Get a Life! Overcoming a Webmaster's Natural Tendency for Personal Disaster
by Kath Blackwell
Okay - scrape those cheese doodles off the desk, wipe the Mountain Dew off your computer screen and let's talk turkey about the webmaster lifestyle. If you are like most adult webmasters, you have no life. That's right. Your best hope is to get out to an industry expo just so you can see the light of day, talk to people on something other than ICQ and get to a real party - not one of those sponsored radio show things. There are pieces missing from your life - other people, fun, relaxation, hobbies (no, looking at content doesn't count) and a life. A real one... not just a virtual one.
Maybe you've tried to add the "life" back to your life without success. Well, maybe what you need is just a new plan. Here are three different plans to help you get your life back. One may just be the ticket for you!
Plan A - Organize, Schedule & Prioritize
Some people need structure - crave it, and must have it to survive. Sometimes they don't even realize it. We leave the comfort zone of the nine-to-five workday, and come home to the utter chaos of decide-your-own-schedule, work-at-your-own-pace and make-your-own-deadlines. This can be scary - downright uncomfortable for some folks. Believe it or not, NOT having a schedule or sense of order in your life could be what is holding you back from really getting out there and enjoying life. Here are some tips that will help you get back on track!
Don't Go It Alone - Get Your Hand "Held"!
According to a recent review feature at ZDNet.com, this is the "time" to buy a handheld device or pocket PC. The companies are "at war" and the consumer will benefit greatly by the lower prices, new options and user advantages being added every day. Here is a listing of the top five handheld products that will help you organize your business and your life!
1. Toshiba Pocket PC e310 ($354-$432)
Pro - Long Battery Life; Con - No PC Card Expansions Available
2. Palm m515 ($319-$399)
Pro - Expansion Slot for More Memory; Con - Low-Resolution Screen
3. Handspring Treo 90 ($273-$299)
Pro - Thumb Keyboard; Con - No Springboard Slot
4. Compaq iPaq H3835 ($424-$599)
Pro - Built in Secure Digital Card Slot; Con - No Built-In CompactFlash Slot
5. Sony CLIE PEG-NR7OV ($528-$599)
Pro - Built in Thumb Keypad, Camera & MP3 Player; Con - Bulky, Expensive
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Make a list...of goals, objectives and things you need to accomplish. Don't just do this on a daily basis, but think about the bigger picture. Think weekly, monthly - heck, let's go for a year. Where do you want to be tomorrow? Think it, plan it - do it!
Make a daily schedule...it might sound tedious, but many webmasters have posted messages stating that as soon as they decided upon a schedule for themselves, their workload increased. If you are a free-site webmaster, choose a time of day that works best for site building or gallery building. Then choose another time for site submissions to link lists, TGPs, pic posts, top lists, etc. Also, choose a point in your day to check stats, look over personal e-mails and read up on your favorite message board. If you have a special weekly chat or radio show that you like to attend, schedule that in as well. Use these organized events as a "stopping point" to work toward during your day. Having goals, personal deadlines and daily schedules can be very helpful.
Clean up that workstation...and I don't just mean the dust bunnies! Having a clean and organized workstation can be beneficial in many ways. Number one - you'll actually be able to find things. That's a bonus! Number two - you'll actually have room to work! Having lots of space for notes, working, something to drink (without fear of it spilling into the keyboard), content CDs, programs - anything you use to get the job done each and every day - right at arm's length- will increase your productivity. How many hours have you lost searching for that special CD or those notes you made at the last conference with tips on how to build a better Web site? Keep everything handy. Mother always said, "a place for everything and everything in its place." Okay, a little corny, but Mom does know what she's talking about. Keep it clean!
Take time to organize your life...make time for fun. Schedule time for relaxation. Remember to add a sleep time frame in there as well, as good sleep is also conducive to a healthy work environment. A little structure never hurt anyone and nobody says it has to be rigid and tough. Make your schedule to suit you - your habits, your life, your style and your moods. Nobody knows how you work best than you - so start working to help yourself. You will be surprised at how a little self-focus can dramatically change your outlook and your outcome.
Plan B - Learn to Have Some Fun
Get a Hobby - Find Something to Do That's Just for You!
There are lots of great places on the 'Net to explore your hobbies or interests. But, this article is about getting away from the computer, so once you find something that sparks your attention, take it away from the monitor and get out into the world to explore it more!
Not sure what you want to do? Check out places like Yahoo! Groups. Yahoo! Groups, is a chatting community full of different hobbies, interests and other folks that share your passions in life. There are chatrooms for car collectors, Star Wars nuts, bicycle enthusiasts and sports freaks!
Check out Groups.Yahoo.com for some ideas on hobbies that you might not have even known existed! Or browse eBay.com and see what catches your attention. Who knows? Maybe you'll discover a new side to yourself all together? So get out there, have some fun and learn more about the most important person in your life - you!
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Oh yeah babe - you gotta have some fun! The really best thing about working a typical nine-to-five, Monday-thru-Friday job is that you are trained to accept "work time" versus "off time." As a work-at-home anything, you don't have that pre-scheduled structure (unless you've already followed Plan A above!), so it's hard to think about looking forward to the weekends as a fun "off time" thing. Start thinking about the weekends, putting away the stats and piles of sites to submit. Start "working for the weekend" and marking your calendar for TGIF!
- Get a hobby...everyone's got one, why not you? Remember when playing with computers was your hobby? Or exploring the Internet? While you can still do that - and many webmasters enjoy playing games both online and off - the point here is to get AWAY from that monitor every once in awhile and enjoy the world around you.
- Are you artistic, creative or musical? You're never too old to take an art class, a writing course or a musical instrument lesson. In fact, these hobbies aren't just fun - they're also relaxing and can help you get those creative juices flowing!
- Or maybe you're a collector? Lots of collectors are finding great "finds" at other places outside of eBay. Yard sales, thrift stores, antique shops and classified ads are a great way to get that perfect item you've been looking for.
- Or maybe you're the sporty type? Hey, all webmasters need to get "out there" and do more physically. Face it. We sit far too long, day in and day out. Jogging, swimming, weightlifting - there are tons of great things you could do to get in better shape, take some quality time away from the computer and do something that will help keep your mind off work for a few hours.
- If your tastes run more to the "wild side," you can also take mini-trips to carnivals, circuses, fairs, theme parks, roller coaster parks, go-cart tracks and casinos, for a little kicked up action. Get out there, go crazy, let your hair down - and have a great time!
Plan C - Get Out of Town & See the World!
Just Go Away!
Use your Internet skill and prowess to find the best deals in travel today. Check out places like Expedia.com, Travelocity.com and CheapFares.com for huge savings on weekend and full-vacation trips. Here are just some of the specials available at the time of this writing. Get out there and grab one of these deals today!
- Vacation Packages to the Caribbean - as low as $669!
- Visit Cancun for as low as $563!
- Go to Acapulco for a steal, starting at just $621!
- Head to Hawaii for just $521!
- Check out Carnival Cruise Lines 30th Anniversary Specials from $209!
- Cruise the Bahamas for just $289!
- Take the 7-Day Ultimate Cruise of Alaska starting at just $799!
- Take advantage of low US air-rates starting as low as $35 one-way!
You owe it to yourself to take a little trip to paradise every now and again, and travel rates are now more affordable than ever. Take a peek at the discount travel sites for yourself, and see just how cheap you can travel, relax and have the vacation that you deserve!
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What are you into? Now that's the big question. Do you like movies, fancy dinners, hanging out with friends or a weekend in Vegas? What lights your fancy and helps you relax and enjoy life more than anything? Answer those questions and you're ready to have some fun!
Take a day trip...just for the afternoon. Get out to the city, the country, the beach, the desert, the mountains, the lake - or whatever floats your boat. Taking just a single day away from work - and I mean totally away...no computers, no modems, no chatrooms - no nuthin'. And yes, that includes no Web TV subscriptions at the hotel, too. Just get away from it all. Forget for 12 hours that the Internet exists and enjoy the world around you. A day trip can be a quick shot in the arm that will help you avoid burnout, enjoy the money you're making with all this work-a-holic behavior - and will help recharge your batteries giving you a new outlook on life. Can a simple day trip really do all that? Try it and see!
Take a weekend...go ahead - be daring! Schedule a weekend away from home and see how the other half lives. Throw your cares away; don't bring the freaking laptop - and go do something you haven't done in a long time. Re-connect with your family, friends - and most importantly, yourself. Think about YOU for a change. Ladies - get a facial, a manicure or even a massage. Guys - massages are good for you too, and so is anything that pampers and babies you in the way you deserve. A weekend at the spa, a trip to the city to see a ballgame and play tourist - whatever turns you on. Schedule some fun into your life and plan a weekend - or be spontaneous and take off at the drop of a hat. The point is, whatever excites you - that's what you should strive to do.
Go for a whole week...or two! You want the whole enchilada? Check out places like Expedia.com, CheapFares.com and Travelocity.com for super deals on travel this year. People are taking more road trips this season so take advantage of that new travel attitude and snatch up some cool package deals that include airfare, room, some meals - even a rental car. Go somewhere you've always wanted to go - or go back to someplace you've been and loved. It doesn't really matter whether you take a day, weekend or a whole week. What matters is that you take charge of your life, take some well-deserved time off - and get back into living and enjoying life!
Whatever you do to unwind and put some focus back in your personal life is irrelevant. The point is that you need stress-busters- need to get out there and do something. Life in front of a computer 24/7/365 might be very profitable financially, but it's not really living life at all. Besides, what are you working hard to make all that money for, if you're not out there enjoying it? Get out there, re-charge those batteries and then come home and build sites to your heart's content. Fact is, a little AFK time can boost your energy level, increase your overall creativity and give you new ideas for things you thought you might not ever be able to improve upon before. Think of that AFK time as a good investment in the overall success of your business.
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