Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Unplugging- Does It Work?

Right now I'm making my first attempt to unplug from my own blog, just for a few days. The only other time I've been away from my blog is when I was on vacation, and then I had pre-set posts.

Why attempt such madness?

As discussed here at the Archives all week, social networking has a lot of benefits, but it also takes a fair bit of time. When real life gets hectic, something has to give. And I'd rather give up a few days of blogging than forget to feed my daughter or dissolve into a puddle of quivering goo from too much stress. I'd also like to get some work done on my WIP.



I know some of you unplug a certain week every month, or maintain a not-every-weekday blog schedule. So now I'm asking you- do you think it helps? Do you actually get more writing done or do you find other ways to procrastinate?

9 comments:

Rebecca Wells said...

It helps a ridiculous amount. It's like the sun has appeared in the sky and everything is shiny and new now that it's unshaded by the internet-lenses. I highly recommend it. Along with reading more books and walking through parks and playing with dogs.

Rick Daley said...

I find new and creative ways to procrastinate.

Matthew Delman said...

Yeah, I'm like Rick. There's always new and creative ways to procrastinate if I attempt to unplug from the blog.

Anita Saxena said...

Blogging is a time void. Don't get me wrong, it can be quite beneficial. But, sometimes you have to pull away and just write and not feel guilty about it. Because in the end that's why we're all blogging. We want to be writers, right?

L. T. Host said...

Not posting on my blog every day honestly doesn't help me write, but it does help me stay looking responsible to my readers. If I were still trying to post every day, it's almost guaranteed I'd have posts full of excuses (which I still kind of do) and nothing to show for it. I don't want my readers to lose faith in me and my credibility, so I made the decision to cut back.

I'll take time off when I need it, though, but not to write. I can write other times, and while blogging takes up some time I could be using to do that, I'm still as productive as I want to/ can be.

Joshua McCune said...

Helps me -- mostly b/c someone assigned 24 hours to a day and not 36.

Unknown said...

I think the best way is unplugging the internet totally. Put on your writing music and you're set. The tempation of procrastination is ended at that point for me.

Stephanie Thornton said...

Readerly Person- I'm reading 100 books this year and I love walking in parks. Yay!

Rick- That's what I'm afraid of.

Matt- I was considering giving my ether cord to my husband. But we just got a wireless airport yesterday. Oops.

Anita- Thanks! I really needed that reminder!

L.T.- I needed this break to breathe. Of course, it's really only a couple days, but I'm hoping it will help.

Bane- I'd like to string that person up when I find him.

J.J.- I think I might have to start handwriting. Having a computer is just too big a temptation to do other stuff. Although it is handy when writing some historical fact I need to double check.

Natalie said...

Yep. I think it helps. When I unplug I usually do it because I have a deadline (sometimes for myself and sometimes for my agent). I'm able to focus all my energy into getting meeting that deadline. I think the less often blog schedule helps too. For me less blogging= more writing.