smart computer use?

Heavy computer users tend to start to do everything on a digital level if possible. I do it. I’m not sure why exactly, but I’m constantly finding that it is more efficient and easier to do things if I use a computer, which is probably 80% of the reason.

The Daily Digital Grind

As a result, here’s the most common things I do from day to day, and all involve heavy use of a computer:

• Work
• Listen to music
• Produce music
• Play video games
• Watch movies
• Accounting & Finances
• Blogging
• Checking the weather
• Reading news
• Managing my schedule
• Communicating with clients and co-workers

Here’s a few of the things that don’t involve use of a computer that I tend to do from day to day:

• Sleep
• Shower
• Eat
• Disc golfing (in the summer only)
• Maintaining my aquarium (however my aquarium logging software is computer based)
• Driving to and from the office
• Going to the gym

Haha, I could probably go on and on, but this gets my point across.

So, even when I’m not working, a lot of my free time is also spent using the computer. This is probably not a good thing! It just so happens that a lot of my hobbies fall into the “able to do it on a computer” category.

Getting Non-Digital

After realizing this overwhelming use of digital resources for work and play, I started focusing on introducing non-digital stuff into my life. Why? Just because I can, but also the need to mix it up I guess.

What’s one of the first things I did?

I bought a Banjo and am going to learn how to play that.

It’s not digital. I can’t plug it into an amplifier or hook it up via USB to my computer. I can play it anywhere, including in the middle of the woods with no power source within miles of my location. This is a good step in a non-digital direction. The sound is raw, compared to the computer-based synthesizers and drum machines I am used to playing with. I also don’t need to be in my studio to play it. I can play it anywhere. I can sit on the porch and hammer out some bluegrass at will. Well I gotta practice a bit more before I’m hammering out bluegrass at will, but you get the idea.

I’ve only had the Banjo for a couple days, but I already like being able to go home at night and pluck away on the Banjo, forgetting that I was even involved with marvelous technology for the last 10 hrs of the day.

The non-digital sound, the natural feel of the simple yet complex instrument, it’s a great break from overwhelming computer use in daily life.

Sometimes mixing in a lot more non-digital stuff will make your daily computer usage seem like less of a grind, and you might even regain some appreciation for computers, assuming you have started to take their usefulness for granted. I know that using computers less myself makes me appreciate them more, which is why I try to get away from computers from time-to-time if possible.

How’s Your Non-Digital Outlook?

Are you ever feeling overwhelmed by the digital nature of modern society? You probably are to some degree. Take a look at your day to day life and make sure that you get some non-digital stuff going from day to day, especially if you rely on computers as much as I do.

Don’t forget that music doesn’t need to be digital, vinyl records are fun to have around for something different. Want to learn to play guitar? Try acoustic first.

Some more examples:

• Want to get into more art related hobbies? Buy oil paints or get into woodcarving instead of using Photoshop more than you already do at work.
• Woodcarving is a nice alternative to a 3-D modeling hobby, for something more physical in nature (might be a stretch but helps make a point).
• Do you like to play online first-person shooter games? How about getting involved with paintball? That’s another very fun non-digital alternative.
• Try writing a letter to your parents every now and then, rather than trying to get them to use email more often. It’s a nice change of pace.

You get the idea. I’m not saying all digital stuff is bad, but I’m learning from experience that I should probably mix it up a bit to feel well rounded as a human being.