Sunday, September 18, 2011

Computer Burnout

Hi Everyone,

Today, I'm talking about computer burnout.  This is something a bit new, but for those of us who spend a good portion of our time on the computer it can happen.

Writing, promotion, sales and nearly everything else is done on the computer these days.  I'm a writer, and I haven't written a word for at least six weeks.  Why?  One word says it all--email.

I haven't been on email since last Monday, so I know I have hundreds of emails.  Most of them, I can delete but even that takes time.  Some of them I want to read, but I should just delete all of them and start over again fresh.

I have made a real effort to keep up with my blog, but even it has been difficult because I hate my computer right now. 

Does anyone else have a love-hate relationship with their computer?

Thank you for listening to my rant this week and please come back next Sunday.

Best always to all my readers.

Sandra K. Marshall
http://www.eirelander-publishing.com

8 comments:

Isis Rushdan said...

The deeper I get into social media, the more my time is consumed. I need my computer, love it even for without it I'd be lost, yet at the same time I want to be free of it and remember the good old days when my laptop wasn't an appendage.

Sandy said...

Thanks, Isis. I think social media is part of my problem. I went special notices on most of my Yahoo Groups hoping that would help but it hasn't. The answer has been to stay off the computer altogether. At least for a while.

Hywela Lyn said...

I couldn't agree more - computers are great for writing - but by the time you've blogged, twittered and Facebooked in order to 'keep your name out there' not to mention hundreds of emails generated from author loops, even when they're on 'digest' - I'm lucky if I get any witing done at all!

Anonymous said...

I know EXACTLY what you're talking about, Sandy! It's starting to bother me that I have to spend all this time promoting when I should be writing instead. But once I open my emails I'm in the middle of it all for more hours than I should be. What to do? A dear author friend of mine, Joan Pickart, told me: "Kari, just put butt in chair and write. Treat it like it's your business and keep business hours without allowing any interruptions." I think she has something there. Considering she's published over 102 books....!

Hugs, Kari Thomas, www.authorkari.com

Sandy said...

Oh, Hywela, that's exactly how I feel. You get to feeling like you're drowning.

Thank you, Kari. Does she mean you need to ignore emails and social media? That's what makes me hate the computer. I left the computer alone for 6 days, and I had over 600 emails. It would have been more if I hadn't gone special notices on most of my Yahoo Groups. Grrr.

Diana said...

I was hating my computer two weeks ago when it died a quick death, leaving me high and dry.
But most of the time, I get along OK with mine. It has served me well.

Susan Wingate said...

Boy, do I hear THAT! The problem is a lot of people work from home now too and it's so easy to just flip open your computer and work for 12 hours straight. Maybe we all need to find places to work outside of our homes. Until then, I'm afraid it will be work, work, work.

Sandy said...

Thanks, Diana. I've had my computer die, too, but I don't think I would've minded this time.

Susan, you're so right. When we get started working we can't quit. Sometimes, I forget to eat. Thank goodness for my hubby.