Go ahead. Ask me what's wrong.
Why, how nice of you to ask. (Okay, I'll stop doing that.) It's eye-strain. I seriously need to cut back on my hours in front of this bright, backlit screen. This is tough because I'm totally addicted to tumblr and twitter and facebook (and the news). I know, I need to suck it up and do what's best for my eyes. Turn. it. off.
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The truly tragic thing is that it's affected my reading time. By the evening hours, when it's finally quiet enough to critique for my partners, edit my own work, or read my latest favorite book, my eyes are already bugging out my head. And my response time for critiques and reviews has gotten. really. really. really. slow. As painfully slow as reading that last sentence probably was for you (if you observed every mid-sentence period).
So I'm faced with a dilemma, or rather, a choice. I can keep doing what I'm doing and go blind in the next decade. Or I can cut back on screen time and save it for my reading/writing pursuits which are my only real non-familial goals these days.
It's a no-brainer.
I know what I really want, and it's not a plethora of random tidbits from distant (though cherished) friends and the mass media. It's quality family time and quality writing time. This will require self-mastery.
Sigh.
But it's going to be tough, as all new habits are.
Have you ever struggled with a technology addiction (iPhone, video games, web-surfing)? Or if that's too personal, how do you keep a healthy balance in your life?
maybe you can get a kindle or a laptop without backlit screening. another trick I use when my eyes start getting buggy is taking out my contacts in favor of glasses and using eye drops to stop the burning. lOL
ReplyDeleteI spend 9 hours a day in front of a back lit LCD. I can't do any more than that. It's probably the main reason I traded my Nook Color in for a Kindle.
ReplyDeleteBalanced life? What is that? I try and give myself time limits -- like I do with my kids and the wii.
ReplyDeleteI tagged you on my blog come over and see.
www.livetowrite1.blogspot.com
Probably wisdom though. there are always good things to do and better things to do. I'm not the best at judging between them sometimes.
ReplyDeleteThis post is clearly for me. In fact, I made an appointment with my eye doctor today because my eyes have been acting up again. Truefax.
ReplyDeleteLord I need to follow you in cutting back because it too hurts my reading!
I'd love to try and get a balanced life, but I still don't always master balanced meals! LOL.
ReplyDeleteOn a serious note, I try to limit blogging/Tumblr-ing time now. I find taking an hour or so to write/schedule my posts helps. Then I can focus on writing/critting ;)