Physician-blogger Seattle Mama Doc (who, incidentally, was one of the speakers at this past weekend's Medicine 2.0), recently took a month-long online sabbatical, and today she shares her thoughts on what being unplugged taught her. Though her blog entry focuses more on emotional (versus physical) health, I can't help but share a few of her thoughts:
Ultimately, like people projected, my time in August (mostly) offline was rejuvenating but not perfectly instructive. The only piece of clarity gained was my seemingly sophomoric wisdom that life is better without as much stress, without as much work. Yet, that’s a beginning to awareness. More time with my boys coupled with increased hours of sleep and a week of vacation left me much less breathless. I didn’t feel quite so frantic.
...In August I tried not to sleep with my iPhone, I didn’t log onto Twitter first thing in the morning or just before sleeping. I didn’t create and write and edit blogs in my head every day while walking from the parking lot or sitting with my kids at the table. I slept more and dreamed-up fewer posts. I played with my friends. I played with my boys. I took pictures and never thought about where they would end up. I went to clinic and finished my workday when I left the building to head home. I took a week of vacation in Wisconsin.
August was restful. It was illuminating...
