Focus - Leo Babauta [5]
Quiet and solitude and reflection lead to greater happiness when they're a part of our daily lives, at least in some degree. What you do during this time -- read, write, run, nap, sit, watch, listen, even have a quiet conversation, play, study, build -- isn't as important as the simple fact of having that time of disconnection.
We'll look at how to find this time, and how to find focus, in later chapters. At this point, we just need to note that these things are important.
4: the beauty of disconnection
"Without great solitude no serious work is possible."
– Pablo Picasso
There are days when I wake up and refuse to turn on the Internet, and sit still with my cup of coffee in the hush that fills the hours just before dawn. I'll listen to the quiet. I'll reflect on life. I'll lose myself in a novel. Some days I'll sit down and write, just my thoughts and the quiet and the gentle tapping of the keyboard.
And it's beautiful.
Other days I'll go for a run and enjoy the rich outdoor air, salty when I jog by the ocean, sweet when I pass a field of wildflowers, saturated with soft light. And this is a wonderful time for me, as I enjoy the moment, as I soak in the quietness, as I bask in my connection with life but my disconnection with technology.
Other times I'll sit with a friend and have a cup of coffee and chat. We'll argue about politics, or whose computer OS is better, or tease each other, or share stories. While disconnected from technology.
And some days, I take a walk or go for a run with my wife. Or I'll sit with my child, and read, or just play.
These are unbeatable moments.
These are the moments when disconnection shows its glorious face, when life is in full force, when we are fully connected to the world immediately around us, while disconnected from the world at large.
These moments have become increasingly rare and fleeting, because of our connectedness with technology. And that's a sad thing in my book.
I'm no Luddite -- I don't think we should abandon technology. It's given me the career and life that I've always wanted, where I'm able to play for a living, create, be a full-time writer, help others, and live a simple life. Technology has empowered me, and I am as big a proponent of the latest technologies as anyone.
It's not technology we should be afraid of. It's a life where we're always connected, always interrupted, always distracted, always bombarded with information and requests. It's a life where we have no time to create, or connect with real people.
Disconnection is the solution, or at least an integral part of it. It's very difficult for many people, because connection is addictive. We'll talk more about that in a minute.
the benefits of disconnection
Why should we even consider disconnecting from the grid of information and communication? Let's look at just a few reasons:
You shut off the interruptions and distractions of email, Twitter, IM, blogs, news, and more.
You give yourself space to focus and work.
You allow yourself space to create.
You can connect with real people without distractions.
You can read, you know, books.
You can accomplish a lot more.
You allow yourself a break from the stress of overload.
You can find quiet and peace of mind.
You can reflect and contemplate.
There are dozens of other good reasons, but I think those are serviceable for our needs.
how to disconnect
So how do we go about disconnecting? There are varying strategies, and no one is better than another. I won't be able to tell you what will work best for you -- I suggest you experiment, and find a method that fits your needs and situation best. Often that will be a hybrid approach, which is perfectly great -- every person is different, and no cookie-cutter approach will work for everyone.
Some ideas:
Unplug. Just unplug your network connector or cable, or turn off your wireless router, or go to your connections settings and disable temporarily. Close your browser and open