Let It Go

Professionally and personally, it's been a busy week for me, with more time spent away from my computer and my desk than normal.

At week's end, a dreary day turned into a rainy, chilly day, with little extraneous distraction. I could stay at my desk, catching up on the correspondence, the websites and the blogs that make up my usual reading.

It has been a busy week in the worlds of business, politics and pop culture, so there were a number of articles which caught my interest. Additionally, the friends and acquaintances which populate the social networking sites I frequent had been very busy this week, posting pictures and links and videos at a sprightly pace.

So I had an array of material to peruse and digest. And as is the case with web surfing, each article provided additional links that beckoned and demanded further examination.

As morning turned to afternoon and evening, I stayed focused on the computer screen, with only a few brief breaks. Each time I refreshed the home page of each site, I revealed more material. Phone calls and other interruptions brought a sense of irritation, even anxiety, as I began to worry how I ever would get through all the material I wanted to, needed to absorb.

Finally I realized: This Is Nutz.

One of the defining characteristics of the new millennium is information overload. Each day, we all must decide whether we will let our information choices work for us, or bury us. It is a very personal task of setting appropriate boundaries for ourselves, so that we can prioritize and make time for those things we need to do and want to do, with the people we want to be with.

I had let the fast current of information sweep me up like a storm surge, leaving me gasping for breath. It was a situation of my own creation. I had chosen it.

And I could chose to let it go.

I'll be shutting down the computer. For now. Taking a deep breath, connecting with the larger world. Getting some some badly-needed perspective.

Which should help when I resume my electronic connections tomorrow.