After a month away from all forms of social media- and the internet, generally- I’m finally crawling back into the game with a changed perspective and a better handle on time management. Prior to this hiatus, I was clocking approximately thirty hours a week composing blog entries, posting news items on Twitter, leaving messages on Facebook, chatting internationally over Skype, discussing events on LinkedIn and reading the news online. While there is an inherent satisfaction in being able to engage with a global community over the web, other important aspects of my life began to fall by the wayside. All the hours that I’d once spent creatively had been plugged into the web and inevitably, I found myself depleted by it. In short, the left side of my brain was beginning to overtake the right side and I didn’t entirely welcome the shift. So, while blogging brought me a tremendous amount of joy and social networks introduced me to some very compelling individuals, I felt it was time to shake things up.
After officially unplugging at the end of November, I cut down my time interacting online to about 1 hour a week, and most of that hour was spent answering emails that required a response. Initially, the void was felt, but that void was quickly filled with many other activities that I’d been neglecting. This post highlights what I did, what I learned, and how I’m going to apply these lessons moving forward. Additionally, based on insights gained during this hiatus, I’ve got a few notes for media companies and journalists struggling to stay afloat:

A Few Things I Did With My Time Offline
1. I read voraciously. I’ve always had a heart for fiction. Unfortunately, graduate school broke the spell, leading me to spend the past three years of my reading life collecting notes from books on economics, global business, transnational politics, and international security. Sure, it’s riveting stuff, but I really began to miss the art of storytelling. So, over the past month, I tore my way through a pile of novels that I’d once wanted to read a long time ago but didn’t: The Portrait of a Lady, U.S.A Trilogy, and In the Pond, to name a few. I also revisited one of my favorite fiction books of all time, If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler.
2. I picked up another book. Several years ago, I wrote a young and reckless book that quickly died. This was largely due to my own shortcomings- I wasn’t ready to tackle the subject matter and gave up on it after a handful of rejections from publishers. The experience turned me off from writing for a while (actually, it paralyzed me), but I began to revisit the prospect of writing longer works again. I started penning a narrative non-fiction book over a year ago, yet couldn’t seem to find the rhythm I needed to move forward. Well, the rhythm has returned and now I’m just enjoying the process.
3. I ran. Shortly before putting this blog on hold in November, I started taking fitness seriously again. I’ve always been one of those people that doesn’t operate well without a daily sweat, but the necessary discipline is difficult to maintain. So, I began running again. Hard. I set my alarm clock for 5:30am, signed up for NYRR membership and entered the lottery for the New York City marathon (fingers crossed). On Saturday, I finally hit ten consecutive miles at a 6.0MPH pace- progress. Painful. If you’re battling anxiety about your future (like me) or are dealing with a personal problem or bad habits or just want to raise your energy level, run! And, if you’re in New York, come running with me.

What I Learned From My Time Offline
1. The internet isn’t the best place for promoting diplomacy between the US and China. At least, it’s not the best place given current modes of usage. But, maybe that will change.
2. While artistry and invention can be shared online easily, it is better cultivated offline. Inspiration is the byproduct of experience.
3. For the most part, 140 character tweets and short blog posts don’t stick. Memory gravitates toward storytelling, not content. This may have been the most important lesson of all.
4. Horn tooting is not a good business model. Nor is inaccessibility. In fact, it’s dull. It’s talent compromised by ego. And yes, I tweeted this today.
5. Headline news very rarely changes, and it’s rarely positive or actionable. So, what value does it have, really? I learned that, while it’s certainly important to stay informed, it is even more important to uncover news stories that a) you can do something about or b) have a tangible impact. Check out Tonic News- good stuff.
6. Long-distance running is the perfect metaphor-in-action for anything else worthwhile in life.

Where I’m Going With This
1. Yes, I’m tweeting again and eventually I’ll blog again, but I’m going to be spending much less time with it than I used to. Additionally, I’d like every tweet and blog entry to have some larger value for whoever reads it- beyond content. A helpful tip or idea, a good resource, a news story that was buried but shouldn’t have been, or another person’s experience. I’d like them to have more sticking power.
2. The blog will change eventually. I haven’t been back to China in over a year now, and I don’t foresee going back for at least another six months. So, it seems less reasonable to write solely on China (though China will always be in the picture for me). I’d like to incorporate topics like development economics, corruption and transparency, art in politics, and sustainable business. I’d like to do more interviews. I’d like to hit the streets of New York a bit more. What do you think?

Finally, A Few Notes For Editors and Journalists
Disclaimer: I once worked on new media strategies for a global publishing/content company. And then I resigned. I’ve been marginally employed ever since, largely because I’m operating on long-range thinking and a calculated gamble. So, do with the following what you will:
1. Unplug. Find a week, or even a month to entirely unplug. Sounds impossible, right? It’s not. No Twitter, no blogs, no online research, no email. Step away from the computer. I am officially convinced that media professionals are so mired in finding the best possible solution to counterbalance the decline of print that they’re grabbing for any visible hope. Just look at the number of uninspired blogs started by editors and journalists (yes, there are a few good ones) or the technologies that publishing companies believe will save their hides. Another portable reading device, anyone? How about a digital magazine? What about paid subscriptions or advertising through tweets? Sigh. Unplug and get out into the world. Play. Think deeply. Come up with a unique product, solution or angle that does not yet exist. You can’t do this by searching for it online.
2. We’re in the middle of a “ME” crisis but the truth is, it’s not all about you. It’s about your audience, your readers. It’s about engagement. It’s about sharing and storytelling and bringing value to multidimensional conversations. If you’re going to launch a blog or a media company, make sure that self-importance is not a theme. And, make an attempt to remove the iron shield between you and your audience. If you’re looking to become a reality star or a talking head, then ego is great. Otherwise, tone it down. Gone are the days of The Bell Jar where you are the glory of Madison Ave.
3. Please don’t jump on the “next hot thing!” Sure, China’s smokin’ and everyone wants a piece of the action. But, that doesn’t mean that you should launch a media outlet focused on China (or anything else that might seem lucrative). Write what you know. And, if you don’t know about something but are curious to learn, ask others to share what they know. Attempting to trick your audience is never a bright idea.
4. Speak to memory. Commit to stories that have staying power. Don’t become another “content company.” We are buried in content already. Give us something that we will remember, that expands our own possibilities. Humanity can be injected into technology and if you do it properly, the revenue you need to survive will surface. Did you become an editor or a journalist (or any media professional) for the money? No, you likely came into it for the art and for the chase. What’s changed?

Thanks for reading. Now get offline for a bit!

Commentary blogging, internet, journalism, literature, reflection, social media, unplugging

I was very excited to link up with David Akast, East China Director at reallyenglish.com and a long-time friend, to discuss the changing climate of ESL in China and one e-learning company that’s going to make a BIG impact.  For a free lesson, read on:

reallyenglish.com has been supporting English education in Asia since 2002.  When did reallyenglish.com first launch in China?
reallyenglish.com launched in China in 2005.  Our HQ is in London and we are also very well-established in Tokyo.

Tell me a little bit about your core demographic in China.  Have you seen any shift over the past two years?
Since launching in China we have been focusing on the corporate market.  As we have developed our business, we have moved to build partnerships with universities to work in the academic sector as well.

reallyenglish.com has a lot of fans who attribute their fluency in English to this program.  How is reallyenglish.com different from a traditional ESL school?
The key difference is the fact that we are an e-learning company, which means that our programs allow learners to study at their own pace, at a time and place that is convenient for them.  We differentiate ourselves by providing world-class courseware tailored to local needs. This means cutting-edge instructional design and topnotch editors, a network of ELT professionals with decades of experience teaching and working with publishers, and a commitment to continual improvement. Tailoring to local needs means focus on one market, gathering extensive feedback from user groups with similar background and needs, and implementing system solutions that integrate seamlessly into our clients’ training, administrative, or business processes.  We are in control of every aspect of the service, including hosting, support, mentoring and reporting.  The service objective is simple – get learners to complete their courses and show managers and educators the results.  All our energy is focused on these two objectives.

How has reallyenglish.com made use of new technologies?
Our online learning solutions are supported by cutting-edge delivery systems that run off our own servers. This makes them straightforward, fast to implement and inexpensive to deliver. By doing our own hosting, we can respond flexibly to the needs of our clients. We record and store all study data and this can be retrieved at anytime, from anywhere. Our regular user-tracking reports keep students (and their HR Managers) up-to-date with how they are progressing towards the course objectives. Technology allows us to offer course personalization, tutor correction, online mentoring, student performance tracking, reporting, and social networking services.

reallyenglish.com offers some pretty interesting courses in speed reading, business writing and even IT Engineer English.  Have you seen an increased demand toward more specialized classes?
Yes, absolutely. More and more companies in 1^st tier Chinese cities are using English as the means of communication at work and ever-increasing numbers of staff recognize that to get ahead they need more than just a good grounding in the basics of English.

What brought you to China and subsequently, reallyenglish.com?
I came to China after completing a Masters degree at [London School of Economics].  I initially came for 6 months to learn some of the language and to try and get a feel for a country that I really knew very little about.

You have a strong academic background in Political Economy.  How has this helped you in your current position, as East China Director of reallyenglish.com?
I think it has given me the ability to analyze market trends and to keep abreast of political and economic developments in China – these are things you really need to be aware of if you are going to be successful here.

Any plans to return to England or is Shanghai the place you call home now?
That first few months here was an incredible time in my life – I became fascinated with Chinese history, language and, particularly, people. The hospitality and generosity that I have encountered in my time here never fails to amaze me, even after seven years.  So, at the moment I do consider Shanghai home.  However, there are many things that I miss enormously about the UK, so ideally I see myself working between the two countries in the future.

ESL schools have been spreading like wildfire through China for nearly a decade.  How does  reallyenglish.com stay ahead of the competition?
By embracing advances in technology and providing flexible and cost-effective training solutions.

reallyenglish.com currently has offices in Beijing and Shanghai.  Any plans for expansion in China?
Yes, we hope to have a south China regional office open in 2010.

Has the recession negatively affected enrollment or are people clamoring to learn English more than ever these days?
We are finding that many companies that have relied on face-to-face training are now dealing with a downward pressure on budgets and are giving e-learning technologies a second look. The scale of staff turnover has been a real problem in China, so companies have learned to use training as a retention tool. The tables are turning somewhat in 2009, so now staffs are keener than ever to develop their skills.

Recently, reallyenglish.com gave away thirty 6-month Practical English licenses to help funding for The Library Project, which donates books to under-financed schools and orphanages in developing countries.  Tell me a little more about this.
The Library Project donates books to remote schools in China. It is the kind of small-scale, direct-action charity that I think does an incalculable amount of good. Their overheads are incredibly low and money donated goes directly on books that are sourced in China. More information can be found at: http://www.library-project.org/

How do you recruit professional talent?  Is your staff largely expatriate, local or both?
We advertise on the main recruiting websites in China, Japan and the UK and here in Shanghai.  We have a nearly even split between expatriate and local staff.

If you’d like to learn English or get a job at reallyenglish.com, contact the team at: contact-china@reallyenglish.com Due to the Lunar New Year, this Q&A will also be republished at a later date.

Interviews English, ESL, internet, Link Up Learn More, teaching