Not posting every day

I'm not posting every single day, because I don't actually find something new to not do every day, and I don't want the exercise to be more time-consuming than what I'm getting back from not doing things. I also don't want to get in the trap of false productivity.

Not for nothing

I think it makes sense to let you know, and keep track for myself, of how NOT doing things is contributing to my life in a positive way.

First of all, I am definitely staying more in touch with more people. I had phone conversations with THREE friends yesterday, two of whom I have not seen socially since last summer. The third, I was only able to see one-on-one ONE time since last summer, for a quickie 30 min. lunch. I've also been able to start keeping up with Facebook and actually using it to interact and not just add stupid applications. I've been putting a bit of thought into the personal info and status updates, and writing on freinds walls and messaging them. I've had facebook for months and this is the first week I've really used it to communicate. It IS a superficial means of relating, but honestly, I'm using it to stay in touch with people I haven't seen, talked to, or emailed in years, and that's been frustrating me and I couldn't find the time to fix it.

Second, I have gone months and months without practicing, very frustrated about not having the time, and this week I have practiced Monday and Wednesday.

Third, I have been frustrated about my retarded Windows Media Player that does not work, and last night I finally took time to download WinAmp, and now everything I was frustrated about with my laptop...almost everything... is solved. I'm still frustrated that I have not yet installed the driver for my DragonDrive or replaced the battery, but maybe that can happen soon too.

So, that's what's come so far of my NOT doing things :) Thanks for reading.

Not washing my hair

Just kidding. But seriously, I have discovered that I can wash and dry it every other day, so why on earth not? It saves a good 1.5 hours a week, maybe more. It's also healthier for hair to be washed every other day and also not blown dry every day. Not to mention less waste of hot water, electricity, shampoo, conditioner, and styling products.

Not checking email so much

I've hear the productivity tip to never check email in the AM because it gets the day to a bad start, and I've heard 12 and 4 proposed as alternate times. Problem is, I'm teaching at 4, and and thereabouts is prime practice time for me. But if I don't make specific times for email, I end up at it all day, and then there is NO practicing.

SO, I'm going to stop checking email unless I get a text alert on my phone saying it's come from someone specific or is related to teaching, OR come to do something specific that has to be done, such as email some students or do my online banking.

I'm also going to set a sort of priority list: Respond to emails, online banking and other important or work-related stuff, on down to checking entertainment websites and stuff if there is time. I'm also going to start keeping a short list of things I want to do on the internet, and not running to the computer every time I think of something and getting distracted. That is why I did not post last night. I closed my browser, realized that I had not done my daily post...adn then realized it wasn't worth getting sucked back into the internet.

A little less pragmatic

I am not investing any more time and energy (I almost typed "injury" in a Freudian slip) rejecting myself or anything about me.

Didn't check my RSS feeds

I'm letting them just CLOG UP until I actually miss them. So far I don't. It was a false task. I would check these feeds and then feel as if I had done something productive. Nope.

My inspiration

My idea for this blog comes from Judith Levine's book, "Not Buying It", in which she details her year without buying anything she doesn't need. I am trying to do something similar with my time. Every day, I am going to share some post about something I did to cut out the time I spend on things that don't really matter.

Thing for today...I had started watching a DVD I got from Netflix, but it turned out I did not actually enjoy the movie. So I did something I never would have considered before. Instead of trying to finish it today or this evening, I sent it back. That's right, I sent it back without finishing it. And my goal is, for the rest of 2008, not to actually finish watching or reading any book or movie unless I am finding it somehow more enjoyable or otherwise beneficial than average. Part of my "not doing it" this year is going to be "not finishing it!".