Just for once, don’t indulge your neurosis.
Through my phone and computer, I have created an ersatz alarm system that notifies me of just about anything. Bill payments, discussions with my friends and family, work conversations, due dates, and social trends are all brought to my attention almost immediately. It’s a very convenient system. It’s also absolutely maddening. Because I’ve been using this system for so long, I hate not being in the know. Not necessarily participating, just not knowing. This constant storm of information is genuinely exhausting, and I know I’m not the only one out there with this problem. When it gets to be too much, sometimes you just need to disconnect.
The idea of turning off your notifications for a day sounds impossible, right? You need to be connected with work, you need to know what’s going on in your social circles. But that’s the thing: you don’t need to know. I mean, okay, I guess you do need to know work stuff, but that can be kept to the bare minimum. As far as social stuff goes, the endless stream of conversations, trends, and awful takes is something you choose to subject yourself to. If you tune out for a day, yeah, maybe you’ll miss a funny conversation or two, but you’ll be glad to have some peace and quiet (not to mention rest for your eyes).
I’m not saying you have to disconnect your electronics entirely. I know I couldn’t do that; everything I do for fun requires a screen. But you can turn off your notifications and alarms and just let the day come to you one minute at a time instead of rushing to meet it every millisecond. You’re the one who determines the important elements in your life, not your Twitter feed.
