Each Sunday I try to practice my version of a Sabbath; a technological fast from all that is tweeted, blogged, electronically transmitted and facebooked during the rest of the week and the self-imposed exile from anything that looks suspiciously work-like including laundry, cleaning or involving a rake.
Mostly I succeed, but the draw to ‘do’ is rather magnetic. Gauging by how hard it is still – after all these Sundays of practice – is a clear reminder that I need to be vigilant. Not to mention, how pathetic it is that it’s so hard to stay away from the constancy of connection.
And since the accepted wisdom is that confession is good for the soul…I’ll come clean. I don’t always succeed.
I do things like surreptitiously check my email on my iPhone, because of course the iPhone is somehow a less obvious computer-like entity than the laptop.What?!?
I am a Church of One and I’m rebelling against my own rules. Clearly, this is irrational and silly but if I need to indulge in slightly sneaky behaviour and can still mostly manage to trick myself into taking it easy…then so be it.
Lately, my Sunday routine has included a nap. This is because by late Sunday afternoon, with my forced fast from housework, gardening, laundry and the aforementioned electronic world, I feel like someone has pulled the plug on me too. It’s a funny thing about stopping…
I’ve mentioned this before but my friend Mary imparted some great advice years ago…she said that whenever you’re sick you should watch crappy daytime TV and once you’re feeling better, you should watch a few hours more so that you’re really sick of being sick.
Sundays work like that for me. By the time Monday rolls around, I’m dying to do the laundry (?!) clean the house, get on top of my email, my writing and this blog (the washing machine is happily spinning while I write 🙂
So. Next time you want to write, just declare a Sabbath. Tell yourself you can’t write – no matter what – because by the time you’ve lifted your self-imposed sanctions, you just might be a pent up dynamo. Then again you might have just frittered away an entire day. Remember what they say about free advice; especially from me.
But every religion has a day of rest. Why not yours?
i’ve been doing my level best to limit my time on-line. I’m becoming convinced that it makes me feel scattered and anxious, not to mention the fact that it sucks up way more precious time than I ever intend. I’ll never give it up completely. Laundry, on the other hand, I could happily forego forever!
Yes, I’ve often thought I’d love a full-time housekeeper, laundry-scrubber, cook and personal trainer. I guess what I’m saying is that it’s good to dream big if I’m going to dream at all. I know what you mean about the time-suck of the online world. I’m trying to be clear about my boundaries on it and creating the Sunday boundary has been a great start.
Great idea! Never thought of it quite that way before. That it makes us eager to get back to work, I mean. — I’ve tried on a number of occasions to “rest” from the computer/tech stuff one day a week and I always like it when I do, but I so agree with your confessions. It’s a powerful draw. Still, you inspire me to be more “religious” about this again. 🙂
Oh. oh. That will make us a Church of Two and then there’s bound to be a schism…a Western versus an Eastern chapter or perhaps a congregational split as to what time the Sabbath actually starts…I don’t know Dora, this could be risky 🙂