Observations from day one of “Treo-less” life:
I find that every several minutes I have the urge to check my e-mail. I have a slight moment of panic when I realize that I can’t, followed by sudden relief that I don’t have to and acceptance about my wireless state. (It’s like traveling through all of the stages of grief in a highly compact five second experience.) It’s amazing how compulsive my behavior had become. I had placed myself at the center of the world. I had somehow assumed the role of Atlas, holding the virtual world of my connections upon my shoulder. This was a highly reactive state. I believe it was Thomas Merton who wrote that the artist is someone who can observe a thing for its own sake, not for what can be gained from using it. When I voluntarily assumed the role of “switchboard operator”, everything inverted. I was no longer about what is “out there”, I was looking for meaning in meaninglessness. (How’s that for a moment of Zen?) By making the simple decision to control when and where I allow access to my innards, I am simply re-shuffling my stimulus and relational life (two of the five components of Creative Rhythm that had become grossly out of balance for me.)
In lieu of “always-on”, I’m now checking my e-mail at regular intervals and making lists of the main things for each day rather than reacting to what’s hot at the moment. (David Allen would be proud.) Seems like common sense, but as we’ve often said around here it’s not about what you know, it’s about what you DO about what you know. It’s the little disciplines we act on - delaying immediate gratification so that we can see the larger patterns as they emerge - that create space for creative brilliance.
I’ll continue to update if there are any developments. Still looking for the thumb restraints, though.
In this interview, 
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