Day 1 - Unplugged

So my plan is to unplug a bit from the constant 'information' flow that comes at you in today's world. No internet surfing, news updates, constant messaging and emails from friends and family, updates from forums, TV, ect. I have tried to cut back on things in the past, but sort of like cutting back on food, it doesn't stick when I ease into it, and I usually need something drastic to make it all work.

I need to get some clarity on my future paths, and the slow process isn't working. So I have decided a bit of a modern day vision quest might be in order.

First, I am looking at all items that 'suck' time from me. This of course would be TV, internet, PC games, messaging and chatting with friends, those type of items. On top of that, I analyzed items that are having some type of negative influence on me. News probably being top on that list, and while all the information I have gathered on the net about health and wellness, ect, is a GOOD thing usually, at this point, I have so many paths I think are probably right, I just need to just focus and go down one. Instead, I find myself mired up in too much information available, and not progressing forward.

So the goal will be to seriously reduce my time wasters and the negative influences on my clarity. Unfortunately the stress I tend to pick up sometimes from my family and friends could probably be on this list as well, but for now, I am not going to take any drastic measures with this piece. I might have to address this later in the path, but for now, I will just eliminate email and messaging, which will drastically reduce communication in general.

My ultimate goal from this is to achieve some clearness in my upcoming paths. I have a lot of ideas, but not a lot of clarity as to where I should go. Some of them related to my health choices, some career, some family. There is a lot of confusion, and I believe that if I can step back, look at it all through a clearer mind, things might come together a bit.

Secondary goals which I believe will assist in my primary goals, is getting a few aspects of my life cleaned up. Getting some projects done around the home and at work will greatly relieve stress. I am frustrated with my motivation, so I intend to eliminate that frustration, and try to live up to my potential in several areas.

Rules of Engagement:
Just so I am clear on my path, makes it easier to stick to it, here is how I intend to become 'unplugged'

• No internet surfing or web browsing. I am to stay off the net for everything BUT, checking my bank account to pay bills, and to check the weather occasionally only at weather.com (since it could effect my ability to drive my vehicle, and any other location comes with other news). Everything else is a no go! And the two exceptions will be very limited basis.
• No PC games, period. Even solitaire.
• No text messaging
• No email, I will check email once each night as I have some billing that I need to be aware of, and a once a week milk co-op that I need to know if there are any changes. If friend or family member emails me, I will respond that I am currently unplugged, and they can call me if they want to chat. This goes for work friends sending emails as well. I will delete junk mail immediately, no sales, no 'maybe's', just delete.
• No TV. I have put a slight exceptions into this, and I believe the time involved is small enough that it will be okay. I want to see part of the Cardinals football game this weekend, will try not to watch the whole game. I have a super bowl party at my brothers on the 1st, and I am going to help support him socially (we never go see him), although it is unlikely I will watch much of the game while there. In total, this will average to less then an hour a week of TV, that is all. I am not going for 100% deprivation, so as long as I can stick to this outlined exception, I will be very happy with my progress. I almost removed these exceptions, but I felt that if I did, I was going to slip up more, and cause frustration, so I outlined an acceptable compromise.
  

Currently I am not going to cut out music or reading. Although music is restricted to what I already have loaded on my MP3 player, so I am not spending time researching and uploading new songs. I might re-evaluate both of these if I find I am reading too much to fill the time, or if music for some reason is holding me back from clarity. Music for me usually = more productivity, I use it for cleaning house and projects.

Today is day 1, and I am wrapping up a few loose ends so that by tomorrow I can be 100% unplugged. I wrapped up some purchases for my PC, since part of my projects this month will include overhauling two PCs at home of old files, loading a back up drive, and just getting them cleared in general (stuff I have been putting off for eons). I am emailing some friends, disconnecting some emails that come to me through forums, ect, and just in general putting in place all the set up to make this as easy as possible.