While You Were Busy, Life Passed By
By Jason Kotecki

This summer I enjoyed a nice vacation in Door County with my family. We rented a house that was just big enough for the eleven of us. We roasted marshmallows, fished for salmon, gazed at the stars, played mini golf, sampled wine, sat on the beach, and ate lots of cherry-related products (thumbs up on the cherry barbecue sauce). I also did something I haven’t done in years: I didn’t check e-mail or surf the internet once.

Somehow, the world continued to rotate on its 23-degree axis.

Now, it took some planning and preparation to pull it off. Before I left, I cleaned up my e-mail inbox, prepped all my web site files, and trained someone in the office to do the site updating. I had intended to check e-mail mid-week, but once I got a taste of living low tech, that goal didn’t take long to evaporate. It was a relaxing week.

And now for emphasis: the sun still rose and set on a regular basis and the business didn’t crumble to the ground.

Hmphf. It all makes me wonder why I place so much urgency and importance on checking my e-mail so many times a day. There were plenty of internet cafés I could’ve visited to “stay connected.” (Or in other words, “stay distracted.”) But then I might have missed out on playing catch with my brother, talking about our hopes and dreams. I might have missed out on the spirited game of Disney Uno with my nieces. Or the refreshing walk with my bride amidst a green cathedral of pine trees.

Our world is connected like never before. And all of our technological advancements are supposed to give us more time. Instead, we fall for the temptation of trying to pack more tasks into the time we’ve saved.

I heard a saying once that if the devil can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.

Adultitis thrives in all this busyness. And all this busyness tricks you into feeling like you’re productive. When you feel productive, you think you’re actually getting something accomplished. And when you think you’re getting something accomplished, you are fooled into believing that your work is not only obligatory, but indispensable.

But here’s what’s really happening: life is passing you by.

Many of us miss out on the important stuff because we’re convinced that the busyness is a standard operating procedure. And we’re deceived by the mirage that someday, if we work hard enough, our to-do list will be cleared. As David Allen reminds us in his book “Getting Things Done,” you will die with things STILL on your to-do list.

This never-ending hamster wheel is the part of adulthood you need to escape from now and then. As difficult as it may seem, you need to unplug yourself from the daily grind. To think it’s not possible is not only wrong, it’s flat out foolish. If your situation is really bad (like checking your cell phone for messages every minute on the minute bad), perhaps you should consider an all-out “tech sabbatical.”

These are the questions you need to seriously ask yourself: Do you really need to work extra to afford that lastest gadget? Will life cease to exist if you don’t check your e-mail three times before breakfast? What’s the worst that will happen if you don’t answer your cell phone while you’re having lunch with a friend?

Can you detach yourself from busyness for an hour a day? A day a week? A week every three months?

Here’s the biggie: What will you miss if you don’t?

Jason Kotecki is an artist, author, and professional speaker. Jason and his wife Kim (a former kindergarten teacher) make it their mission in life to fight Adultitis and help people use strategies from childhood to create lives with less stress and more fun. Learn more at www.KimandJason.com

WTNH Aug KatieDavis

Peak of Summer

For some, summer is at it's peak right now, with farmer's markets in full operation, country fairs and carnivals abound and day camps and vacations underway. For others, now is the time families fit in their last getaways and vacations. They are also getting ready for school to start the end of August and pick up the latest gadgets and gear their kids need. Are Sketchers really necessary for a 4 and 5 yr old???? Can't the backpack you used last year be good enough for this year?

Though I'm certainly not ready to say goodbye to summer just yet, I am looking forward to the kids getting back into a routine of school. My son will start his first day of kindergarten August 30th! My daughter will begin her 2nd year of preschool after Labor Day. Halelluah!

This has been a challenging summer so far, keeping the kids active, off the "boob tube" as much as possible, while still adding enriching experiences for all of us. I have to say that my intentions out-weighed my actions and results. The one thing we've really kept up educationally speaking, was the reading program with the library. My children have earned many prizes for "reading" one hour of books a week. Things like pool passes, free kids' meals, free ice cream cone and even tickets to a Bluefish Game (which, btw, we still need to get on our calendar to do! ) My son got a kick out of getting the raffle tickets he got for each hour of reading to enter into a jar for a chance to win a big gift basket. However, picking out books is like pulling teeth with him (actually, I think that's easier).

We did manage to see a few free kids' movies at the local movie theaters, as well as go to the parks or pool a couple times. We strawberry and blueberry picked and had dinner at the town green while listening to "music under the stars". I loved dropping them off to day camps where they got to play and learn something new each day, while I enjoyed that precious 3 1/2 hour alone time. Vacation Bible School at St. Joseph's was teriffic. Not only did I have some time to myself, it was nice that the kids got something out of it, too.

And of course, we cannot forget our true summer time fun, which was camping around the area. We managed to fit in 3 trips so far and will be heading out again tomorrow to Hammonasset Beach. This will be sort of a downsized getaway because there are no amenities, no pool and no activities. However, there is the BEACH and the kids can ride their bikes around the loop. My son has recently learned that riding 2 wheels kicks butt compared to the training wheels he was using on the bike! Before he'd go fast, almost flew...now, he almost soars!!! Uh-oh. I'm seeing my childhood life flash before my eyes...cuts& scratches, bloody noses. poor mom. I sure know what she felt like then.

So, as my summer with the kids starts to wane, I will do my best to relish the last moments that make summer memorable: late nights listening to the "peepers", eating ice cream till our bellies explode, digging in some sand between the toes and just being happy that we are all together and healthy.