Today is Information Overload Day, a day when we are supposed to reduce our information input and output and take a break from all our devices. If possible.
It’s not something I’ve ever had a huge problem with. I spend most of my day stuck behind a computer so I tend not to spend too much of my spare time with them because it starts to feel like work. I do have a smart phone, only I have not made it smart. I refuse to get a data plan, so I don’t have email on it and unless I’m near wifi, it functions as a phone only. Just how I want it.
Plus, I have another secret weapon. A place to hide.
For those of us who live outside the city, it’s not hard to find a spot without lousy cell phone coverage. Some people find the concept terrifying. I love it. I spend a lot of spare time near a lake with horrible cell coverage. On purpose. But there was a time when I heard a buzz I would grab for my phone, and it can be addictive.
For Information Overload Day, which apparently started back in 2009, the ask people to reduce their information output by 10 to 20 percent. Filter what information is coming into you, because there is a lot we really don’t need. And maybe even take a break from your devices for a while.
It’s not easy. We have become pretty dependent on our computers and phones. Take one away from your average teenager and they are likely to go into shock. Not knowing what to do with their spare time. And some of us aren’t far behind.
So if you can, take a break from your devices and relax a bit. I’m heading for my hiding place. It’s mandatory there.