I WENT OFFLINE FOR A WEEK & HERE'S HOW IT WENT...
Another Wainwright down - another handstand to celebrate - them the rules
'Cos peacocking around selling 'yo brand + wears like Del-Boy Trotter down the Nags Head is a pretty tiring job y’know?
Ok so its a while since I’ve done this… in fact I think It might have been August last year when I last went properly dark for a week and before that maybe April the year before. Tut tut. I forget how it works - the digital detox thing. IG has become such an engrained part of my work-day chatter it seems alien to ditch it.
But I def need it - my brains fried so a few days off grid, gram and what-not seemed the perfect opportunity. We’re off to the lakes - a maiden voyage in own new pimp air tent and we ain’t got signal OR electric hook up, so we’re going to fell run, climb, run, eat, drink and I’m taking BOOKS. I love my books. (#prayforkaty)
Think that’s clear enuff?
Friday pm - makes bold claim on the ‘gram 👆🏼
I’m posting that I’m off - so at least it’s covered over IG email and on my website. The thought of not being able to check email or have my laptop to hand next week is making me feel scratchy already though. What if someone needs something? What if a client gets annoyed. Waaah.
I try to dismiss negative thoughts and have booked myself in for a massage - may as well start the week right, right? The therapist tells me between massage and Reiki that she’s getting a lot of noise - I think she’s right - I think I have a kind of static-thing coming off me of late. She also said my shoulders and neck are solid as a rock (and not in a good way) but thats no surprise. Must relax.
I walk home and accidentally flicker open instagram as habit then quickly close it down. Spend the evening chilling and snaffling.
Climbing trainers on? Nope. Appropriate clothing? Nope. Quick spot of outdoor bouldering while walking Moo? Yes.
(Az used his phone to take these FYI)
Saturday - must. not. use. phone.
So it’s a secret work day for me - to be off next week I need to work ahead, plus I have a couple of really important meetings on my return so like to be prepped and ahead of the game - that’s the geek and control freak in me.
I’m sat in my fave spot in the garden on my egg chair when I realise ive opened IG and DMing my buddy @thatsherbusiness who commends me on going off grid and social. F**k. Its like auto pilot this shit.
My bestie has been away a week and as a result hasn’t sent me a usual morning VN (voice note) she now sends me a 17 mintuter to get stuck into. I love a VN and its the equivalent of chatting to your buddies when making a brew at work.
I listen in and carry on working on my laptop in the back garden before my next door neighbour Emma pops out and tells me off. “Aren’t you meant to be offline now?” She’s an indie too - she knows the pain. I tell her I’m working over Saturday/Sunday to make up for the bolt and then going dark. We chat over the fence about how hard it is to switch off and drop it all when it’s your own gig.
…Later that day
I’ve done a huge chunk of work and Az and I go the local for a drink - it’s a gorgeous day and as usual I’m snapping a million pictures (cos when I’m old and nuts I want to remember my life - ever seen the notebook? Well, that in visual form for me please)
Theres some cute calves asking for us to get a ‘round in and the scene is stunning - instinctively I think to story it, but then leave the phone in my pocket. Good girl. I’m learning.
I chill in the bath that eve and read another 4 chapters of my book. Might have this lad finished by the time we head off. Good jobs I’ve a stack of books so easily another 20 to go at.
#outfitoftheday - can’t post that
Schmoozing’ - can’t post that
Work snacks - can’t post that
Sunday - can’t post that…
By now this is getting easier. I wake up early to work and annoyingly my laptop auto logs me into my IG account as I’ve been auditing - I see notifications and messages - I don’t look and log out.
I snap an #outfitoftheday and realise I can’t post it (I mean who really cares anyway?) it’ll have to go into content fodder for the monthly threads or I start a new theme of #outfitsoftheotherday - clever me. #Everythingiscontent
I’m heading to a salon relaunch that I’ve rebranded with a buddy. We take snaps and I realise I canna post em - about three folk at the salon ask me if I’ve stayed offline and tell me to enjoy the quiet and chill out over the next few days - can you see a theme here yet?! They know me too well. I can make a post about it next week. See work = always thinking.
By Sunday evening I’ve misplaced my phone while im packing. It’s always on silent and I always have all my notifications switched off which makes it a B*TCH to find - turns out its still in my bag.
I faff around on my laptop trying to make sure I’ve covered EVERYTHING off, put on my OOO. (Cue queasy feeling) and then hide said laptop in case we get burgled while we’re away - have that burglars - I’m a step ahead of you. (PS its never in the same place) I get an email I was expecting at about 10pm and feel compelled to read it - but my OOO should have done its job and so I’ll tend to it when I get back. Must. stop. thinking. about. work.
At 10.32pm I get a text from a client saying they can buzz me early am to discuss a booking for the following week. They were on holiday Friday and missed my return call.
I say I’m off super early and not contactable or the following few days - this really does make me feel queasy now. Followed by a wave of anxiety that I’m not appearing available enough :/ FFS I’m pretty sure if I take a call now or at 6am Az will go off grid without me. And quite rightly so.
Everything’s packed to go and we are going EARLY - we intend to be fell running that morning #prayforKaty
Pimp-tent’s maiden voyage
Fell running and working on my tan - who the hell am I anymore?
Post run cocktails, them also the rules
Monday - in another place
We drive to the lakes and I’ve consciously stayed off my phone. I have my usual sushi snacks on route and we park up ready to go for our run before we go set up camp. The run is GLORIOUS but ‘effing ROASTING. It’s easily 25 and I leave my phone in the car. Az takes his for piccies - we do a 13km fell run with a shitload of elevation and dunk in the river to cool down. Funnily enough without music when running my mind often flies but today it’s already calmer and I’ve not thought about work nearly as much as I would.
We finish the run at a pub (cos them the rules) and I snarf a pint and a pint of water simultaneously and chill on the bench. Feeling buzzing. Not compelled to check phone - on a high.
We go set up the tent - and have a proper laugh doing it - we can feel ourselves being watched by the other folk on the site.
Tah-dah! Its up! And its glorious! We sunbathe a little then get showered at speed, costume change and we’re off for drinks and lunch! By this point my phone has been off hours. I dont even bother to read my book while we sunbath - just chill and it’s magic.
We go out on the town and have lots of cocktails and dinner and hit all our fave places. What a wicked way to spend a Monday.
Met our buddies for play
#Outfitoftheday - still can’t post it
Eating and drinking… again.. standard
Tuesday - OUT OUT
It’s another scorcher. I’ve made bold claims I want to run around Derwentwater -14km or so and I want to stick to ‘em. We go for it and I DON’T STOP ONCE - not even to take pics. It’s so beautiful. We end the run in the centre of Keswick and I treat myself (#treatbasedbitch) to Boba tea and we get some scran. All runs end in scran. We sunbathe back at the tent and get showered and ready to go meet our pals who are also up in the lakes this week. Perfect timing. By now my phones only been used to check in on my mama and take #outfitoftheday pics.
We meet our buddies and have a BALL. Our pal Jen notes she’s missed my stories off IG but asks if its been good to switch off. We go OUT OUT and have a top night.
Stopping to smell the metaphorical roses
Whenever we get the chance to climb - we do
Nom - The Pocket, Keswick - highly recommend
Wednesday - What phone now?
So now my phone battery has lasted for three days straight without charge - for context my phone battery doesn’t usually last a day. I feel like we’ve already been away a week (prob cos we’ve packed a bit in) and we pack up the pimp-tent and go into Keswick for lunch, then sunbath by the lake for a while (utter bliss) before going climbing. We have the place to ourselves and I switch my phone on to take pics.
We leave and go for dinner and I realise even though my phone is on I’m not even searching for it. I take a pic of my food (cos I LOVE food pics) and we hang around until the last possible moment we can before driving home with a banging playlist.
I choose to avoid emails and social when we get back and don’t log onto IG until the following morning ‘cos I have an 8.30am call - cheers for that client. 🤣
8.30am call - really?
Hidin’ - no make up, no fur did, no idea tbh
G’office grafting with Moo on guard - a trot worthy of Crufts
Thursday - Still hidin’
I choose to avoid social for the rest of the day, only posting to try and flog my Parklife tickets. It works and I decide I’ll return to social on Friday and enjoy the peace and quiet. My brain feels calmer and even though I’ve a flood of work stuff to tend to I feel no overwhelm from it. I will plan it all in as it needs… I read my book all evening (which I completely failed to do in the Lakes) and we talk about going back up this weekend - we haven’t unpacked the car. 🤣
Post yoga rituals
We could literally just bounce again.. maybe with the laptop
I snaffle and contemplate this choice…
Friday - I’m baaaack!!!!
I chose to go to yoga first thing - something I’ve gotten out of recently for running and work - vowing not to look at my emails ’til after class. I feel calm AF and am buzzing after.
I get my traditional coffee and croissants for Az and realise on the drive home the car’s still packed and if we wanted to bounce again we actually could. I dedicate some time to the egg-chair while I snaffle my loot then crack on with my working day and get back on IG.
I’m baaccck! I spend sometime catching up on my DMs, enquiries, emails, what-not and crack on with the big presentation I was preparing for before I left which goes splendidly. Huzzah!
In summary:
A digital blackout was well overdue. I know I’ve been away a lot of late - but not on a social blackout for aggggges. I’ve decided I’m going to try and enforce some more boundaries around my working life. Calls and emails are a no-go after 5pm(ish) and I’m not going to work the weekends unless it’s to make up for a flit (of which I know there are many). I realise the separation between my working life and life is as fluid as I like it to be - I’m also aware it’s not how a many would like to do it. I don’t work set hours, days, on the same work or even in the same place. I love the variation - it keeps it interesting. I’m the first to admit I’m not one for routine but I do need to reset and add in some self-imposed boundaries every-so often or there becomes a constant blur and it’s no wonder I begin to work the corner of burnout-boulevard - the place all indies all try keep ‘emselves off. A constant work in progress.
Take a break kids. x