs and wants. I've noticed that on a 'good day' I'm taking over 3-4 hours of my time to check all my e-mail accounts, look at Twitter, catch up on my Google Reader, check into Facebook and see what new and interesting links might have been shared in my Diigo account. It is becoming more and more like 'work' and I'm NOT liking it.....

I'm also experiencing 'information' overload in terms of all these new, free, 'gotta have/gotta use' apps.  I tend to grab the url and throw it into my Diigo account (with a tag of 'CIO', which stands for 'check it out') and just for good measure I also mark it in my 'Read It Later' application with the intention of weeding through it over the weekend.

The French had a saying, 'Les mals du 20eme siecle' which roughly translates to the ills imposed on individuals due to the times and circumstances (and supposed 'time saving' devices from the 20th century).  I'm convinced that we are facing the same in this digital age.  We have too much coming at us too fast and are, quite frankly, not able to keep up in a way that contributes positively to our health and well-being.  I see a new profession resulting from this -- Digital Psychologist.

My goal is to REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE in terms of my digital experiences.

I mean really, how many online photo-editing websites MUST I use? How many screen capture programs can I have?  How thin must I stretch myself over all the social networks I belong to?  And yes, I can already hear all the arguments about the wealth of knowledge that we are acquiring, but let's face it guys....it almost feels like we're running from fast food chain to fast food chain, gobbling everything down.  Frankly, I'd rather have dinner in front of the fire, with friends I can reach out and touch, and savor every last morsel, and swirl every last drop of wine, leisurely contemplating the wonders of the the grass just turning green as deer wander down towards the lake. Ahhhhhh.

And next time you're offered up a tantilizing new app, try saying 'I'll pass', then get up, go take a walk outside and let Mother Nature touch your soul......

And now I'm wondering if our students are feeling the same way......