Finding time ‘off the grid’

Technology, with all of its gadgets and gizmos, makes it possible to accomplish things our forebears could never have dreamed of. But in some ways, so much incredible possibility is enough to overwhelm even the most ambitious modern woman. If, like me, you were raised on a workhorse ethic, you grew up finishing what needed to be done before you could let loose and play. And that mentality has a way of sticking with us, for better or worse. Now, in this “technologically enhanced” era, we’re still compelled to accomplish everything we can, but our goals become increasingly elusive when our to-do lists include never-ending phone calls, e-mail, twittering, text messaging and Web surfing. Back in the 1800s, when Laura Ingalls was growing up wild on the frontier, pioneer women like her mother created a set schedule that made sense. Routine chores, designed to keep the family fed and clothed, were broken down by day of the week, ensuring that everything was completed in an orderly fashion. Wash on Monday, iron on Tuesday, mend on Wednesday, churn on Thursday, clean on Friday, bake on Saturday and by all means, rest on Sunday. How simple! But somehow, common-sense living got pretty complicated in the last couple hundred years. The same pioneering spirit that drove the Ingalls family across the prairie has urged us into a race of electronic clutter. According to a study by the American Management Association, the average U.S. worker spends close to two hours per day dealing with e-mail. Imagine what wonderful things we might craft with our hands and minds during those hours if we weren’t bound by a sense of duty to wade through all of those messages! And even when we finally clear out our inboxes and escape our desks, most of us are still “plugged in” to cell phones and Blackberries. We don’t want to miss any important information that might come our way. Thus, the boundaries that once made it possible to take a breather have become blurred. Suddenly, it’s up to us as individuals to set our own limits, and that’s a lot easier said than done. If necessity is the mother of invention, however, then I contend that overload must be the mother of simplification. Slowly but surely, I’m retraining myself to recharge myself without electricity. It wasn’t so long ago that I was sleeping under the stars somewhere out among the Rocky Mountains, far from civilization. I’d go for weeks without hearing the sound of another human voice, and that was OK. It was amazing, in fact. And although I continue to count my daily work as a bountiful blessing, it has a way of wearing me down if I let it. That’s why I make it a priority to go “off the grid” as often as possible. It’s my way of getting grounded when I feel sucked away by the techno-undertow. If the stress of keeping up is sapping your vitality, let me share some of my simple steps toward unplugging and unwinding from the pressures of our go-go-go society. It all starts with one little button that says off. 5 Ways to Find Time “Off the Grid” 1. Admit that you need a break. Signs of overload include headaches, crankiness, anxiety and an overwhelming sense that you’re alone even though you’re constantly communicating electronically. 2. Start slowly. At first, try avoiding e-mail and switching off your cell phone for 20, 15, even 10 minutes a day, and marvel at how the world continues to turn while you’re disconnected. 3. Be assertive. You have a choice when it comes to communicating with the rest of the world. Most of us are not obligated to be available at all hours of the day and night. Designate certain times when you will accept phone calls and answer e-mails. Try this: add an e-mail signature informing people when you will respond to e-mails and phone calls, and remind them you might not get to theirs. I’ve used automatic messages like this one: “I’m ‘off the grid,’ so to speak, for the entire month of December. If this is an emergency, please call my main office. I’m not really going anywhere but ‘off duty’ to my barn loft in order to get my third book finished. I’ll be back online Jan. 2.” 4. Write a task list each day. It may not be as cut-and-dry as Ma Ingalls’ list, but a reasonable daily to-do list (with an attainable end) will help boost your productivity and allow you to guiltlessly call it quits after you’ve checked off each item. 5. Take time-outs from technology. Prioritize at least a few minutes of downtime in your schedule, day to day. Remember, watching TV or playing video games creates the same stress as spending time on computers and cell phones, so it’s important to unplug all the way. Take a short walk outside. Tend to a windowsill flower garden. Practice your crochet or weave a basket. Just a smidgen of simple pleasures amid the buzz of our everyday workload can help us stay calm, centered and focused.