Connectivity Versus Productivity: I Report, You Decide

If you had to choose between connectivity and productivity, which way would the balance shift?

I’m afraid I’ve become a slave to connectivity. And boy, does my productivity suffer because of it. I probably have adult ADHD, or at least the AD part. I’m thinking my attention span isn’t long enough to fully embrace the AD and the HD at the same time. Sigh.

I love the Internet. I really do. And I’m so in love with email that I might as well—as my father would suggest—marry it.

But along with some other needed changes I’m making in my life, including sacrificing the viewing of Lost for the sake of recapturing some Lost Time, I’m going to be self-limiting my connectivity.

I’ve got dreams and goals and things I’m supposed to be accomplishing with what’s left of my ever-shortening lifespan.

Am I really a better person because I spent two weeks of my life soaking up Katrina coverage? How about that week after Christmas, glued to the news day and night after the tsunami? Sure, I wrote a couple checks for relief efforts, but I’d be fooling myself to say my obsession with bad news makes me a more useful citizen of God’s kingdom.

To be honest, I’m trembling a bit just thinking about tipping the scale toward productivity. I’m a bloomin’ connectivity addict, and I need help!

Just so you know.

Posted by Katy on 10/25/05 at 09:58 PM

Fallible Comments...

And I'll just go ahead and say it here first. I will not be partaking of the next season of American Idol. I stop caring about any of the contestants the MINUTE the season ends, so why should I give them so many hours of my life???? You tell me!
Posted by Katy on 10/25/05 at 10:11 PM
Isn't it amazing how addictive "screens" are? I wonder what they "stared" at before TV and Computer Screens? I know they were busy, but did they ever get lost in "staring" at anything? Hummmmm . . . guess I'm tryin' to make myself feel better! HAHAHA I'm not so addicted to TV - don't really watch it much at all. When my kids are with their Daddy I have to remember to turn it on. But my computer . . . ahhhhh . . . now that's a different story!!!
Posted by Ame on 10/26/05 at 12:44 AM
I had a computer addiction problem also... God cured me (mostly) of it last summer when He took my computer away for over a month. (We had major problems with it and had to send it back to the manufacturer.) Once I was out of the habit of getting on the computer every time I walked by the office, I was okay. I am thankful for that forced computer vacation-- I couldn't have done it on my own. (o:
Posted by Pattie on 10/26/05 at 12:54 AM
You're not the only one. I find it necessary to go on self-imposed fasts from certain technologies from time to time. It cleanses our minds, purges everything to give us a clean slate.
Posted by Hope Wilbanks on 10/26/05 at 08:22 AM
What? Is this some kind of an epidemic in the blogworld? Or is it just God trying to rub it on my face... *blush*
Posted by eija on 10/26/05 at 09:57 AM
Our most potent weapon of discipline is the threat to make the teenage son "Amish" for a week. :) One friend who uses the same threat only has to ask, "Are you WANTING to change religions?" to get a behavior change.
Funny how the homework gets done then....
As for what people stared at before there were screens, I've spent a fair amount of time just staring at the wall on different exhausted occasions.
I haven't posted for quite a long time, Katy, but continue to enjoy your writing. God bless your time.
Posted by Anne on 10/26/05 at 10:16 PM
amen, katy and hope. c recently took the tv out of the bedroom for some purpose, and at first it seemed strange to go to bed without the half hour, hour of news coverage, etc...but it took only a few days to regard it as a peace, an opportunity to think, reflect, pray instead. i've also taken to closing my eyes on the elliptical machine at the y, seeing at it has both handrails and a flashing television in front of it :).
Posted by lisa on 10/27/05 at 02:09 PM
I love all your responses!! Thank you. I have turned off the talk radio in the car, and have gotten more praying done while driving than has happened in YEARS. And Lord knows I've got plenty to pray about! Even reading was starting to fall by the wayside because of the demands on my time, and without books, I'm miserable! But, hey, cut out some of the mindless TV (which I use like a drug, to decompress...) and now I have recaptured the joy of reading! Small steps, little changes, very significant results!

Anne Krause--I've missed you!
Posted by Katy on 10/27/05 at 06:06 PM
Follow your dreams, Katy. Don't worry about us. We'll be sitting here patiently waiting for your next inspirational post. We don't mind being relegated like childhood toys to the attic. We'll be here whenever you get nostalgic for your once-useful legion of admirers.
Posted by Michael O'Connor on 10/28/05 at 01:59 AM
Number Three Of The Four Michaels Who Comment Here--Very funny!!! If you'll notice, I did NOT say anything about a "fast" from blogging, per se. Cutting back on TV and talk radio are the two biggies thus far. And Russell Stovers Sugar-Free Chocolate, although that's not exactly a tech addiction. But I LOVE you people...I don't think I'm ready to cut out the blogging just yet. :)
Posted by Katy on 10/28/05 at 02:53 AM
Everyone before me has made excellent points, and I agree most especially with the "follow your dreams, follow your heart" sentiments. However, I would also hasten to add that productivity comes in many forms. Your connectivity, and therefore the inspiration of your writing, is merely one more form of meaningful productivity in my book.
Posted by Jennifer on 10/28/05 at 12:33 PM
Jennifer, You are so right. Without the connection to readers, what would blogging be? Just one more way to remain frustratingly unpublished! Readers definitely inspire writers to write--it's the most wonderful kind of connection!

By the way, I'm reading your blog and SO ENVY your organizational prowess. I need lessons! :)
Posted by Katy on 10/28/05 at 02:17 PM

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Personal blog of christian writer & fallible mom Katy McKenna Raymond in Kansas City, Missouri Katy is represented by Greg Johnson at WordServe Literary Read more Katy at LateBoomer.net Follow Katy on Twitter Follow Katy on Facebook 123 Recent Posts Try Becoming Brenda Starr Off Beat Scattered That’s It So I’ve Finally Signed With An Agent. Now What? The Spoon Sciatica Sweetheart A Woman’s Train of Thought Has No Caboose However much we own, we are all still living on borrowed time After all, when restaurants shrink portions, they don’t shrink prices. As with everything in life, balance is key. Slow down, you move too fast… Yeah, I know. I have issues. Search Advanced Search Syndicate Login E me at katy @ ngenius.com	Connectivity Versus Productivity: I Report, You Decide If you had to choose between connectivity and productivity, which way would the balance shift? I’m afraid I’ve become a slave to connectivity. And boy, does my productivity suffer because of it. I probably have adult ADHD, or at least the AD part. I’m thinking my attention span isn’t long enough to fully embrace the AD and the HD at the same time. Sigh. I love the Internet. I really do. And I’m so in love with email that I might as well—as my father would suggest—marry it. But along with some other needed changes I’m making in my life, including sacrificing the viewing of Lost for the sake of recapturing some Lost Time, I’m going to be self-limiting my connectivity. I’ve got dreams and goals and things I’m supposed to be accomplishing with what’s left of my ever-shortening lifespan. Am I really a better person because I spent two weeks of my life soaking up Katrina coverage? How about that week after Christmas, glued to the news day and night after the tsunami? Sure, I wrote a couple checks for relief efforts, but I’d be fooling myself to say my obsession with bad news makes me a more useful citizen of God’s kingdom. To be honest, I’m trembling a bit just thinking about tipping the scale toward productivity. I’m a bloomin’ connectivity addict, and I need help! Just so you know. Posted by Katy on 10/25/05 at 09:58 PM Fallible Comments... And I'll just go ahead and say it here first. I will not be partaking of the next season of American Idol. I stop caring about any of the contestants the MINUTE the season ends, so why should I give them so many hours of my life???? You tell me! Posted by Katy on 10/25/05 at 10:11 PM Isn't it amazing how addictive "screens" are? I wonder what they "stared" at before TV and Computer Screens? I know they were busy, but did they ever get lost in "staring" at anything? Hummmmm . . . guess I'm tryin' to make myself feel better! HAHAHA I'm not so addicted to TV - don't really watch it much at all. When my kids are with their Daddy I have to remember to turn it on. But my computer . . . ahhhhh . . . now that's a different story!!! Posted by Ame on 10/26/05 at 12:44 AM I had a computer addiction problem also... God cured me (mostly) of it last summer when He took my computer away for over a month. (We had major problems with it and had to send it back to the manufacturer.) Once I was out of the habit of getting on the computer every time I walked by the office, I was okay. I am thankful for that forced computer vacation-- I couldn't have done it on my own. (o: Posted by Pattie on 10/26/05 at 12:54 AM You're not the only one. I find it necessary to go on self-imposed fasts from certain technologies from time to time. It cleanses our minds, purges everything to give us a clean slate. Posted by Hope Wilbanks on 10/26/05 at 08:22 AM What? Is this some kind of an epidemic in the blogworld? Or is it just God trying to rub it on my face... blush Posted by eija on 10/26/05 at 09:57 AM Our most potent weapon of discipline is the threat to make the teenage son "Amish" for a week. :) One friend who uses the same threat only has to ask, "Are you WANTING to change religions?" to get a behavior change. Funny how the homework gets done then.... As for what people stared at before there were screens, I've spent a fair amount of time just staring at the wall on different exhausted occasions. I haven't posted for quite a long time, Katy, but continue to enjoy your writing. God bless your time. Posted by Anne on 10/26/05 at 10:16 PM amen, katy and hope. c recently took the tv out of the bedroom for some purpose, and at first it seemed strange to go to bed without the half hour, hour of news coverage, etc...but it took only a few days to regard it as a peace, an opportunity to think, reflect, pray instead. i've also taken to closing my eyes on the elliptical machine at the y, seeing at it has both handrails and a flashing television in front of it :). Posted by lisa on 10/27/05 at 02:09 PM I love all your responses!! Thank you. I have turned off the talk radio in the car, and have gotten more praying done while driving than has happened in YEARS. And Lord knows I've got plenty to pray about! Even reading was starting to fall by the wayside because of the demands on my time, and without books, I'm miserable! But, hey, cut out some of the mindless TV (which I use like a drug, to decompress...) and now I have recaptured the joy of reading! Small steps, little changes, very significant results! Anne Krause--I've missed you! Posted by Katy on 10/27/05 at 06:06 PM Follow your dreams, Katy. Don't worry about us. We'll be sitting here patiently waiting for your next inspirational post. We don't mind being relegated like childhood toys to the attic. We'll be here whenever you get nostalgic for your once-useful legion of admirers. Posted by Michael O'Connor on 10/28/05 at 01:59 AM Number Three Of The Four Michaels Who Comment Here--Very funny!!! If you'll notice, I did NOT say anything about a "fast" from blogging, per se. Cutting back on TV and talk radio are the two biggies thus far. And Russell Stovers Sugar-Free Chocolate, although that's not exactly a tech addiction. But I LOVE you people...I don't think I'm ready to cut out the blogging just yet. :) Posted by Katy on 10/28/05 at 02:53 AM Everyone before me has made excellent points, and I agree most especially with the "follow your dreams, follow your heart" sentiments. However, I would also hasten to add that productivity comes in many forms. Your connectivity, and therefore the inspiration of your writing, is merely one more form of meaningful productivity in my book. Posted by Jennifer on 10/28/05 at 12:33 PM Jennifer, You are so right. Without the connection to readers, what would blogging be? Just one more way to remain frustratingly unpublished! Readers definitely inspire writers to write--it's the most wonderful kind of connection! By the way, I'm reading your blog and SO ENVY your organizational prowess. I need lessons! :) Posted by Katy on 10/28/05 at 02:17 PM Page 1 of 1 pages Commenting is not available in this weblog entry. Next entry: Chicken! Previous entry: Before And After << Back to main


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Connectivity Versus Productivity: I Report, You Decide

Personal blog of christian
writer & fallible mom
Katy McKenna Raymond
in Kansas City, Missouri