Guess who's back? No, not Slim Shady, but I am back - back online that is. After spending four weeks being confined to only connect to the Internet via a WiFi hotspot, I am now back to join the connect-from-anywhere mobile world.
So, what did I discover on this Ruckus WiFi Challenge?
1. It is okay
I discovered that it was acceptable not to respond to every single e-mail the second it hit the Inbox. There were days when I could only reply to e-mails hours later. What I saw was a new phenomenon - people were able to help themselves.
When someone e-mailed me and did not receive an immediate reply, they usually sent a follow-up e-mail, hours later, saying: "Ignore previous mail - I managed to sort it out." This happened repeatedly. It has become too easy to tick something off the 'to-do list' with an "I e-mailed and am awaiting feedback". In my case, when there was no reply, the sender managed to make alternative arrangements and help themselves.
2. There is no emergency
"ASAP", "right now", "urgent" - these are such overused phrases and terms. When I was not contactable via digital means, those so-called emergencies vanished. In the case of a real emergency, I was contactable by phone.
Compared to 'urgent' e-mails I received during the month prior to the challenge, I noticed a distinct lack of emergencies that occurred when I was not email-able 24-hours-a-day. Was there really a decline in ASAP matters, or perhaps there were no real emergencies?
3. Just one e-mail
Knowing that I could not be reached again via e-mail for a while, I tended to give more concise information in the mail to avoid the unnecessary back-and-forth. So instead of e-mailing: "Please refer this matter to Jo", I reworded that to: "Please refer this matter to Jo (his number is...), and should he not be available, speak to Peter (his number is...). In the event where no one is around, call the reception on... and leave a message for them both."
4. More time and managed time
Not being connected all the time meant I had to really plan my day. While this caused some stress, over time I managed to find my 'usual' hangout spots where in more cases than not, Internet was available. Always-On was a life-saver on many, many occasions.
When I finally reached a hotspot, my computer downloaded all the mails. I found that when I dealt with a batch of e-mails, I managed to get through them much faster than I do when I get e-mails one at a time.
What I also discovered was that not being distracted by the phone's constant beeps gave me more time to think too.
5. Keep me out of the loop
When it comes to business, this is where I had to plan. I set proper processes and procedures that effectively meant I was no longer the 'blocker' of information flow, but people could make decisions without involving me in every micro-decision. Originally, these processes were temporary; however, I see no reason to revert to "keep me in the loop" mentality.
So in summary
When I told people about the challenge, I was met with two distinct reactions. The first was from people who have Internet access on multiple devices all the time. They said that it cannot be done and that I would battle to cope running a business with such limited connectivity. The second reaction was from people who don't have regular Internet access, and they were confused as to what the challenge actually was - they only connect at WiFi hotspots or public libraries.
This was an interesting realisation; what some people take for granted others see as a luxury. Being able to connect via a smartphone or via 3G dongle is just basic day-to-day activity for some, and for others, is such over-the-top extravagance.
I started out the challenge like someone who is going through rehab. I knew that temptation in the form of connectivity and its glorious information is just a small Data On tick away on my mobile phone.
I resisted. It was hard at first, but by week two, I realised I was so consumed by constant data and the need to react that I had to re-programme my brain to relax, which then allowed me to see cool new things around me. These included great business opportunities.
Just like all things in life - everything in moderation is good. Overdo it, and life passes you by. And all you'll do is Instagram and tweet about it.
I used to panic about not being connected, but what this Ruckus WiFi Challenge has taught me is to relax - we are never too far away from a decent connection and a decent cup of coffee too.
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