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I gave a talk on burnout and "digital overwhelm" in 2015. It's a bit of my story and some tips on coping under the weight of the world. If you're interested: ht

• CrackpotGonzo 10y ago
  Loved this and I completely agree with most of the points you're making. What happened to wonder and boredom? What's your current system? Do you use a smartphone? Intentionally disconnect for periods of time?
  • fredleblanc 10y ago
    I went back to a smartphone after having lost mine for a period of months. I regret most of it every day. There are things I like about it. The GPS, the music, the podcasts, the camera; all in my pocket. It's just all the other stuff that it comes with — the notifications, the interruptions, the availability. I know that's on me. It's a will power thing. But I'm only human. When I didn't have my phone on me, it forced me to really examine if I cared about something or if it was just fleeting. Like, who won the NHL MVP in 1978? If it was still a burning question the next time I was around an Internet connection, I'd look it up. But 9 times out of 10, I'd forget. And wonder. And my life was better for it. My current system is that I turn off all notifications except from my mother and wife. My email is not fetched unless I fetch it. I have no games on my phone. I've never had Facebook and haven't posted to Twitter in over two years. But with all that, it's still not the same. I've relapsed at least twice since that talk. I have a phone. And it's still my boss. But I'm working on a bigger plan to abandon it all together. Whether I can get there or not, that's another story.