February 5, 2009

How addicted to email and the Internet are you?

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Last night, after participating in a live chat among media professionals on Twitter, a friend who also had been in the chat called to compare notes.

"Did you see that [Hotshot Editor X] was on there?" my friend said.

"Mmm hmmm," I said.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

"What's that sound?" my friend said. "Are you...emailing someone?"

Guilty as charged, though I was actually responding to a direct message someone had sent me over Twitter. Worse, I had no idea I was even doing it. After a long day at the computer, I was completely on autopilot.

Don't get me wrong. Rude as it is, I've done my fair share of reading and writing emails while on the phone. (Who hasn't?) But I've always been aware that I was doing it, so aware in fact that I'd try to type slowly and quietly so as not to be detected pecking away on my freakishly loud keyboard. (Sorry, mom!)

But to be so sucked into my ADD-addled day of researching, writing, editing, and corresponding that I wasn't consciously aware of my own (excruciatingly loud) typing? That was a new one on me.

It reminded me of the sleepwalker written up in the medical journal Sleep Medicine in December for emailing her friends in her sleep.

According to the UK's Telegraph, the woman "...turned on the computer, connected to the Internet, and logged on by typing her username and password to her email account. She then composed and sent three emails."

One was an invite to a party the next day. Another simply said, "What the....."

In past blog posts, we've talked about being so hooked on your mobile that you take it with you to the loo. We've also talked about how, thanks to technology, it's easier than ever for work to bleed all over your life, even when you're supposed to be vacationing.

But we haven't talked about how the Web has become as integral to many of us as eating and sleeping. Or about our Web addictions (those that we can talk about in a PG-13 environment anyway).

So, first question: Who else thinks they -- or I -- need to start unplugging for at least a few hours a week? Second: Have you witnessed any bizarre "can't live without my Internet" behavior among family and friends lately? Do tell.

Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail Michelle at mgoodman@nwjobs.com

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1 Comments

Andy Brucia on February 5, 2009 2:55 PM | Reply

I certainly use a computer in my work now, but I have a lot of face time with students every day. Of course, I spent a lovely night with my fiance last night glued to my keyboard until midnight, long after she had gone to bed.

But where I really see it is on hand-helds and cell phones. These little devices are evil. I mean, they are great, but talk about being chained to both a device and the internet. I don't have a problem with just turning them off, but I sure know people who struggle.

Does spacing out in front of the TV count as unplugging?

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