Chasing Squirrels at the Old Country Buffet

We are constantly presented with new articles, blog postings, or videos to contend for our attention in an internet saturated world. Like a dog distracted by every squirrel on a walk around the park, I often hit share or retweet before contemplating the material’s content or implications. I chase squirrels in cyberspace.

Part of the issue is the vast amount of very good material available online. Currently, my blog roll contains about 30 sites and authors which I daily review; a number which cannot be reasonable processed with depth or care. I treat the onslaught of information as a buffet experience rather than fine dining. At a fine dining restaurant, I’ll order a delicious steak from the menu to enjoy and savor. However, at a buffet, I’ll pick up a steak, along with a pork chop, fish, and piece of chicken. The steak is one selection of many and is consumed without much or any thought. After clearing my plate, I’m off to get more and will continue eating until I’m ready to “burst” if not careful. My internet “dining” is the same way; I am consuming much information but not savoring the rich content.

I’m tired of chasing squirrels at the Old Country Buffet and want to do something about it.

Looking ahead, a few action steps which I intend to implement:

•  Reduce the number of blog subscriptions and people/organizations followed on Facebook or Twitter by at least one third (as a start).
• Whenever sharing a post or article on Facebook, take the time to describe why I found it important, how I was challenged by it, and what I intend to do as a result.

 I hope that I will be more focused, chasing less squirrels and “savoring” the content of good internet content as a result. How about you?