As the internet becomes more and more integrated within our lives, it gets harder and harder to effectively maintain both the online and offline parts of life. Online you may be the go-to vegan girl, with constant tweets, tips, and tricks on the best ways to get organic, meatless nutrition. Offline, however, you may be the girl managing a social life, trying to earn an honest day’s pay, or watching your favorite sitcom.
Maintaining the balance is difficult for most people. It can prove pretty challenging to try and be two people at once. Believe me, I know.
In my case, I’m a student of college (more so of life), and balancing my life and work has proven to be an interesting new experience. I’m on the computer less, but that doesn’t mean I let my online relationships grow stale. I hang out with friends, but I don’t ditch them in order to be the first to comment on another person’s blog.
But this wasn’t the case over the summer.
During that time, I was usually online from 8 in the morning to around midnight (sometimes until morning) with a few hour’s break spread out over the course of the entire day. And while it was an eye-opening experience to be blogging nearly full-time, I’ve learned that being online all day sucks.
Whenever someone had a new blog post, I’d open it up along with ten other things I wanted to read. It was insane. I turned into one of those guys whose eyes barely blinked and just stared at the screen absorbing information. Little did I know that I would soon absorb a massive headache. (Ouch.)
Although I’ll never do that again in my life, I’ve learned something important.
Being online is now the norm
These days, it seems like everything has the internet on it. Cellphones, PDAs, laptops, you name it. You might have on a puzzled look right about now, but around a decade or so ago, these things didn’t come with Internet.
Our lives are in a sense, starting to come with the internet. It’s going to keep integrating into our personal lives, and (unless you’re Amish) there’s no way of stopping it.
However, just because we the internet won’t let up in its pursuit of our personal lives, doesn’t mean we have to give them up so easily.
What most of us do
We try and adapt too much. We’re on the phone with our friends while on Twitter and Facebook at the same time. A zillion tabs are open on our web browsers. We decide that the online and offline are and must be two separate things.
What we should do
Integrate them, but not so much that one takes over the other. I’m college right now. I should be too drunk to write anything or too busy having a life to care about the friends I’ve made online, right? (Thankfully, both of these are false).
I once believed that my online and offline lives were separate. I know now both of these lives contain real people (at least I hope they are). As far as I’m concerned, the close relationships I’ve cultivated online are only different from my offline friends in the sense that I’m not speaking to them face to face. Yes, we’re separated by a screen, but does that mean I should value them less or more than my offline buds?
Why not combine the online and offline in a way that which one doesn’t overlap the other? We don’t have to unplug from the internet and miss out on new experiences. And we don’t have to let the internet take over our lives.
What do you do to maintain the balance?
photo credit: timparkinson
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16 comments to “Difficulties Maintaining the Balance Between “Online and Offline””
I know what it feels like to sit on the net from morning to night – it sucks. Besides the massive headaches and feeling like your eyes are burning out your head it also sucks when it’s a really nice day outside. TURN IT OFF
Great post! Definitely don’t waste your college years being drunk… I did that and totally regret it! I agree that we should have a balance between online life and offline life, and this is something I really need to work on. I used to hardly ever be online, but now it’s all I do! I need to work on getting a balance back into my life. Thanks for this reminder!
Interesting ideas. It’s funny because many top personal development bloggers like Leo Babuta mention that you shouldn’t spend too much time online. I try to limit myself to a few hours a day because I prefer real human interaction. But, I think you’ve made some great points.
How do I maintain the balance…?
* If I’m talking/chatting with some-One, then I am focused on that some-One.
* Breaks to stretch are a chance to do a domestic chore; space makes me happy.
* Gardening~ online work is sustainable, now for my food. And, I have the chance to create more beauty around me~ AfriGadget.com guides my discovery of treasures I have around my home to create my shamba.
* My companions need walks, cuddles, play time, bathing, feeding, just time together…
* When a friend/family need my ear, shoulder, hand, company I make myself available (within reason).
* Hike, bike, write & delight in the tropical paradise I call home.
~:-)
@Faramarz – Turn it off, enough said. I know, I hate it when my eyes hurt from staring at the computer on a nice sunny day. Well, we’ve learned our lesson, haven’t we?
@Dani – I’ll gladly take your advice Dani
Don’t worry, I don’t plan on being so drunk as to disconnect from the internet completely. I love that you put your heart and soul into connecting, but you have to take a break from the net sometimes. Taking in some sun will make you all the more positive
@Srinivas – Treat all people as one and the same. I don’t recommend treating your friends online like they’re just ‘part of the internet’. They’re people too and should be treated as such. But to each their own I guess…
Glad you learned from another perspective.
@Char – Hey Char, and welcome. It’s great that you find balance in the things you love regardless of whether they reside online or offline. See you around soon!
Hi John,
Great post! 8 in the morning to midnight??? Ouch!!
Your body likes change, so sitting there all day will wreck it for sure. Good for you to get out and about! Enjoy! Live! Participate!
I also agree that my cyber friends are every bit real friends, except for the hugs, of course. Keep on keeping on, and thanks for making this cyber point. (~xo!)
Hi John!
I’ve seen your comments on so many of the blogs I read – I was totally attracted to your blog title and HAD to stop in and read it.
Balance – wow – yeah I became totally chained to my computer bopping around the blogosphere, day meltng into night, ignoring my LIFE – I guess that’s why I wanted to read your post! It is something that, yes, we are all struggling with the more and more connected we become with “screens” – my ultimate fear of the future, that we become too good at screen communication and loose the personal in-your-face skills! And yet here I am!
I’ve had to have a good talk with myself about this!
I’m on a quest for balance too! Thank you for sharing – and REMINDING me – Balance is key to everything!
Hugs
suZen
Hey John, this is a subject that everyone should be concerned about. As you said. it’s a question of balance. One thing I have learned is that in every aspect of life, balance is the hardest thing.
Being aware of the need for balance is the first step. The rest comes from finding what works for you personally. Circumstances and obligations change all the time, so it’s not about finding balance once and then you are set.
All of life is a balancing act and being able to see the big picture is how we are able to discern what needs to be adjusted to maintain our balance.
John, great post and much needed. I used to feel guilty about the amount of time I spent on the net doing business, however, like you say, I have managed to incorporate it into my life instead of it taking over.
Meeting people like yourself has certainly made plugging in a worthwhile experience.
Its just a simple balance of online and offline activities. Working at the computer , but don’t allow it to neglect from your personal life. Without balance we fall into mental traps filled with anxiety.
Its great to see your finding balance in your life. But i too am guilty of this actuality. The past 4 weeks i went out side only 5 times for a minimum of 2 hours in total. So i go to take my own advice and keep a natural balance.
Goddamn social media is eating me alive.
@Lori – Hey Lori! Thanks for stopping by.
Yeah, what I was doing wasn’t too smart. I was doing the 100 push challenge, so I wasn’t completely idle. Never doing that again, though.
I’m glad we see eye to eye on the fact that people are still people no matter where they are. Love your insight
@suzen – Hey Suzen and welcome to my humble blog! I really like the title of your blog, “Erasing the bored”. Quite catchy, if I say so myself
I’m also glad that we have the same taste in blogs. I try to read them as much as my time allows for and try to leave something that adds value to the conversation instead of just saying “Great post so-and-so”.
I really like all of your insights. I’m off the computer much more now, since I’m currently in college, but I still have time to balance my life off and online.
Hope you come back soon, Suzen! I’d hug you back too, but you know, the “screens”
@Jonathan W. – Hey my friend! You’ve made plenty of important insights regarding balance and how to maintain it. We have to realize that the balance and the tactics to maintain it are always changing. It’s something we should keep in mind in all of our lives.
@Steven – Thanks Steven! Meeting people like you have opened my eyes. I always say if I never went online and found people that I resonate with, I would have never gotten the courage to truly change my life. Nine to five once controlled my destiny. But this time it’s different…
Online and offline truly feel one and the same. Thanks again
@Jonathan F. – Since you’re a kid, I recommend writing on the blog, but definitely don’t let it consume your life. I let it consume my summer – don’t make the same mistake I did. Thanks for your insights.
Please go outside
OMG, I got laid off early in the summer and did exactly the same thing. Working on my blog, reading others, doing a zillion emails, facebook, etc. The whole day would go by and I felt like I had not accomplished anything real.
Now I am working again at a much more demanding job than my last one. So I find I must be disciplined and organized in ref to internet and email.
Great post. I appreciate your well thought out tips.
@Erin Wow, you’ve been through a lot of changes over the summer. I’m glad things are much better for you now. Yes, don’t drown yourself in email and social networking. Find a balance – combine both the online and offline if you want to. That’s what’s worked for me
I wish you all the best in your goals. Just keep moving forward, Erin
Hi John, nice article. I don’t think it makes a lot of sense anymore to talk about “online” vs “offline” lives. You can have obsessive and unhealthy behaviors in either domain. The key is to have a healthy and balanced life. Technology has blurred the distinction between online and offline.
Balance takes practice. You never get it right at first, but if you really work at being present both online and offline, you learn to be in the moment and fully experience both.
You’ll find times when one dominates the other, but remember the key is to find the balance that is right for you, not necessarily to achieve 50/50…