Not quite the truth...

When I say my writing has been languishing because of work and study I am not quite telling the truth. Since I acquired an iPad - strictly for e-reading while travelling, you understand - and a faster more efficient computer, I have been frittering hours away adding apps, reading pages and sites (about writing, I promise) and playing games I did not even know about 12 months ago. As soon as I finished one game I started the next, buoyed on by a win, determined to overcome a loss. At the end of a session I would emerge exhausted and drained, barely able to sleep because I was so tense.
Instead of snuggling down in bed with a book or e-book, I played Scrabble on the iPad. The dogs went cabin crazy while I skipped from blog to blog or kept up with my Facebook friends. I skim read pages and pages on the web but was unable to recount much beyond the headings afterwards. Gmail alerted me to every email; Twitter let me know every twist of everyone's day.
About 2 weeks ago I pulled myself up: not only was I not writing, I was not walking or gardening or drawing or doing any of those things that require senses other than the visual. I was distracted and unable to concentrate on anything for very long. Frequent interruptions from Gmail and Facebook scattered my thoughts. I was anxious and tense all the time and unable to immerse myself in the books I love or to sustain deep thinking.
What was going on? Surfing the net, heavy computer use and playing electronic games cause dopamine release. It makes us feel good and we become addicted to those little bursts of excitement. It also trains our brains to be distracted, inhibits deep thought and causes anxiety. We become unable to pay attention and attention is the crux of our consciousness and memories. Creativity also suffers because we are unable to relax or concentrate on a problem for long enough to solve it.

Because of my mindless addiction to electronics I was not writing or even living in my own skin. I forced myself to delete the games from my iPad, only turn the computer on at work, check my emails once a day and resign from Facebook and Twitter. The dogs and I hit the path through the woods. I didn't even take my iPod with me. My rewards were the magpies' morning song, the quilt of autumn leaves, the sun's caress and the scent of the last roses of summer. The dogs danced with joy and I felt refreshed, not drained.

So here I am writing again at last and truly savouring these days I have on this beautiful part of the earth!