I mention this because I’ve lately found the same thing happening with social networking. The worst thing about it is that I’m not networking. I’m not the type of personality who “networks”, I’m just wasting time in front of the computer. Example: I have 5 blogs and I spend more time writing comments on other people’s blogs than on developing my own.

I have recently made a vow to myself that I will turn off the computer when the guys come home from school and not check anything until they go to bed.

My 10-year old son really hit home when he said, in response to my question about a poor homework grade, “Well, I was going to ask you for help with my homework, but you’re always on your computer.” Ouch.

Is having so much access to a computer (and to work) a good thing, or is it a bad thing? I think it depends on the blogger and his/her ability to actually have boundaries — one of those boundaries being not allowing work cut into his time w/ his family. In other words, even in the blogging world you can maintain balance — set boundaries, have rules and guidelines. You must have good time management. You must decide when you will work, when you’ll stop to eat, when you’ll eat with the family, how late you’re willing to stay up, etc. You also need to decide when you will spend time with your family giving them undivided attention.

When one has established these basic types of guidelines, and knows pretty well what his boundaries are, he should be able to have a happy family life. It even enables some to work at home who would never have had that chance, and would now be taking their children off to babysitter.

So having access to today’s technology and the ability to work at home is actually a good thing. For example, one can actually be closer to his/her family if he blogs at home, b/c he can spend more time with his family.

Again, it’s all if one has well set out guidelines for himself. And whether one has the willingness and ability to stick to the guidelines of a healthy lifestyle for himself and for his family.

So yes, I’d say if you’re disciplined, the technology of today is a plus! If you don’t discipline yoursef, and are without guidelines, you make many around you sad because you are not participating in the life that is going on right around you. So in the end, it depends on the individual, and how he handles his freedoms.

krissy knox :)
my main blog: Sometimes I Think
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/iamkrissy

turns out the virtual world isn’t that different from the physical world.

In my past life (Pre-Self Employment) I fell victim to a life without balance- and the consequences of always being plugged into my business took a heavy toll both personally and professionally. I learned LONG ago, that no business relationship is more important than the one I have with myself and my loved ones.

Period.

I love Social Media as much as the next guy, AND I also feel that everything in life must be experienced in moderation. Yet, moderating Social Media is a difficult task. During the day it can be considered “working/networking” and during our times off it can be considered “connecting/interacting”, and before we know it, we’ve spent more face time with our “Friend’s List” than we have with our spouse, children or in-person friends.

An important question to ask ourselves no matter the vice:

- Is this interfering with other parts of my life/Are other parts of my life suffering because of this?

The tricky part is pulling ourselves away from the computer long enough to take inventory on the state of affairs in the rest of our life, and to be willing to answer that question honestly.

Would love to read how successful bloggers manage to write and promote and still make time for real life.

Now we have to tell everyone what we are doing it, when we are doing it, where we are doing it and why we are doing it.
The follow me Twitter can be an additive and a BIG TIME sucker! Each one of these new Internet tools is like a Hot new Night Club, here today gone tomorrow, and then replaced with something else. Try giving it up and have a meaningful communication. Somewhere along the Internet highway, we fell under the spell that more communication is better communication. Sometimes more communication is just noise.

I’m not saying I don’t get out an live my life, but the virtual world is a big part of my life. It gives me a lot of freedom, and has turned me into something I’ve always wanted to be – the eternal student.

The ability to edit your interaction with others.

~ If you don’t want to respond to someone, it isn’t necessary.
~ Your comment can be combed over, thought through, edited for maximum impact and….. then send it.
~ You can communicate even when in the powder room (that’s addiction)
~ You can block/allow anyone you want
~ You can just unplug if you want to

Social media provides two needs at the same time, community and privacy.

Just don’t let it rule your life. Hold on while I towel off.