Because we can doesn’t mean we must 
In this space, I frequently talk about being untethered. I admit that I my wireless notebook computers are a boon — they allow me to work anywhere, while keeping me connected to the Internet.
But, to be honest, I’m a reluctant mobile phone user. I have one, but it’s nothing fancy. It makes calls, can send and receive text messages, and supposedly can do some basic Wbe browsing. I say supposedly because I haven’t tried that yet. My mobile really can’t compare to my business partner’s Blackberry which has everything except a death ray.
That said, all of this mobile technology creates a number of unreasonable expectations. Not only for us, but for clients as well. And I don’t think those expectations are always a good thing.
Jump!
What expectations? That we need be connected and online 24/7, in case we miss something. That we’re at a client’s beck and call at all hours, and will jump when they say jump.
That’s no way to run a business, from either side of it. Last week, I ran across this article which really hit the nail on the head. In the article, the author wrote:
Last week, a high school sophomore told me that she brings her phone into the shower with her–in a Ziploc bag. She didn’t want to miss an incoming text message. When I asked her if, in her sleep, she had missed life-altering messages, she looked at me blankly.
The last sentence sums up my feelings about mobile technology and the freelancer. Not just the freelance writer, but every freelancer out there. In most cases, you’re not going to be missing anything by being offline for a few hours or overnight. In fact, you need that time offline to get away from work and enjoy (or at least go through the motions) of that little thing called your life.
How I deal with this
My mobile phone gets turned on at the start of the day. It goes off when the day ends, usually around 5:00 p.m. EST. I’m up-front with clients about that. I let them know that if they can’t reach me by phone they can leave a voice mail on my mobile number or on Skype, or they can send me an email. I’ll get back to them within a few hours. I tell client that when I’m offline, I’m spending time with my family and friends, and that their project isn’t turning into a pile of dust.
Once or twice, I got a desperate message from the night before followed by another message a few hours later saying the problem wasn’t as bad as they thought and they don’t need a quick fix. I’ve only had to fight huge client fires two or three times, but those were during my normal hours.
How do you deal with the expectation that you’re always available? Feel free to leave a comment.
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