Unplugging

Today was a significant day for me.  I went to the office and filled a large, large bin full of old papers.  I made space for my colleague Tori who will be using the office while I am gone.

As I have been preparing for this sabbatical I have known that I need to unplug from the deluge of e-mail that comes through my WSU account every day.  I have faced that thought with a fair bit of trepidation.  I really enjoy e-mail.  I also know how much time it takes.  I felt like I was losing a friend (my inanimate e-mail) at first and then like I was losing many friends (my dear colleagues with whom I enjoy working with at a distance).  I got over that soon enough and realized that it was a privilege to give myself the space to do something new and different.

So, today I left an out of office message on my phone after a few unsuccessful tries.  I put the "on sabbatical" automatic response on my WSU account and then I went off-line for mail on that account on all three of my mobile devices - my laptop, my iPad and my iPhone.  Wow!  It takes a lot to disconnect.  Of course I still have this blog and I have a FB account and a personal e-mail or two (and text messaging).  I am going to have fun disconnecting with the plethora of e-ads I receive from LL Bean, Lands End, Nordstrom etc.  Part of the learning in the first week of this sabbatical leave will be the simplification of my electronic life!  I have already decided NOT to post news of the sabbatical on FB and hope that some folks will subscribe to this humble blog.

So the web will be less complicated for awhile but still there and when I do take a pause to check that account I will be grateful that I am not plugged in full time.

Cheers!