In September 2010, The Chartered Institute for IT released an intriguing report about Internet use and happiness. Interestingly, the results suggested that some people benefit more than others when they tap into the cloud, including those with lower incomes, people living in the developing world, and women. The researchers said the Internet has “an indirect, enabling and empowering role leading to a greater sense of freedom and control which in turn leads to greater life satisfaction.” In other words, Internet access will make you happier.

On the other hand, I know far too many people who walk around like zombies with their eyes glued to their smart phones. Business Week aptly noted, that “scrolling through e-mail and punching out text messages fire up the dopamine-reward system, unleashing a pleasure-inducing hit that for an estimated 6% of Internet users has become clinically addictive.”

So if we’re always on e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs, are we really experiencing true connection? Maybe it’s time to unplug and engage in real life?

Why I’m Unplugging . . .

During the month of July, I’ll be taking a digital sabbatical and spending the whole month away from blogging, Twitter, Facebook, and other online activities to focus on my book.

Many of you know that I spent a big chunk of the year working on a book proposal for the print world. My literary agent spent the last few months pitching the concept to publishers and I recently signed on with New World Library. I’m incredibly excited about this opportunity!

Now comes the hard part. It’s one thing to write 1000-2000 word blog posts, letters or a 30,000 word guide. It’s another thing to write a 70,000 word book. I’ve been spending a lot of time on the book and so far I’ve written about 37,000 words. But most of those words aren’t good. I’m still working on a very shitty first draft.

And that’s why I’ve cleared my calendar for the month of July to focus on this project. In essence, my digital sabbatical is my “very, very, very serious plan for dealing with internet distractions.”

What My Sabbatical Will Look Like . . .

I’ve been blogging for over three and half years without a significant break. Taking time off from any medium is a good thing. We all need time to recharge from work and creative endeavors.

So over the next month, I will be:

• Writing my book.
• Drinking lots of coffee.
• Doing yoga, biking, and walking.
• Sending out weekly letters.
• Using Skype to call friends and family.

I won’t be:

• Blogging, moderating comments, checking Twitter, Facebook, or surfing the Internet mindlessly.
• Other than sending out my weekly letters, I will be checking my email two times a week to stay in touch with friends, family, and my editor.
• I will not be responding to reader requests during July.

The How . . .

There are a few things I’ve done to prepare for my month off:

- Gathered my tools. A portion of my book includes academic research and that has already been saved to my hard-drive. So I shouldn’t have to open my browser. In addition, I’ve made a list of the books I want to read during July.

As far as writing tools go, I’ll be journaling, using the OmmWriter, and Word. If you’re thinking about unplugging for any length of time, make a list of the resources you’ll need. If you plan in advance, you won’t have to log-on.

- Made it hard to be online. My plan is to do most of my writing in the park or in Internet free coffee shops. If I’m at home, I’ll turn off my wireless connection. In addition, I deleted all of my social networking applications from my iPod Touch as well as my e-mail account.

Also, I installed Freedom. It’s a “simple productivity application that locks you away from the internet on Mac or Windows computers for up to eight hours at a time.”

Questions & Answers . . .

Last week, I asked my Twitter followers and friends if they had questions about my digital sabbatical. Below are some of the questions I gathered as well as a few responses to Gwen Bell’s prompts.

1. Describe the moment at which you decided you needed to unplug. How long were you unplugged?

Late last summer, I started working on a book proposal. The proposal writing process was fun, but it was also challenging. I felt a little overwhelmed and stuck with my writing during this time and I discovered that part of my problem was that I was spending too much time online, instead of writing.

During this same period, I read an article by Gwen Bell about her upcoming digital sabbatical. She decided to unplug for the month of July. The idea of unplugging for a month sounded appealing, but I wasn’t ready to take that much time off. So I started by taking weekend sabbaticals and then I took a week off in September. It was a refreshing break because I reconnected to the stuff that really matters, like family, nature, and my writing.

2. Were there any moments you cheated? Or wanted to cheat?

Yes! There were many moments I wanted to cheat. Most of the time, it was when I felt uncomfortable with my writing. I learned that I was using the Internet as a tool to procrastinate.

3. What insights did you gain about yourself by taking a Digital Sabbatical?

First, I have to stop looking for validation from external sources. The number of emails I receive, facebook likes, retweets, and blog comments aren’t going to validate my writing abilities.

Second, it’s easy for me to get caught up the drama of everyday life. I tend to rush from activity to activity and I forget that happiness can be found in the small, quiet details of life. Taking a week off from the Internet gave me the space to slow down. It will be interesting to see how a full month off feels.

4. How realistic is it, really, to avoid all things digital these days?

Anything is realistic if you want it to be. Of course we all have very different life circumstances and most people aren’t able to take a month off the Internet.

For me, this experiment boils down to my daily intentions and how I use my time. I’ve always had an addictive personality and the Internet is a swirling vortex of addition. It fosters distraction and procrastination on a major level for me.

Realistically this is more like a 95% sabbatical because I will still be checking email a few times a week. It’s all about putting a little bit more muscle work into my creative endeavors.

5. What, if anything, will you have to do differently in your daily life to accomplish the same things you usually do digitally?

Well, I won’t be tweeting, blogging, or checking e-mail obsessively. I can still express my thoughts in my journal, I just won’t be sharing the content with the world.

Second, I had to prepare to work offline and that meant gathering my research ahead of time, rather scrambling at the last minute. And in a lot of ways that’s been a really good thing for me. It’s helped me outline my chapters in more detail and I don’t feel as overwhelmed.

6. What do you think will be the hardest part of unplugging and what will be the most gratifying part?

The hardest part will be resisting the urge to log-on and cheat. The most gratifying part? Giving myself the space to create. And more importantly, to know that it’s okay to take time off from email, blogging, and the social web to focus on one project. The idea that we have to respond to requests as soon as possible and “be on” all the time is false. It’s the biggest lie “professionals” tell themselves. We have a responsibility to build time into our schedules so that we can create and help other people.

Last words . . .

Before I go, I want to share a few final thoughts with you.

Cheating. Obviously, I don’t want to cheat. But I’m not going to beat myself up if I fall off the digital sabbatical wagon. If I cheat, I can take a step back and ask myself why I felt the need to log-on. If “cheating” happens, I can use it as a learning opportunity.

Journaling. Over the next month, I’m going to be journaling a lot. I’m curious to see how it’s going to feel to be away from the Internet for a month.

And I have to laugh at myself for becoming such an addict. In high school, my best friend got an Internet connection and I was super skeptical of the cloud. I didn’t even get an email address until college. I distinctly remember checking my email account in the student union. At the time, I didn’t have my own personal computer and was scared of technology. Instead, I wrote in my journal. Over the next month, I’ll be doing some thing similar.

Comfort. I realize taking a month off the Internet sounds a little extreme to some of you. And that’s okay. But I hope you’ll consider unplugging this summer, even if it’s only for a few hours everyday.

Instead of opening your browser, go outside and enjoy the summer weather. Work on projects you’re passionate about. Meditate. Do yoga. Volunteer. Take your lover on a date. Live it up!

An Experiment in Happiness. On the surface, this experiment seems like an exercise in deprivation. In some ways it is, but not really. It’s a fun challenge. I’m only a sample size of one, but I’m curious to see whether or not this challenge will make me happier.

The report by The Chartered Institute for IT strongly suggested that the Internet can make you happier. Like all good things in life, you need balance. Once balance is out of the equation, it’s hard to find happiness, even in the things that are supposed to enhance your well-being.

***

What more information on a digital sabbatical? Here are a few articles to get you started:

• Everything You Need to Know About a Digital Sabbatical
• The Longest Day of My Life
• Why I Ditched my Cellphone
• Digital Sabbatical Q & A
• Racking Focus
• Hooked

Want to support me while I’m on sabbatical?

Considering buying one of my ebooks or subscribe to my weekly letter. Have a lovely July!

Recently, I’ve been getting a lot of questions from readers about blogging, writing, and books. Rather than replying to each question via email, I thought I’d group the inquiries into a themed interview about these topics.

I hope you find this useful!

1. When did you start blogging and why?

I started blogging in late December 2007. Since then I’ve been blogging consistently for three and a half years. At the time, I wasn’t thinking about starting a small business or using my blog as a platform to connect with like minded people. Prior to starting RowdyKittens, I hadn’t thought about the direction I wanted to go with my writing or even if the blog would have a general focus. My goals were simple and straight forward:

A. Learn as much as possible about WordPress and social media.

B. Find my writing voice.

C. Keep friends and family up to date by using the blog as an online journal.

Read the full back-story.

2. What blogging platform do you recommend?

Both WordPress and Tumblr are rockin’ platforms. They are user friendly and have a lot of free themes, which is perfect for folks who are just starting out or who are on a tight budget.

If you’re looking for a premium theme, I recommend the Thesis theme. RowdyKittens was built using this wordpress theme.

3. How do I come up with a blog name and brand it?

When you’re trying to decide what name to go with, pick something that resonates with you. If you’re still having a hard time deciding on a name, make a list of words that you like. Try to combine some of them into two-word pairs and see what you come up with. By combining two words you can often create a term with a new meaning. I used that exercise when I came up with the name for my ebook, Smalltopia.

I didn’t start RowdyKittens with branding in mind and it’s not my primary concern right now. When it comes to writing and business, my core philosophy is simple and straight forward:

- Write helpful content.
- Send out a consistent message.
- Be honest and authentic.
- “Free Is Not a Business Model.”
- Have fun!

For more info read: Branding 101 – How to Promote Your Blog Like the Big Guys Do.

4. What’s your take on blog comments?

During December of last year, I decided to close comments for the month. Moderating comments was a lot of work and I wanted to try putting that energy into writing instead. But as the weeks went on, I felt like it was the wrong decision. A huge part of my writing has to do with community building and I believe that interacting with readers via comments is one way to do so. Turning off comments felt a little bit like sticking my fingers in my ears and running away from the discussion.

However, with the comments turned off, I felt more freedom to write what was on my mind. Overall, I have mixed feelings about comments. Comments are great because I’ve learned a lot from readers; but, on the other hand, dealing with trolls isn’t fun.

For now, I’ve decided to open or close comments at my discretion.

5. How did you monetize your blog?

When I started blogging, monetizing my blog wasn’t a concern. But when I left my day job last year I got more serious about using my blog to diversity my income stream. I’ve done that by selling ebooks, letters, participating in affiliate programs that I believe in, and doing freelance work. In essence, my blog is my home-base on the Internet.

For more on this topic, read:

- Running Smalltopia: Thoughts on money, education, gratitude, and comments

- Everything You’ve Been Force-fed About Blogging Is Wrong

- How to Make Money on the Internet

6. Do you have a writing routine? Can you tell me a little bit about it?

I write everyday. I either start my work day by journaling or writing in 750words. Journaling helps me focus on larger projects because I allow myself to write really badly.

Your first draft will always be a shitty draft. So ignore your inner perfectionist and just write. You can edit later.

7. How can I become a better writer?

Peter Roy Clark encourages writers to “read for both form and content.” He goes on to say, “The writer must answer this question: what am I trying to build? And then this one: what tools do I need to build it?”

Keep writing and reading. If you don’t write, you won’t be able to improve. Second, I’ve found that reading a wide range of material has not only improved my writing, it informs what I write about on the blog, in my weekly letters, and in larger writing projects.

To improve your writing I suggest reading: “Bird by Bird: Some Instruction on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott and “Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer” by Roy Peter Clark.

8. On Twitter, you mentioned that you’ll be unplugging during the month of July. Will you still be blogging?

Yes, I will be unplugging during the month of July. I won’t be blogging, tweeting or facebooking. But I will check my email a few times a week to stay in touch with business contacts as well as friends and family. So what will I be doing? I’ll be working on my print book. Stay tuned for an in-depth post about my sabbatical next week.

Other questions? Leave a comment or ask via Twitter.

Since we were featured in USA Today last week I’ve received a lot of questions via email from readers. A theme keeps popping up in these questions and it is:

“Why is the mainstream media so interested in your story?”

I don’t know if I have an answer to this question.

Chris Guillebeau said in his wonderful book, The Art of Non-Conformity: “I adhere to a guru-free philosophy, I don’t claim to have all the answers.”

I’m on the same page as Chris. I’m not a simplicity guru. I’m not perfect. And I still have my own fears and struggles. That’s part of being human. However, I do know that the attention from the mainstream media has caused me to think hard about my life philosophy ask myself “how can I craft my life story to coincide with my values?”

It’s so easy to run around everyday, spinning my wheels that I forget what’s truly important. I believe there are others, like me, that want to prioritize happiness, community and strong relationships in everyday life.

So I’ve summarized my life philosophy here as the A, B, C’s of simple living.

A stands for Authenticity.

In The Gifts of Imperfection, Dr. Brené Brown defines authenticity as “the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.”

Yet, I still struggle with this concept. Partially, because I’m afraid of letting my true self be seen. And it doesn’t help that we live in a culture that constantly tells us we have to “fit in” to be accepted.

Authenticity is something I practice everyday. It’s kind of like practicing yoga. The more I do it, the better I get.

Micro-action: Define what authenticity means to you and find out what you typically hide about yourself to “fit in”.

B stands for Bravery.

What does it mean to be brave? The dictionary defines bravery as:

ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage : a brave soldier | he put up a brave fight before losing.

In many ways, being brave is more expansive than the traditional definition. Particularly, when dealing with heavy emotions. Bravery can mean reconnecting with a person who hurt you in the past or saying “I love you” instead of being critical.

Micro-action: Make a list of the brave things you’ve done in your life.

C stands for Connection.

We’re hungry for connection with people and community and at some level we aren’t getting it. If connection was really there and present in our lives, I don’t think people would be addicted to social media.

As much as we want to be connected, we’re scared as hell. We’re scared to let our guard down and scared of being laughed at. For example, I’m slowly rebuilding a relationship with my father. We had a falling out a number of years ago and I’m trying to reconnect with him. But I’m scared. It’s hard to open up and be vulnerable. I don’t want to get hurt again and I’m sure all of you struggle with similar feelings.

Micro-action: What’s one real life connection you can make this week?

Closing Thoughts . . .

I’ve been lucky enough to downsize on my own terms. And that by itself is a luxury. There are a lot of people in the world who don’t have the luxury of talking about “lifestyle design” and I believe that’s an important point to consider whenever we talk about simple living, either in the mainstream media or on blogs.

With that being said, as you move through your days remember this:

Cultivating authenticity, bravery, and connections can only happen by living your real life. I believe that’s the key to finding happiness in your everyday story.

***

Speaking of connecting, come hang out with me and my fellow blogging buddies next week.

Tyler Tervooren, Sean Ogle, Jonathan Mead, and little old me are hosting a get together next week. I’d love to connect with you in-person.

Here are the details:

Where: We’ll be at The Lucky Lab on NW Quimby in Portland.

When: Thursday, February 17th at 7pm.

Hope to see you there!

I don’t think I’ve ever told you how RowdyKittens got started. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking about this story because I’ve received hundreds of inquires from readers asking questions like:

• When did you start RowdyKittens?

• Was it an overnight success?

• If you had to do anything differently, what would that be?

So let’s get started…

While interviewing for a “real job” during the summer of 2007 I was asked the following questions:

Have you blogged before? Do you know anything about WordPress, Twitter, Facebook, and social media in general? Can you define the term web 2.0? Ohhh and have you ever written a press release?

During this interview, I kept thinking to myself:

“Wow, what am I doing here? I might be a Victim Advocate, but I don’t know anything about the Web 2.0 world.”

At the time, I used the Internet to check my email and for research purposes. However, blogging and social media were not a part of my life. Before this interview, I had heard the term “blogging,” but didn’t understand what it was. I walked out of the interview thinking I bombed the interview.

So, imagine my surprise when I was offered the job. I was super excited about the opportunity to be part of this organization.

The day I started my new job, I was completely freaked out. I vividly remember my boss giving me a tutorial of WordPress and I was extremely nervous. However, he assured me that with a little practice I would become a “blogging ninja.” Little did he know that he would unleash the RowdyKitten.

As I got more comfortable with WordPress, I started toying around with the idea of starting my own blog. I wanted to learn more and be better equipped to do my own job. But I didn’t want to test out my new skills on the organization’s website. So starting my own blog was the perfect way to improve my skill sets and get going. My co-workers and boss encouraged me to start a blog, even though I didn’t think I had anything relevant to say.

The Name

I had no idea what to name my blog. One afternoon, my co-workers and I were hanging out in the conference room working (Well, we were actually goofing off. But that’s another story).

I asked my colleagues:

“What do you think I should name my blog?”

Simultaneously, someone shouted “rowdy” and another person shouted “kittens!” I liked the hybrid of the two words as a name and RowdyKittens was born. I registered the domain name, secured a host, and signed up for WordPress. I was ready to get started!

Two Goals

When I started RowdyKittens, I had no idea what I wanted to write about. At the time, I wasn’t thinking about starting a small business or using my blog as a platform to connect with like minded people. I had two basic goals:

1. Learn as much as possible about WordPress and social media.

2. Find my writing voice.

Prior to starting RowdyKittens, I hadn’t thought about the direction I wanted to go with my writing or even if the blog would have a general focus. My goals were simple and straight forward.

As I focused on both of these goals, the emphasis of my blog became clear. Yet, I never imagined or predicted that:

• I would leave my day job.

• That I would start my own small business and my blog would be a component of this business.

• Or that I would be featured in the New York Times, on the Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, and a variety of other mainstream outlets.

What I Would Do Differently?

Focus on finding my voice.

In the first few years of blogging I struggled finding my writing voice. Most of my posts weren’t in-depth. They were short blurbs and I linked out to a lot of different resources. I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing, but I should have focused on developing my voice through intensive writing. It wasn’t until 2009 that I got serious about writing better content. I still have a lot of room to improve, but I feel like I’ve gotten a whole lot better at conveying ideas.

Be helpful.

RowdyKittens started with no focus, then it evolved into a personal journal, and now it’s part of my business model. It took me a long time to find focus. For instance, I didn’t have a tag line for the first 6 months of blogging. Even after I had a tag line I was still writing about random topics and posting silly cat photos.

I noticed that my blog didn’t start growing until I started writing helpful content. I still talk a lot about what I’m doing in my life. But I always try and be helpful. After I tell a story, I try and leave tips to help readers.

So what can you learn from all of this?

Three years ago, I had no idea what I was doing and I was a technophobe. So if a former technophobe like me can start a blog and figure it out, you can too.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Tell your story.

Tell your story and think about what you can teach others (this also goes for writing posts and developing products).

2. Don’t fret over your blog design.

Pick a simple free theme or have someone design a wordpress site for you. Once you have a everything in place, don’t worry about the design. Playing around with plug-ins and code is a great way to learn, but it’s also a way to procrastinate. For example, I spent hours messing around with free themes and plug-ins. I learned a lot, but my time would have been better spent focusing on writing.

3. Start small.

I’m a huge fan of starting small. If you want to blog, get going. Sign up for a free wordpress account and start learning how things work. I promise, there is nothing to be scared of.

4. Keep your expectations in check.

Building any project from the ground up takes time and hard work. So remember to keep your expectations in check. For instance, during my first year of blogging RowdyKittens had about 20 visits a day. Now, RowdyKittens has between 5,000 to 10,000 visits a day. As I discovered, blogging is hard work and it can take a long time to build up an audience, especially if you aren’t focused. It’s been incredible to see RowdyKittens grow and I’m grateful to have so many amazing readers! However, for me writing isn’t about the number or how many subscribers I have. It’s about helping others.

Before you start blogging, think about what you want to write about and who you can help. More importantly, constantly reflect on why you started the blog in the first place.

5. Invest in yourself and keep learning.

Don’t be afraid to invest in yourself. Being frugal and watching your money is a good thing. Nevertheless, I think it’s essential to invest in yourself.

For example, I didn’t join the A-List Blogging Club until this year. I thought about joining last year but I didn’t want to spend the money and thought I could figure out the blogging world on my own. Looking back, I realized that this was a bad decision. When I started getting serious about blogging, I could have used the additional help and access to all the incredible resources offered by the club. It would have saved me a lot of time.

I still think about my purchases. However, I’m not afraid to invest in products that can help me become a better writer and business person. For example, I highly recommend checking out the 72-Hour Cyber Monday Sale.

Remember life is a continual learning process. I still have a lot to learn too; that’s why I keep reading and investing in my education.

Thank you!

My first post on RowdyKittens was in early December 2007. It’s crazy to think that I’ve been blogging for three years! There were a number of times I wanted to stop blogging because I felt like my writing was horrible. But thanks to the encouragement from peers and readers I kept writing.

Thank you for your support!

Most of you know that I left my day job at the end of January to start my own small business. Blogging is a key component of my tiny business. Without my blog, I wouldn’t have been contacted by AOL to write a bi-weekly column or had the opportunity to design websites for really amazing people.

What convinced me to enroll in the A-list Blogging Bootcamp?

Last year I read “How I got over 150,000 Subscribers: Lessons from Zen Habits” and learned an incredible amount from the report. The report was marvelous and I couldn’t believe Leo was giving it away for free! After reading the report, I knew I had to focus on writing amazing content if I wanted to start my own business and grow RowdyKittens.

Last month I re-read Leo’s report and decided to join the A-List Blogging Bootcamp. Whether you’re a new or seasoned blogger the bootcamp will give you the tips and tools to create a rockin’ blog. I’m incredibly happy with my decision to join the bootcamp. By implementing what I’ve learned in the last month my subscriber base has grown by 20%!

The support is ongoing!

I’m a huge fan of both Leo and Mary’s work. They have done a fantastic job leading the bootcamps and truly care about their students. I know that if I have any questions I can contact Leo, Mary or find help on the forum.

Here is what I’ve taken away from my experience with Leo, Mary, and the A-List Blogging Bootcamp:

• I’ve learned how to market my blog.

• I’ve learned how to write better headlines.

• I’ve learned how to retain readers through rockin’ design, usability and killer content.

• And most importantly, I’ve made new friends!

Just do it!

Leo and Mary are hosting another Bootcamp called How to Make Your Blog Pay the Bills from May 16-20. The enrollment opens today, Tuesday, May 11 at 12:00 p.m. eastern time and closes on Sunday, May 15 at midnight.

If you want to take your blog to the next level, I highly recommend joining the bootcamp.

A bonus for you…

If you enroll in How to Make Your Blog Pay the Bills, through my blog, I will give you a copy of Simply Car-free and a 1 hour telephone consulting session for free! All you have to do is email me with your name and contact information once you enroll.

Enrollment begins today, Tuesday, May 11 at noon!

*Note: These are affiliate links. If you decide to enroll in the course, you’ll be supporting my writing as well as Leo and Mary.

Spread the love. If this post helped you, please share it with your tribe.

I finally purchased Leo Babauta’s eBook, The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life and it was worth every penny. I can’t wait to read it again. Every chapter contains valuable tips and tools to lead a minimalist lifestyle.

Leo inspired me to make a number of habit changes and I’ll be doing a series of posts on this topic.

The first change I made was creating a minimalist computer by…

1. Decluttering my desktop.

All of the extra stuff on my desktop has been placed into a few minimal file folders.

This isn’t an earth shattering idea. But how many of you have computer files you can’t locate? Files that are hanging out on your desktop or in random folders? And then spend way too much time looking for certain documents?

Then again, I might be a lone ranger and the only one with this problem.

2. Changing my filing system.

Rather than having 20 folders in My Documents, now I have 4! They include…

• Work: Just like it says, the folder is for stuff I’m currently working on.
• Read: The reading folder is for reading materials, like ebooks and articles.
• Finances: My finance folder stores all our financial data.
• Archive: The archive folder is for all my other stuff. I’ll be cleaning out my work, reading and finance folders daily and weekly. All the extra stuff will land in the archive section.

Now I don’t have to spend so much time searching for stuff and creating new folders. This is a perfect, simple solution.

Support

I loved Leo’s book so much that I decided to participate in his affiliate sales program. If you purchase this book I’ll receive 50% of the sale price. So you’ll be supporting RowdyKittens as well as Zen Habits and Mnmlist.

Thanks in advance for your kindness and generosity. Your support helps keep this blog going.