How often do you check your email? If you're in the "more often than I'd like" category, then join the club. At least, this was how I felt up until a week ago. Let me explain.
In an effort to delete unnecessary expenses, I began to investigate how I could trim my cell phone bill. The data plan was right in the middle of the bullseye. After some online research, I deactivated my Blackberry and began to use an old Palm Treo that had been in the drawer for some time.
This of course coincided with a simple realization: I don't like surfing the Internet on a small screen. With a laptop five feet away nearly all the time, why would I want to torture my eyes with my Blackberry? I'm sure if I traveled more or was on the road I would feel differently. Thankfully, my work is pretty localized.
Not to mention I could save nearly $400 a year without a data plan.
So that's what I did, venturing off without my Blackberry and with the Treo. Interestingly, I fell in love again with the old girl. Sure, the Treo is a little overweight and is beyond her years but she's nice in the hand and has an uber-simple operating system. Sort of like an old car, a few scrapes don't really make a difference. If it falls on the floor- what's the big deal?
I then inputted five phone numbers- that's it. The calendar and other information would have to be accessed by my laptop. Streamlined for sure.
After a week into my experiment, some realizations:
- I don't get that many phone calls. I'm not complaining about this, mind you.
- There are no emergencies that arrive via email. If someone really needs to reach me, they can find my by phone. This has happened only once in the last ten years.
- I don't miss my Blackberry.
While this experiment was taking place, I've been reading Tim Ferris' The Four Hour Workweek. In this best seller, Ferris preaches what he calls the "low information diet". He writes:
"Just as modern man consumes both too many calories and calories of no nutritional value, information workers eat data both in excess and from the wrong sources."
Was I one of those gluttons for information? Did I really need 30 blogs in my Google Reader? As is often the case, trial and error is a powerful teacher.
My experience has been great so far. I don't miss the RSS reading, the emails while I'm waiting in traffic or the preoccupation with having an expensive device in my pocket. My only regret- that I didn't streamline sooner.
Photo by velcr0
Tim Wilson
August 22, 2008 at 8:18 am
Hmmmmm, I think you are right. I have too many feeds in my reader. Which ones should I drop first
Just kidding!
I have had to trim them down quite a bit, and it still needs to go further. I am also a bb addict, and need to work away from that. But most of all I get in trouble by getting side-tracked on the internet. What starts as a simple search for info I need all too often ends up being a time wasting endeavor. If I could only find the solution.
I have been looking and thinking about reading the Four Hour Work Week. I need to clear some other items so I can do that.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Chris
August 22, 2008 at 12:45 pm
That’s a good start.
Next move: set aside a day or two each week to go fully unplugged. No Palm, no laptop—nothing.
John Tuttle
August 25, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Hey Mike, why did you revert back to your old site design on mikestpierre.com? I really liked it!
DanGTD
August 26, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I don’t even check my email in the morning, I usually start working on something important. It seems to me that if the first thing I do is check the email, it’s like you start the day on somebody else’s agenda, not on your own. I check the email only after 2 or three hours of work.
Mike St. Pierre
August 28, 2008 at 5:24 am
Thanks everyone for your comments on this post- I think that Tim Ferris, although slightly overbearing at times, is on to something profound.
Stop back often,
Mike
Mike St. Pierre
August 28, 2008 at 5:25 am
@John,
Not sure what you mean about the MSP.com site- are you seeing something in your browser that I’m not?
Mike
LJ
August 28, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Excellent take on simplifying. I am working to simplify all of my systems…both eliminating and streamlining. I recently made the discovery that on vacation, I don’t need my Palm, because I don’t need anything other than my calendar and contacts, which I can load into my iPod.
Mike St. Pierre
August 28, 2008 at 5:54 pm
LJ, great point. Sometimes the PALM isn’t even necessary- not a bad realization…
Stop back often, Mike