What to do Without Any Internet

Your screen goes blank. Failure to upload messages start flashing. It's every blogger's nightmare. The internet is down. In a generation where the need to be constantly connected to the online world is starting to hamper our real life relations, we are all starting to get used to campaigns telling us to Turn the Gadgets Off!! But as bloggers and people accustomed to staying in touch and on the pulse, saying bye bye to the WiFi is, well, a scary thought.

Now, it's easy to go offline on days when you're out and about with friends and family, doing things and enjoying yourself. But, what about the times when you're -gulp -alone? What the hell did we used to do with our down time? Last week, I lost access to broadband, the landline, and nearly my mobile, all at once. And it kinda sucked. But it also gave me time to catch up on things that I had wanted to do and hadn't been able to, because the lure of social media had got in the way. It has inspired me to take an evening or so off the internet each week. I have compiled a low-cost list of things to do without internet to help you do the same.

Scrapbooks and Photo Albums
When was the last time that you actually printed a photo? You remember that one,hidden in the depths of facebook that made you smile so much? When was the last time you actually looked through those online albums to look at it? It is all so easy to lose precious memories by not making a physical note of them. I like to use scrapbooks from Paperchase to stick in photos and the odd memo. I hadn't updated my albums in ages, and to look through them all again, and add another couple of years of memories was lovely. Photographs are so cheap and easy to print out, and it is a lovely way to spend a few hours.

Pursue a Hobby
So my mum has really been bitten by the Great British Sewing Bee bug recently. She spends her evenings off making home furnishings, tops and dresses, and is now receiving requests from colleagues to make more tops for them (to my somewhat annoyance since it means that my items get pushed down that waiting list....)
On the other hand, I like to jot down ideas for stories, get into the kitchen, and practice yoga. Whatever it is that you are passionate about, make more time for it, and for yourself.

Connect
Okay this one is a slight cheat unless you write a letter or pick up the landline (both perfectly acceptable; remember when it was the only way to communicate from afar). Instead of sending the daily flurry of 160 character messages with people that you know, have a proper conversation. Even if you have to go online to do it, shut off any distractions and only focus on the person for a while. Its important to catch up properly with friends, or to start to know people that you've met over Twitter.

Get to Know Your Camera
Play around with settings. Read through the manual properly. Don't worry if your shots are worthy of posting, just have fun!

Schedule Posts
If you're a blogger worried about losing blogging momentum by not being online, make Buffer your friend. Get your posts for the week written up and scheduled, and the use the Buffer app to schedule tweets advertising your blog. While live tweets are more authentic, having a few scheduled posts fitted in for when you're not around will help to keep the blog traffic running smoothly.

Go Outside
Instead of jumping onto missed notifications as soon as you're home, think about taking a late afternoon or early even walk around your home. It is a good way to disengage from work and relax, as well as practising Mindfullness. And it goes without saying, but if you do have a sedentary work life, every bit of movement afterwards will do you a world of good.

Now, I challenge you to switch off for one evening a week. Have fun...