My internet connection is down. I have deadlines, darnit. Today is the last day of school for my boys until September and this was my last solo weekday at home for a good long while so my to-do list was very ambitious. I don’t know why the net been down almost all morning but I do know I have a half a dozen things I could do without the net, if only I had downloaded the stuff to my hard drive yesterday. Sigh. Dear Internet, I love you. Come back.
Well, at least I can get some blog posts ready for when it’s back up.
The absence of my usual friendly home page has led me to take stock. Here are a few things on my mind at the moment:
- There was life before the web. Freelance writers did business prior to the 1990’s when the web became commonplace. I could do this without the net. I could do those resumes due today if I had the client fax me the details. (Or messenger them to me prior to the fax). And, I could go to the good ‘ole library for research instead of hopping onto Google. When you can’t get things done the traditional way, it pays to think outside the box.
- I could’ve written about a dozen articles I had prepped titles for in a Google docs spreadsheet (if I’d saved it to an Excel spreadsheet instead), I should keep things like that in mind when I get assignments in from clients. Maybe I should make it a habit to save them right away in case the web goes down for an extended amount of time.
- A Smart Phone is a good investment for your business. I invested in an iPhone 2 months ago and it has changed my work life for the better. I don’t have to stress about email when I’m out and I even have a nifty little Paypal application on my phone that lets me transfer payments when they arrive. I can do my banking on the go. Even though I can’t do as much as usual without the web, I can at least send and receive emails on my mobile network, which is NOT down. I’m still not very adept at texting. I do type about 85 wpm on the keyboard but text at maybe 2 wpm
Knowing what’s going on in my inbox is comforting, even if there’s little I can do at the moment to action those messages. And, if it’s down for more than a little bit longer, I can email clients to tell them I’m running late. It dawned on me that my iPhone can be doubled as a modem. Too bad I can’t look up online how to make it do that. iPhone didn’t come with much of a manual. Note to self: disaster recovery planning does pay! - Disconnecting every once in a while might not be a bad thing. The web is distracting. If all I have open is a Word document, I have to focus on the task at hand. Maybe pretending the web is down is something I should do once in a while. I bet it would impact my daily earnings and the hours I work. Maybe that’s an experiment I ought to try out.
- A down internet connection means a cleaner house. Off I go to scrub some more and hope it’s working again soon!
(Photo: Courtesty of me, Dana Prince. Taken with my iPhone, during a pledge of my undying devotion, when the web came back up! )
Article by Dana Prince
Dana Prince is a writer, web marketing consultant, and prolific blogger. She’s so prolific that she’s actively seeking a 12-step program for blogoholics. (Really, she's only pretending to seek such a program. Mostly, she just likes to talk about her addiction.)
Dana has written 43 awesome articles for us at Get Paid to Write Online
Twitter: @danaprince | Facebook
{ 7 comments }
It really comes to a shock whenever the web or power is out but I’ve gotten used to it because I live in Florida – hurricanes!
In reality though, web downtime can be amazing. You’re forced to work on other things, spend time with people and relax.
This is the perfect time to catch up on those ebooks you snagged, write some posts, watch helpful videos and plan out what you want to do.
Murlu wants you to read 20 Unexpected Benefits Of Working From Home
Dana… lol, I laughed during this entire piece thank you! My web was down for two days one time—dreadful yes, but I actually took time out to spend with the family and get some much needed housework done! Like you said, my dear it is a distraction. Sometimes, divine intervention happens … just like that…
Miko Holt wants you to read Deliver Me From Slumber
As much as I hate being tethered to a cell phone throughout the day (ironic because I use it as my business line, lol) I’m planning to take your advice and invest in a smart phone. I’ve been planning to do so for a month now. Although I do reply to email with my current cell phone, the mobile Internet service it provides is awful. There’s no denying that technology makes it a lot easier to be a freelance writer now – when it’s working properly.
Kimberly Ben wants you to read Proposal Writing Basics
Twitter: danaprince
July 1, 2010 at 12:06
@Murlu, You’re so right..I just wish for once the down time would occur when I didn’t have a half a dozen deadlines
But, I’m trying to adopt a philosophy of not stressing so much about things I can’t control.
Hi @ Miko. How are you? Been ages! A few times divine intervention has forced me to relax and take stock. It often comes at times when I really need it. Not the case yesterday though. I REALLY needed to work. LOL.
@Kimberly, I don’t regret the investment at all. It would’ve been nice if my iphone had a usb connector, though. Then I could’ve extracted the files I needed from my email. Maybe there’s a way for me to do that, I’ll have to investigate. Again, I need to upgrade my technical disaster plan
Dana wants you to read Value-Added Freelancing – Are Your Clients Getting Value from You
Twitter: GeorgeAngus
July 1, 2010 at 13:08
Dana,
I just got rid of my internet, cable and local phone. At $180 a month it was just too much.
I still get all of my writing done but now I am focused and don’t have the distractions of email and surfing. I go to an internet cafe every few days to hook up and post or answer comments.
I thought it would be unbelievably tough, but I’ve found that I am liking the new set up quite a bit.
George
George Angus wants you to read Book Pricing in the Age of Kindle
Twitter: danaprince
July 1, 2010 at 13:11
Wow, George. Glad to hear it’s working better than you expected. Can’t imagine it would work for me with my existing clients but I can see how it could be planned and could work by design.
Dana wants you to read Value-Added Freelancing – Are Your Clients Getting Value from You
Twitter: tammikibler
July 1, 2010 at 23:07
@Dana – With all the buzz about cloud computing these days, your post points up some of the risks in becoming too cloud dependent. I need to prepare disaster plan. Why do I believe preparing one will create a disaster?
@George- You’ve got me thinking about learning to disconnect for much of the day. I bet you are more disciplined now and getting a lot more done. I’m going round with my internet provider these days because I’d just as soon scrap the cable tv. Who needs it? I lived without it for years and only installed it for an employer who required the connection. When you have tips for surviving without a home internet connection I would love to read that post.
Tammi Kibler wants you to read How to Spam Comments- Alienate Bloggers- and Ruin Your Site’s Good Name