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Sorry for little silence here – I switched my Internet providers and had no Internet connection for several days. It was strange, I was so used to my Internet related daily work flow, I didn’t know at first what to do! It was like I have no business, no blog, no connection with outside world. I called to several of my friends and when I told it to one girl I know, she suggested interesting article idea.
She said: “Well, why you don’t write about that as well? Your site is full of roundups, some tips in such cases could be useful as well!”. Right and so I took paper and actually wrote down my ideas! This is very short article, but I am expecting you to add your ideas as well! What can we do to get out from daily work flow, from struggling, get organized and feel good?
Take a walk out to breathe some fresh air and get work a little bit out of your system or even better look at all from aside to rethink your strategy, future goals and things you could change or do to get better what are you working on.
I bet you have several books in your bookshelf you always wanted to read but never got time! At least I have a lot of them, now is a great time to remember about them and use your free time to do what you love to do!
Again if you are obsessed designer like I am, you certainly should have to be 30-40gb video tutorials you downloaded a while ago, but never got time to learn them! Usually in busy work-flow we forget to learn tools first, we just need to get job done, but if you continue to learn and evolve your skills, you will suddenly discover some more different ways and techniques, how to achieve necessary outcome much faster! It’s amazing how much we still don’t know after many years working in design niche!
It really helps if you store your favorite designs, photos, artworks on local hard-drive for later use, so you can get inspiration also when you have no Internet connection. Anyway you can spend hours playing with effects, fonts, textures, artworks – to perfect your skills.
Take your time and enjoy how creative you can be while sketching or drawing – do something different to enjoy your life even more!
Such things happen to everybody – in all rush, sometimes we forget about really great friends, so this time be first to call them out! If you have some good friends in your own design niche, it’s even more useful – you can meet up, exchange opinions and get fresh ideas. I really evaluate such friends, where we both can contribute in some way from each other.
We spend a lot of our time in front of computer, but we shouldn’t forget about our health – it’s more worth than anything! Start to do yoga, play football, volleyball, swimming, run or find out where is the nearest gym from your home! You will definitely feel better each day, I assure you!
Get lazy, relax, watch movie, listen music – you earned it! Whole life doesn’t consist from rush, struggling from lack of time. Take your breathe slowly and enjoy selfhanded free time!
Find out if there are any interesting exhibitions, design conferences happening in your town and again get out!
It may happen to all of us – while we are working hard, we are creating mess around us and slowly it’s affecting our work-flow as well. Our environment changes us as well as people around you. Maybe you need to change also how your furniture, computer, lights are organized?
Sounds obvious, but you cannot imagine how much you waste time while searching through numerous folders necessary file or image, when you could easily organize everything! Clean up desktop, create folders, move files to appropriate directories! Very helpful in daily work-flow!
In all rush you sometimes forget things you must do? Create schedule and get used to it, definitely will help to organize your daily workflow and you will feel much better, it’s about organizing your life! Article I created a while ago could actually help you as well – Plan Your Daily Schedule: Useful Resources.
If you are always running and running you should enjoy something different as well – watch movie, sleep a little bit longer – don’t make it as regular habit, but from time to time it’s really relaxing!
I would love to hear your advices how you enjoy and spend your free time, what you do to get out from struggling in your work and where you find inspiration to keep on doing what are you doing!?!
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Dainis Graveris is 23 years old blogger and designer, founder of 1stWebDesigner, now more silently managing everything behind the scenes. He usually hangs out in Twitter tweeting design related links and chatting with people. If you have any questions or feedback that's the best place to start! Cheers!
Thursday, February 17th, 2011 07:21
Sometimes I check, is it only local problems or not. Sometimes happen that only external internet problem, but our country domain zone still working, so I just checking our forums what happen, if no internet at all – clean my computer :)
Saturday, August 7th, 2010 09:50
Wow! That’s actually a pretty helpful list you have there!
Do you mind if I post this one on my site? and also make a video blog about it? It would really be great for my readers.
Don’t worry, all the credit goes to you :-D
Hope this counts,
Jaja
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 23:07
Well, I never had a long outage of my internet connection, but during the breaks in service, normally I concentrate more on writing blog posts offline. In fact, this is the prime time when I’d not check emails, not have to reply to anyone, no login to my blogs etc. so there’s enough peaceful time to produce content. Later on, I just schedule the load of contents to be evenly posted during the span of 24 hours/48 hours/72 hours depending on how much content I produced.
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 02:42
How about watching the terrabytes of porn that you downloaded when you DID have an internet connection?
Remember people, Rainy Day Wank Bank!
Thursday, December 31st, 2009 10:06
I listen to Kenny G when the internet connection is gone.
Monday, December 28th, 2009 05:31
I had a similar experience. No cell phone connection in the mountains. It gave me the excuse to go an photograph the surrounding snow covered hills. I also discovered how annoying it is to have folks at the dinner table on the phone texting or surfing the web on a laptop.
I’m enforcing a ban on any connectivity during family time like dinner. No internet connection…we can actually talk (revolutionary). My job does depend on Internet connection but we do sometimes need to go back to basics.
I like the pencil and paper idea a lot and use it often.
Thanks for posting!
Monday, December 28th, 2009 13:00
I like the last thing most XD I always do nothing when I don’t have internet, No internet – no work – no life (
Monday, December 28th, 2009 07:08
I would often wish I had more time without internet… Working with internet all day, and when I dont work, I end up reading articles on different blogs, follow links from Twitter, etc. etc. – like how I ended up reading this article. ;-)
I mostly enjoy just spending time with friends. Watch a movie, play cards, go out and play pool or have a few beers on a bar. Luckily it can be quite easy to escape from the whole big internet here, from time to time. And actually talk to REAL people. ;-)
Monday, December 28th, 2009 05:11
Or…. you could do as i am right now, and go to a nice coffee shop with wireless conection drinking refill coffee for several hours.
The Internet is free in some public places and stores 8D
Monday, December 28th, 2009 05:09
Or simply Twitter by SMS nonstop ^_^ (sortof Internet without Internet connection )
Friday, December 4th, 2009 09:29
Just give credits to my article and original source and there will be no problems! :) Have a good day :)
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 20:58
Great post!
Can’t think of anything more to add!
I’m not such a fan of learning videotutorials,
but from time to time, when I need a break away from my laptop,
I just go and play or have a little fun with my little brother.
He always has a great time, and likes it when there’s a break in the network…
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 21:29
nice post with lots of good ideas!
thanks for sharing.
Monday, November 30th, 2009 20:22
thanks, that was a nice post to go through, I look forward to reading more of your stuff
Friday, November 27th, 2009 08:46
Some good advice for when that day of no internet service happens… or even when you want to strike out and try something different… offline !! :)
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 13:37
Great Idea !!
Monday, November 23rd, 2009 14:46
Hey! Really good post. ..hoping to see that day come through with an internet connection. . .it’s just like life u know. Still good tip, thanks dude!
Monday, November 23rd, 2009 00:12
nice post I have to go away this week so no blogging for me – but ill find a connevction plug back into the matrix duuude
Monday, November 23rd, 2009 02:28
Dainis, im a little amused that in this day and age that we (humans) have to make a list of things to do when we aren’t connected. I particularly find it shameful that there are people responding with ‘thats a good idea’ or words/feelings to that effect. Please everyone, that thing on your sholders is called a brain. Engage it sometimes.
Point 14: Dont use the internet/computer 1 day a week. Trust me, the world will not end.
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 16:11
been there and done it over the last six weeks :( I moved house and due to moving in to a new build meant I didn’t even have a phone line to the house yet. It’s been a total nightmare and I felt like I had lost an arm or something, or my air that I breath :) so yea I can relate to a lot of this post.
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 14:58
Thanks for this list, well all i can say that being addicted to internet caused family problems to my life. So now i decided to not use internet at most when i come home from work and spend time with my family, reading, sport ….
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 14:09
This article inspired me to do things i never think i’ll do when i don’t have internet connection. Thanks
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 19:53
I wouldnt be able to read this post if i had no internet connection 8)
Thursday, November 19th, 2009 20:00
I understand you when you say you didn’t have internet, I was like that for almost a month (October) and at the beginning was difficult at the end I was really happy to do a lot of things, i hadn’t made in a lot of time.
Every moment is for living and enjoying so even without Internet there’s something to do.
Thursday, November 19th, 2009 13:06
Would you believe that I have a really good contingency for whenever I have no internet? I keep a LAMP configuration running on my laptop so that I can tinker around with themeing and web development while I’m offline!
If I haven’t got THE web, I’ll make my own web, thanks very much :)
Thursday, November 19th, 2009 06:57
This is just sad. To be so dependent on the web is just sad.
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 21:41
To me internet is like food…and on days when its not working life is really so boring..but this article has fed me with some new ideas…cleaning the workspace and desktop is the one thing i will need to do when internet is not working…
Thanks alot :-)
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 08:31
Hmmm… I would have suggested to go to the closest coffee shop or place that has wi-fi.
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 15:55
It’s both funny and a little sad – the fact that we’re so addicted. I better print this post before the connection breaks!
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 11:34
A really great article. I’m a web designer as well and we spent over two months without internet due to some strange technical problems of our internet provider.Unfortunately, I forgot to watch my video tutorials :-)
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 11:28
when u don’t have internet – connection….
u can not write ore read blogs!
:)
Cheers!
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 23:50
This post was very helpful. Thanks! I am also behind on those video tutorials!
I’ve been into guerrilla art lately when I need a break from designing. Leaving toy soldiers with purple hearts stuck on them, creating food art, and other. It amazingly does wonders for creativity. And it affects everyday people.
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 03:35
Fantastic article I have now been without my computer for a week now and its like having part of your body cut off, but i’m starting to get healthier.
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 02:52
Made me laugh out loud.
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 02:50
13. Don’t do anything!
“so I turned around, and I smoked this big fat spliff
Now I’m happy as can be I’m in this pothead spell”
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 01:05
Hmmm… I would have suggested to go to the closest coffee shop or place that has wi-fi. Either way, nice list.
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 14:59
hi..
you just a bit lucky than me..
yesterday, my workplace got no electricity the whole day…
i feel like……..
maybe is it because i’m too depending on this electrical things…perhaps..hehe
well…you know..
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 11:44
14. find out if one of your neighbours has an unprotected wifi connection!!
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 11:48
haha, yeah that’s the first thing I usually do if I have no Internet :D
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 17:09
Thanks for the tips and ideas. Being a novice designer / developer – reads like this from the pro’s is a good reminder to step away and take time to unwind (Internet connection or not)
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 16:42
What are these books in which you speak of? Are they something I can obtain with an RSS feed? Can I sync it to my iPod?
All kidding aside, pretty much everything you have on this list should be done even with the connection to the internet right there. The web is a tool, not a lifestyle (I’m speaking to myself as well as this post).
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 03:05
Pencil? Paper? They’re crazy ideas you have there! :)
Vicki
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 02:22
I think it is great you had a break. It is funny how all designers think this way.
Great job my friend.
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 12:45
yes, it is :) we have different thinking though :)
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 01:42
looking for a new girlfriend as his successor :) kidding.
read book, watch DVDs n sleep.
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 01:39
Oh ! XD .. i was disconnected for 3 days ago .. & i did some of the list automatically :)
so interesting!
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 12:39
but interesting to change life a little bit, isn’t it? :)
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 01:12
We’re all so addicted that we really need a reminder like this one. I take some time during the day (mostly in the evening) to read book. Even if there is internet connection :)
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 12:38
I cannot agree more, we get so used to Internet and routine we forget about everything else in life! Oh great, that you find time for it regularly, I am now filling my day with gym and salsa dancing to get out a little bit :)
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 01:02
Thanks for the tips! I’ll be sure to save this for when I don’t have an internet connection ;)
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 08:49
i think you can also use google gears to download things like your latest gmails before you go offline. i havent tried it yet though.
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 03:03
I have this problem mostly when I’m on a train. Horrible… :(
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 02:11
Get busy with the girlfriend… oh wait, nerds like me don’t have girlfriends. Well, then I suggest getting some drinks with your friends, always clears my head and I sleep like a baby afterwards and have very inspirational dreams.
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 12:40
yeah, we don’t have time for that ;D but we always can get out with friends to find girlfriend if we aren’t shy :)
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Manu
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 02:11
Get busy with the girlfriend… oh wait, nerds like me don’t have girlfriends. Well, then I suggest getting some drinks with your friends, always clears my head and I sleep like a baby afterwards and have very inspirational dreams.
Dainis Graveris
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 12:40
yeah, we don’t have time for that ;D but we always can get out with friends to find girlfriend if we aren’t shy :)
Brad
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 02:52
Made me laugh out loud.
Pedro M
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 02:50
13. Don’t do anything!
“so I turned around, and I smoked this big fat spliff
Now I’m happy as can be I’m in this pothead spell”
Jay Philips
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 01:05
Hmmm… I would have suggested to go to the closest coffee shop or place that has wi-fi. Either way, nice list.
Thomas
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 11:44
14. find out if one of your neighbours has an unprotected wifi connection!!
Dainis Graveris
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 11:48
haha, yeah that’s the first thing I usually do if I have no Internet :D
Alex
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 14:59
hi..
you just a bit lucky than me..
yesterday, my workplace got no electricity the whole day…
i feel like……..
maybe is it because i’m too depending on this electrical things…perhaps..hehe
well…you know..
lachlan
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 03:35
Fantastic article I have now been without my computer for a week now and its like having part of your body cut off, but i’m starting to get healthier.
May
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 23:50
This post was very helpful. Thanks! I am also behind on those video tutorials!
I’ve been into guerrilla art lately when I need a break from designing. Leaving toy soldiers with purple hearts stuck on them, creating food art, and other. It amazingly does wonders for creativity. And it affects everyday people.
George
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 21:41
To me internet is like food…and on days when its not working life is really so boring..but this article has fed me with some new ideas…cleaning the workspace and desktop is the one thing i will need to do when internet is not working…
Thanks alot :-)
Bissel
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 08:31
Hmmm… I would have suggested to go to the closest coffee shop or place that has wi-fi.
Haqan
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 15:55
It’s both funny and a little sad – the fact that we’re so addicted. I better print this post before the connection breaks!
alin
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 11:28
when u don’t have internet – connection….
u can not write ore read blogs!
:)
Cheers!
Adrian
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 11:34
A really great article. I’m a web designer as well and we spent over two months without internet due to some strange technical problems of our internet provider.Unfortunately, I forgot to watch my video tutorials :-)
Brian Jones
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 17:09
Thanks for the tips and ideas. Being a novice designer / developer – reads like this from the pro’s is a good reminder to step away and take time to unwind (Internet connection or not)
Dave
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 16:42
What are these books in which you speak of? Are they something I can obtain with an RSS feed? Can I sync it to my iPod?
All kidding aside, pretty much everything you have on this list should be done even with the connection to the internet right there. The web is a tool, not a lifestyle (I’m speaking to myself as well as this post).
IVAN
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 01:39
Oh ! XD .. i was disconnected for 3 days ago .. & i did some of the list automatically :)
so interesting!
Dainis Graveris
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 12:39
but interesting to change life a little bit, isn’t it? :)
Janko
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 01:12
We’re all so addicted that we really need a reminder like this one. I take some time during the day (mostly in the evening) to read book. Even if there is internet connection :)
Dainis Graveris
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 12:38
I cannot agree more, we get so used to Internet and routine we forget about everything else in life! Oh great, that you find time for it regularly, I am now filling my day with gym and salsa dancing to get out a little bit :)
Eric B.
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 01:02
Thanks for the tips! I’ll be sure to save this for when I don’t have an internet connection ;)
Ward
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 03:03
I have this problem mostly when I’m on a train. Horrible… :(
mr. tunes
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 08:49
i think you can also use google gears to download things like your latest gmails before you go offline. i havent tried it yet though.
choen
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 01:42
looking for a new girlfriend as his successor :) kidding.
read book, watch DVDs n sleep.
BunnygotBlog
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 02:22
I think it is great you had a break. It is funny how all designers think this way.
Great job my friend.
Dainis Graveris
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 12:45
yes, it is :) we have different thinking though :)
VictoriaAnn Design
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 03:05
Pencil? Paper? They’re crazy ideas you have there! :)
Vicki
Long Nguyen
Thursday, November 19th, 2009 06:57
This is just sad. To be so dependent on the web is just sad.
Gerard
Thursday, November 19th, 2009 13:06
Would you believe that I have a really good contingency for whenever I have no internet? I keep a LAMP configuration running on my laptop so that I can tinker around with themeing and web development while I’m offline!
If I haven’t got THE web, I’ll make my own web, thanks very much :)
Waasys
Monday, December 28th, 2009 13:00
I like the last thing most XD I always do nothing when I don’t have internet, No internet – no work – no life (
Christian Jessen
Monday, December 28th, 2009 07:08
I would often wish I had more time without internet… Working with internet all day, and when I dont work, I end up reading articles on different blogs, follow links from Twitter, etc. etc. – like how I ended up reading this article. ;-)
I mostly enjoy just spending time with friends. Watch a movie, play cards, go out and play pool or have a few beers on a bar. Luckily it can be quite easy to escape from the whole big internet here, from time to time. And actually talk to REAL people. ;-)
Stilogeno
Monday, December 28th, 2009 05:11
Or…. you could do as i am right now, and go to a nice coffee shop with wireless conection drinking refill coffee for several hours.
The Internet is free in some public places and stores 8D
Sushant
Thursday, December 17th, 2009 21:53
How about watching TV
Radek
Monday, December 28th, 2009 05:09
Or simply Twitter by SMS nonstop ^_^ (sortof Internet without Internet connection )
Tony
Monday, December 28th, 2009 05:19
Hit on chicks at a bar? Sign me up!
Otto
Monday, December 28th, 2009 05:31
I had a similar experience. No cell phone connection in the mountains. It gave me the excuse to go an photograph the surrounding snow covered hills. I also discovered how annoying it is to have folks at the dinner table on the phone texting or surfing the web on a laptop.
I’m enforcing a ban on any connectivity during family time like dinner. No internet connection…we can actually talk (revolutionary). My job does depend on Internet connection but we do sometimes need to go back to basics.
I like the pencil and paper idea a lot and use it often.
Thanks for posting!
Andrew
Thursday, February 17th, 2011 07:21
Sometimes I check, is it only local problems or not. Sometimes happen that only external internet problem, but our country domain zone still working, so I just checking our forums what happen, if no internet at all – clean my computer :)
Jaja
Saturday, August 7th, 2010 09:50
Wow! That’s actually a pretty helpful list you have there!
Do you mind if I post this one on my site? and also make a video blog about it? It would really be great for my readers.
Don’t worry, all the credit goes to you :-D
Hope this counts,
Jaja
Florence
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 23:07
Well, I never had a long outage of my internet connection, but during the breaks in service, normally I concentrate more on writing blog posts offline. In fact, this is the prime time when I’d not check emails, not have to reply to anyone, no login to my blogs etc. so there’s enough peaceful time to produce content. Later on, I just schedule the load of contents to be evenly posted during the span of 24 hours/48 hours/72 hours depending on how much content I produced.
Dibakar Jana
Thursday, December 31st, 2009 10:06
I listen to Kenny G when the internet connection is gone.
Chris
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 02:42
How about watching the terrabytes of porn that you downloaded when you DID have an internet connection?
Remember people, Rainy Day Wank Bank!
Dainis Graveris
Friday, December 4th, 2009 09:29
Just give credits to my article and original source and there will be no problems! :) Have a good day :)
Angelo Vanmarcke
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 20:58
Great post!
Can’t think of anything more to add!
I’m not such a fan of learning videotutorials,
but from time to time, when I need a break away from my laptop,
I just go and play or have a little fun with my little brother.
He always has a great time, and likes it when there’s a break in the network…
Michelle
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 16:11
been there and done it over the last six weeks :( I moved house and due to moving in to a new build meant I didn’t even have a phone line to the house yet. It’s been a total nightmare and I felt like I had lost an arm or something, or my air that I breath :) so yea I can relate to a lot of this post.
Ismail Mechbal
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 14:58
Thanks for this list, well all i can say that being addicted to internet caused family problems to my life. So now i decided to not use internet at most when i come home from work and spend time with my family, reading, sport ….
Kate Mag
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 14:09
This article inspired me to do things i never think i’ll do when i don’t have internet connection. Thanks
Luis Lopez
Thursday, November 19th, 2009 20:00
I understand you when you say you didn’t have internet, I was like that for almost a month (October) and at the beginning was difficult at the end I was really happy to do a lot of things, i hadn’t made in a lot of time.
Every moment is for living and enjoying so even without Internet there’s something to do.
Phil
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 19:53
I wouldnt be able to read this post if i had no internet connection 8)
Badger
Monday, November 23rd, 2009 02:28
Dainis, im a little amused that in this day and age that we (humans) have to make a list of things to do when we aren’t connected. I particularly find it shameful that there are people responding with ‘thats a good idea’ or words/feelings to that effect. Please everyone, that thing on your sholders is called a brain. Engage it sometimes.
Point 14: Dont use the internet/computer 1 day a week. Trust me, the world will not end.
Benjamin Rama
Monday, November 23rd, 2009 00:12
nice post I have to go away this week so no blogging for me – but ill find a connevction plug back into the matrix duuude
bharani m
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 21:29
nice post with lots of good ideas!
thanks for sharing.
jack
Monday, November 30th, 2009 20:22
thanks, that was a nice post to go through, I look forward to reading more of your stuff
Dainis Graveris
Monday, November 30th, 2009 22:46
Nice to hear that!
Hermitbiker
Friday, November 27th, 2009 08:46
Some good advice for when that day of no internet service happens… or even when you want to strike out and try something different… offline !! :)
KAY
Monday, November 23rd, 2009 14:46
Hey! Really good post. ..hoping to see that day come through with an internet connection. . .it’s just like life u know. Still good tip, thanks dude!
Dhirendra
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 13:37
Great Idea !!