Keeping up with everything is a full-time job. It adds stress and anxiety inappropriately to our lives. Periodically, I have to step away and look at how I manage our digital life. Simplification is needed to save our sanity, relationships, and give us the freedom to focus on what matters. The goal is to focus on the content that is critical to my life and career. Social media has been pared back to the interaction channels that allow me to connect with those people whom I care the most about and not the ones that provide the maximum voice. I have generated a surprising amount of free time and feel less obligated to maintain these digital connections. It is funny and a little sad that my stress level is lower as I reduce more of my digital life. The freed time is spent interacting and socializing with friends and family.

I realize that a meaningful engagement with one person brings more good to the world than superficial interactions with a thousand.

• Twitter account: closed.
• Instagram account: closed.
• Facebook account: on a serious diet
• LinkedIn account: maintaining a profile but no longer as active on news, commenting, and discussion groups
• WordPress/tumbler: cut way back on the number of blogs I follow, comments on, and engage.
• News websites: avoiding
• Industry websites: following only two

I am not saying that I am jumping off of the grid or that social media is a waste of time. I want to focus on the parts of the social network that add value to my life and others. Moreover, I want real value and not just the illusory experience of superficial social interactions. I may add some of these accounts back over time but will focus on deeper and more personal interactions versus increased reach and share the voice.