For the next two weeks, I'll be taking a sabbatical from writing. I first discussed the idea here. As the holidays approached, the idea felt more and more expansive.
I decided not to stop publishing, though. It felt more powerful to continue my publishing schedule. So I've had a very busy week this week setting up all my pieces for the next two.
I'm still debating how much of a sabbatical I'm going to take from using the computer at all. Right now I'm thinking I'll keep it off for the entire week of Christmas, from Sunday the 20th through Saturday the 26th (except for one exception, which I'll discuss in a moment), and then will allow myself to use it during the second week, to make an effort to deal with some electronic clutter, the clearing out of which will bring some needed spaciousness into the new year.
And I will allow myself to use my tablet and my phone. I keep work pretty much separate from both; they'll be used for reading and research. I don't think I need to avoid all screens to get the benefits I'm looking for.
The exception I mentioned above: Tuesday the 22nd is the winter solstice, the true New Year, and I can't not write on what I consider to be one of the four holiest days of the year. Last year on the solstice I came to the computer, opened a file, and, with the words, "Happy winter solstice," set about embarking on my rebirth as a writer. More than 200,000 words later, I can safely say that it worked. I won't let the anniversary of that day go by unmarked and uncelebrated.