It’s the end of my lazy days. My week and a half digital sabbatical is over. Well, technically it was over on Monday but I didn’t post about it then. I kinda figured that gift clutter post I put up instead would be emergency rations for some folks who still had presents spewed about their living rooms. So I decided to put that one up and then talk about the sabbatical today.
The sabbatical was great. It’s the first one I’ve taken in years. Even on vacations I’d hook up to the internet at times so a full week and a half away from the Digital Internet God was a good one. I disconnected from cyberspace and reconnected with living-in-the-flesh people around me.
What did I learn? Any life-altering revelations? Well, I did learn that it is possible for me to disconnect from my computer. I found myself being more present with the people around me, and I was even able to engage in an 8 hour marathon conversation. It was epic. (For details on parts of that conversation keep your eye out for Dr. O’s One Room Minimalist Living, a post coming to your Minimalist Packrat theater soon.)
I also learned that it is possible to pack up, move and do a thorough cleanout of a house in under 2 days of work. Wowsa! It actually just took a few hours to pack and move and then I did a 5 hour clean-up the next day (I like to be thorough. That place was scrubbed waaaay cleaner than when we moved in…. fridge drawers and all.) It was our fastest move ever. Not much of a statement if you knew that it used to take me two or three months of preparation to move in the past (during my previous packrat era). What a joy it was this time! I will never fear moving again, as long as I stay this minimalist!
The sabbatical also gave me a chance to visit friends and family, take in the Christmas lights at a local botanical gardens, cause a ruckus with my relatives (a happy ruckus), and check out the newly opened Chihuly Art Museum in Saint Petersburg, Florida.
I did have itchy fingers during my time away though. I found myself wanting to get online and was amazed that it took a fair bit of self-control to “just say no”. All in all it was an amazing experience. Amazing because I did have enough self-control to disconnect, and amazing because it gave me time to reflect on the year gone by and make plans for the new one rising to take its place.
So if you’re thinking digital sabbatical and haven’t done one, I can’t recommend it enough. My future plans will be a minimum of two per year, kind of like fasting from food, digital fasting proved powerful as well!
So now I’m done lazing about eating too many Christmas snacks and I’ve got some treats in store for you. I had a chance to take some shots during my sabbatical and I’ve got 2 upcoming posts that are going to delight you. The first is Dr. O and his minimalist studio apartment. There are a dozen shots of everything from his pantry to his neatly folded socks along with an interview I managed to sneak in. The second post is a pots and pan cleanout of a grandiose nature. I found myself a willing decluttering victim, oops, I mean volunteer, took a page from my upcoming 30 Day Clutter Boot Camp book and put it into action. You’ll see a photo journal of the process we took to turn a kitchen nightmare into a kitchen dream.
And…. drum roll….. I’ve been putting the finishing touches on the 30 Day Clutter Boot Camp. It will be arriving in stores worldwide (well, at least here on the Minimalist Packrat site) on or around January 1st. A thousand thanks go out to my trusty and generous advance readers who have shared some wonderful insights with me, caught little typos, and steered me towards making it the best work I possibly could. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Last but not least during my sabbatical, not only did we move out of our place, but as I mentioned before, we moved in with Patrick’s momma Cora to help her out with bills. I’m pleased as punch to announce that so far it’s been smooth sailing. I’ll post lots of details in the future, just know for now that even Sunny and Callie (two doggies, one hers, one ours) are settling in to multi-family living. They’ve put up the laurel wreath and declared a truce. Here are they are now trucing away!
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Disclaimer: This doggie truce was produced by carefully positioning a big chunky strip of Happy Hips dog treats in one hand just above the camera while the other hand took the shot.
p.s. Sunny wanted me to let you know the reindeer ears don’t belong to her. She’s a true minimalist. She only borrowed them from Cora for a few moments so she could have her beauty shot taken.
…Just glad to have you back!! Sometimes a break is good and refreshing!
Hi Mostly Sunny, It’s great to be back! The break was incredible though. I really had never been off my computer for a week and a half stretch since I first got a computer. That was what… back in 1999?!?!! So now I’m a confirmed believer! I vow to never go a whole decade between digital sabbaticals again!
Cheers,
Tanja
Happy to hear you are all settled and that your move went smoothly. I hope that my next move, whenever it comes, will be that way too with all my minimizing, decluttering efforts.
Hi Bliss,
I’m sure your next move (whenever) will be fantubulous! I actually can’t believe the difference. It was literally night and day the difference from before to now. I always started planning about 6 months ahead with a solid 3 months of packing little things in boxes before the big day. This in contrast was a breeze! Glad to see your cutie Rockefeller looking so snug and cozy… and that your flu is all better now!
Cheers,
Tanja
Hi Tanja,
I’m glad you’re back, glad you had a good break, glad you got so much done, and glad you reaffirmed the value of having less stuff. Mostly I’m glad you’re back and look forward to your upcoming posts.
I never really thought about it before, but I guess dogs are like the ultimate minimalists aren’t they? My girls each have a collar and a food bowl. Oh, wait… then there is the water bowl, they each have a couple of blankets they sleep on, then there is the basket of toys in the play room. Hmmm… never mind! :-)
Allan I think dogs are the ultimate minimalists! of course it depends on how many toys they have in that play room of theirs… My Sunny wants nothing more than food and 2 comfy beds just for her, but she’s outgrown the puppy years where toys excited her.
I have been thinking about taking a digital sabbatical quite a bit. Right now it still feels like I’d be cutting off a limb so I’m not sure a week and a half is really possible, I gotta start smaller. My plan has been to go camping at least once a month and I think i’ll try going without any connected devices. Just spend the days hiking or swimming or just sitting around and looking at nature. it sounds like a blast!
~Scott
P.S. I’m excited for your book launch, I hope you got my 2nd e-mail in time.
Hey Scott,
Camping every month… now that sounds wonderful! But don’t you live in New York? That would be some chilly camping for my sissy self! Hmmm maybe I’m just trying to justify my unused camping gear that I insist isn’t clutter but hasn’t been pulled out in way too long! I do recommened a sabbatical though. It was incredible. Even if you just take 2 or 3 days away it will really shift your mindset!
Cheers,
Tanja
I forgot to add, I did get your second email. I responded with a second email (then a third when the final edition was ready) of my own, maybe you didn’t get it?
That is cool that it only took you a couple of hours to pack and move! I am no where near that yet! One day we want to live from an RV so I will slowly get to that point!
Glad you enjoyed the sabbatical! I didn’t really take one, but I did go for hours at a time, even while home, not on the computer!
I am gearing up for my own 8 week journey to balance on my blog, so I have a lot of work to do!
Bernice
http://livingthebalancedlife.com/2010/the-year-2010-what-did-work/
Ooooh, rv living, that sounds like it will be exciting times! I had some friends who did that. They rv’d for 10 or 15 years and then just recently settled down with a house again. They loved it! They split their time for the most part between Arkansas in the summers and New Mexico/Florida for the winters. It’s something I aspire to, being able to shift locations depending on the seasons!
I’ll have to check out your big 8 week journey. You said just enough to leave a big mystery in the air. Ahhh, Wednesday is when everything settles down on my front. The Brighthouse guy comes and installs multi-computer hook-ups in the house. (No more sneaking in moments in my mother-in-laws bedroom to get online!) That’s the day I’ll be heading over to check out your big journey!
Tanja
Hehe!! Doggies in antlers!!! They have no idea…….;)
Congratulations on the new chapter in your life!! I love how circumstances work out to challenge and expand our experiences….to think that this would have been so difficult just several years ago!! What a testimony to minimalism as well as listening to that inner voice!! :)
And yea….my digital sabbaticals have only come by default ie. too busy. But on the times I’ve told myself “no computer today” …..DANG it was hard to stay away!! And it seemed as much a physical compulsion as it was some weird mental need……it’s disturbing to recall, really……
Glad to have you back!! :)
Yes, doggie antlers, and let me tell you the doggie did not approve! She was patient with me though, but they were only on for about 3 minutes while I snapped shots!
I know what you mean about the digital compulsions/needs. It’s such an ingrained part of our society to be “hooked up” all the time and computers really haven’t been around that long yet. I can’t imagine what it will be like 100 years from now! I love mine and wouldn’t give it up but the sababtical was very, very cool and I’m definitely doing it again.
It’s good to be back!
Tanja
Hi Tanja
I cant wait for the 30 Day Clutter Bootcamp!! You must have read my mind because it is just perfect timing. I just agreed to move in with others as well, my boyfriend and I are moving in together into a house that already has 3 people in it. This will bring great benefits, mostly that I will have more money to go into my Travel and SCUBA diving Fund. But I can forsee a definite challenge as well.
I’m already eyeing off the DVDs/ books/ clothes I can sell, and googling my city’s nearest swapmarts.
Nice to have you back!!!
Hey Mia, the bootcamp is officially launched! Looks like you could use it too, 5 people in one house!
Ah but the benefits, the Travel fund and the Scuba fund! Those are two good reasons to share households and expenses. I’d love to here how your experience unfolds with the new living arrangement. I’m going to do a post soon on mine, now that it’s been a few weeks.
Tanja
I sort of took took a sabbatical. I do horse show photography & was gone for 6 days between Christmas & New Year’s. I was on the computer, but not online, as all my photos are loaded for competitors to view during the show & purchase. I was only online bits at a time to post show results as my hubby and daughter were showing as well. Now I’ll be living online & on my computer as it will take me a week to upload all the 5000+ photos to my website so I can take orders. Kinda makes it nice to have taken a break. LOL
Kathy,
Congrats on taking a “sort-of-sabbatical”!!! 5,000 photos. Wow. I can only imagine how long that must take. I spend (typically) at least a good 40 hours a week (sometimes 60) working on my websites and now the blog, and I’ve never undertaken a project as big as a 5,000 photo upload. Woooo! I think you’ll deserve a real sabbatical after that!
That sounds like such a fun way to make your income though, horse show photography. It always amazes me the different paths people take. You sound like quite the entrepeneur carving out your own niche! Link to your site please! Now I want to see all those pretty horses…
Cheers,
Tanja
After your lazy days of sabbatical, I got just plain lazy in keeping up with your blog. Lots of exciting stuff to catch up on, I know I’m in for a treat. And a belated welcome back to you! :)