Thankfully, most clients are fair and honest. Yes, some can be difficult to work with. But it’s still possible to form a productive relationship with them.

On the other hand, you’ll find the occasional nightmare client. Someone that (intentionally or not) breaks all the rules. They’ll mistreat you, argue about every detail, and generally make a mess of things.

I’ve spent over two decades in the web design industry. I can attest to the damage that comes from working with the wrong person. It can turn both your business and life upside down. It can even be traumatic.

There were times when I questioned my ability to move past the situation. The good news is that it’s possible to survive – even thrive – afterward. Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way.

First, Look at What Happened

When you’re in the midst of a bad situation, things move fast. Our fight-or-flight response takes over. Thus, you don’t always have time to fully understand what’s happening in real-time.

Looking back at an incident or even a relationship can help. It enables you to examine the details more closely. You might even find things you’d missed.

The goal is to identify the root cause of the issue. For example, maybe a client rubbed you the wrong way during your initial conversation. What was it that made you feel uncomfortable?

If a project went sideways, there could be a specific turning point. Maybe it was an action the client took or something they said. Where did things take a turn for the worse?

Digging up the past may be difficult. But it can also be very beneficial. What you learn might prevent a similar situation from happening in the future.

How Does It Change Your Business?

Working with a nightmare client can have a profound effect on your business. That might be a negative in the short term. Dealing with the aftermath can put you behind on projects and hurt your bottom line.

The big picture can be more positive, however. The experiences allow you to see things differently. And a changed perspective can lead to a changed business.

They’ve led me to implement new policies. Some are technical, like having managed cloud backups for the websites I maintain. Others are more philosophical, like insisting that clients control their domain names. Spelling out terms in a contract is also a live-and-learn experience.

And while self-preservation is a good reason to change – it’s not the only one. Taking action feels great. It’s empowering. The confidence you gain in the process can carry through to future projects.

Again, it’s about avoiding bad people and situations. Being proactive is a giant first step toward that goal.

Learn To Move Forward With Purpose

I’m happy to say that most of my client experiences have been positive. An overwhelming majority, in fact. If that weren’t the case, I might have left web design long ago!

But you can’t stay lucky forever. Eventually, you’ll run into someone who tests your mettle. They’re way beyond a standard picky client. You might say their behavior is malevolent.

Do you want examples? Well, I really shouldn’t. But let’s see…I’ve been yelled at, threatened, and lied to. If we ever have an adult beverage together, I’ll go into further detail!

That’s not to say I’m a perfect human. I make mistakes and have misunderstandings, too. But I can say that just about every nightmarish instance I’ve experienced had a solution. Better communication can fix almost any situation – except one.

Some people are simply irrational. The reasons behind this are best left to experts. But I’ve learned that it’s nearly impossible to communicate effectively with such clients.

In that case, the best we can do is move forward. You might have to fire them. Or it may require cleaning up a mess before you can break free. There could also be some financial losses.

But it’s totally worth the short-term pain. In the long run, you’ll leave with lessons learned and your dignity intact.

Don’t Let a Nightmare Client Steal Your Joy

A nightmare client can make you dread coming to work. And they can give you a jaded perspective that lasts well beyond your relationship. It’s a potential long-term side effect of dealing with them.

But it’s important to consider a broader view. Think about the many clients you’ve worked with. This one bad experience shouldn’t outweigh all of the good ones.

True, the ordeal may leave you shaken for a while. However, you don’t have to stay in that mindset forever.

Do something you’re passionate about. Maybe it’s a side project or just taking time to be creative. Connect with others in the web design community. These things will provide a much-needed reset for your mind.

Nightmares only last a little while. Thankfully, you can wake up from them!

The post How To Survive a Nightmare Client appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

In my own time as a web designer, I’ve tried to be reliable and exceed expectations. Overall, I think I’ve done a pretty good job (albeit far from perfect). It’s probably what has kept my business going for so many years. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some drawbacks.

Let’s take a look at some situations and side effects that come along with being a responsible web designer. After all, it’s not all rose petals and money falling from the sky (there’s also some rain).

You’re Expected to Know Everything

We have all had to deal with someone who is unreliable. Maybe it’s a tech support department that takes forever to respond – only to provide you with a non-answer. Or perhaps it’s a plumber who routinely keeps you waiting well beyond the time they said they’d be there. It seems like there is no shortage of those who either lack responsibility, organization or both.

So when you find someone who does respond quickly and helpfully and does keep to their word – you may think that you’ve struck gold. As a web designer, displaying these traits can lead clients to ask you for advice on all sorts of subjects – including those unrelated to web design.

For example, I’ve been asked to troubleshoot everything from email issues to printers. While I certainly don’t mind someone asking a question, I’m far from an expert in these areas. And it ends up being mutually disappointing when I don’t have the answers. So, because I pride myself on being helpful…

You Take Responsibility for Things You Shouldn’t

Sometimes, being responsible makes you feel like everything is your responsibility. Like when someone asks you about their email or printer issues – and you feel like it’s your duty to find an answer.

Personally, I’ve been in situations where I felt that I simply had to be responsible, only because I figured no one else would. If I don’t take care of it, who will?

This opens up a whole can of worms that can lead to trouble. While it’s great to do favors for a good client, there’s a fine line. You don’t want to nominate yourself to be the point of contact for things that have nothing to do with your day job. Fix that printer once and who do you think they’re going to call the next time they have a paper jam?

Even as it relates to web design, your bid to be responsible can cause problems. For example, you probably shouldn’t go in and randomly update your client’s CMS if you aren’t asked or obligated to do so. While you might be doing them a favor, what happens if something breaks? What if you updated 20 of these sites and a buggy plugin broke them all? You’d find yourself on the hook for fixing something that you really shouldn’t have been involved with.

If you really want to be the grownup in the room, there are better ways to go about it.

In the case of the printer, it’s fine to offer advice. Just preface it by stating that this isn’t your area of expertise and that you can’t offer any sort of regular support. In the case of the outdated CMS, you might want to let your client know that their software is out of date and should be updated. Provide them with a cost estimate for updating and leave the decision up to them.

In other words: Be proactive about these situations rather than burdening yourself with them.

Your Mistakes Really Hurt

I don’t know if anyone could possibly make me feel worse about a mistake I’ve made than me. True, there have been a few people over the years that have been less than kind when it comes to pointing out my shortcomings. But, in the end, I’m my own toughest critic.

When you’re entrusted to do things right and you don’t live up to your end of the bargain, it’s natural to feel really bad about it. Of course, someone who isn’t responsible at all would probably blow it off as just another “oops” (and then continue playing video games). For us adult-types, we don’t heal so easily.

The key here is to remember that responsibility does not equal perfection. While we often think that they go hand-in-hand, it’s just not realistic. No, true responsibility is standing up and making things right even after you’ve messed up. It’s about burying your ego and realizing that you aren’t above making a mistake.

Balancing Responsibility with Sanity

Who knew that being responsible came with so much responsibility? Bad jokes aside, it really is a great personality trait to have. I think it makes you better prepared to run your own business. You pay greater attention to the details and you’re more likely to keep up with project deadlines.

On the flip side, you may also feel a bit more of a burden. Days off and (gasp) vacations are tougher because being carefree isn’t part of your daily routine. It also means that you tend to take responsibility for the thankless tasks no one else wants to do. While that’s great for leadership, it’s not always the best thing for your peace of mind.

The good news is that you can find balance. Remember to be proactive and consult with others, rather than robotically taking charge of every situation – whether it’s your place to do so or not. Understand that, as a human, you are entitled to make a mistake here and there. Take time to go outside and do something that requires little-to-no responsibility at all.

Sure, there are downfalls to being responsible. But there are also some great upsides. Learn to use them to your own advantage.

The post The Perils of Being a Responsible Web Designer appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

The truth is that it’s incredibly easy to set yourself up for disaster – especially when you’re first starting out. Because WordPress essentially puts the world at your fingertips, there is great temptation to add mass quantities of plugins or even click that “Update” button without first thinking of the consequences. That, along with a host of other actions, can blow up in your face down the road.

Below are some of the most important things for designers and site owners to avoid when it comes to building and maintaining a WordPress website.

1. Use Plugins to Solve Every Problem

The sheer amounts of WordPress plugins we have to choose from can make us feel like the proverbial kid in a candy store. There are plugins for virtually any type of functionality you can think of – both major and minor.

Quite often, we get into the mindset of believing that any issue or limitation we face can be fixed just by installing a plugin. Why? Part of the reason may be because, in reality, it can. Indeed, the right plugin can be just the thing we need to take our site to that next level.

The problem here is twofold. First, not every plugin is created equally. For every truly great and dependable piece of software, there are just as many (if not more) that are a piece of…well, I digress. Taking the time to properly evaluate a plugin won’t guarantee eternal harmony, but it should give you an idea as to quality.

The second issue is that, many times, we look to plugins to do things that are better handled by other methods. For example, there may be a plugin out there to help you edit CSS – but is that really necessary? If it’s something that can be easily (for a professional, that is) done via editing a stylesheet or template, a plugin may be overkill.

This all requires a change in thinking. Realize that not everything can or should be solved by installing a plugin. The idea is to think about what you’re trying to achieve and determine the best way to get it done. Sometimes that means installing a plugin, other times you can get by without one.

2. Directly Editing Files of a Parent Theme

Part of the beauty of a WordPress theme is that it can be customized to your exact needs. Why, WordPress even includes a handy (if potentially dangerous) editor right there in the back end. But the concern is that, if you’re using a “parent” theme, any edits you make can be overwritten when that theme is updated. With all of your customizations gone, that can lead to a site that looks and acts differently than it’s supposed to.

Unfortunately, that’s a potential issue that designers and site owners aren’t always aware of. In fact, it seems to go against all logic. You have a theme installed – why can’t you just change it as you please?

That’s where the concept of the child theme comes into play. It serves only to handle the parts of a theme you wish to customize, while leaving everything else to its parent. When the parent is updated, the child theme remains unharmed.

A well-documented theme (either free or commercial) should mention the use of a child theme. But not every theme author makes mention of it and, frankly, not every user of a theme will sit there and read the documentation.

Just know that, when using a theme from a source other than yourself, a child theme will save you loads of trouble.

3. Failure to Stick to a Backup/Update Routine

We click that update button with a lump in our throats, hoping that everything will work as expected. But sometimes it doesn’t. And the more versions we fall behind of WordPress, a theme or plugin – the more risks we take. Not only for something to break, but also for the potential security holes that may have gone un-patched.

If something does go wrong – what then? While you may be able to scramble around and install a previous version of whatever cooked your site, that doesn’t always work. Even if it does, there may have been database changes that went along with an update that can’t be undone.

Instead of managing updates on a wing and a prayer – be prepared. Run updates routinely and make frequent backups (at the very least, backup your site before applying updates). That way, you’re never far behind and, if something goes wrong, you have a way to reverse course.

4. Not Taking Basic Security Measures

Because WordPress is so widely used, it has become a constant target for evil doers. A never-ending stream of bots are carrying out brute-force login attempts and scanning for vulnerable installs. And the worst thing we can do is sit idly by while these things occur.

The good news is that you don’t have to be a security expert to implement a basic strategy. Actions such as running a security plugin, keeping your install updated, using strong passwords and restricting access to your site are things anyone can do. Surprisingly, they work.

These measures won’t necessarily stop a concerted attack by an expert hacker. But they will repel the more run-of-the-mill automated attempts as noted above. Besides, if your site is large enough and important enough to attract live humans attempting to break in – you hopefully have a budget for more robust security.

5. Stop Paying Attention

This one really stings designers who hand off a freshly made site to a client. For some, the thrill of a new website fades as other priorities take over. What used to be a daily visit to their site turns into once every few weeks – and down from there. That’s precisely when bad things can happen. Only, no one knows because they haven’t been paying attention. And that can ruin even the best of strategies.

For instance, it’s great to have daily backups of your site. But if it’s been hacked for a month and you only keep 30 days worth of backups…not good.

The point is that paying attention pays off. It can keep small problems from becoming larger ones.

Prepare for Success

There are a lot of things that can go wrong with a WordPress website. But, while we can’t prevent each and every possible issue, having the right approach can put us in the best position to succeed. Instead of taking its ease-of-use for granted and assuming nothing but the highest quality from plugins and themes – try to look at things with a healthy bit of skepticism.

That doesn’t mean that you have to be overly negative – just be realistic. When you know about and consider the risks involved, you’ll be able to make the best decisions possible.

The post Ways to Set Yourself Up for a WordPress Disaster appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

And since designers know the web better than anyone, we tend to build blogs and write about our experiences, hopes, fears, and even biases more than other professions. Virtually every subject can be promoted, explained, or outright dismissed.

But as a designer, how does one even begin to digest all of the tools, libraries, and opinions out there? Sometimes it feels like there are so many things we need to learn to keep moving forward. You may not know where to begin. Frankly, it’s overwhelming.

To that end, here are some tips for filtering out the noise and focusing on the good stuff.

You Don’t Have to Know It All

When you see the headlines about some great new tool or JavaScript library, you might start to feel like you’re falling behind your peers. After all, you just found out that there’s this amazing thing being used to reinvent the web. Meanwhile, you’re still poking around with “outdated” techniques.

The irony of it all is that many of these tried-and-true techniques have been around for quite some time. That new flavor of the month might disappear before you’ve even had a chance to learn it. Of course, there’s always a chance that it will become a huge success. But the point is that it’s okay to wait things out and see how it all develops.

For instance, have you ever worked with some must-have tool and implemented it into a project, only to find some fatal flaw that makes it unusable? I’ve had it happen more than a few times. I can even recall an instance where I pointed out such an issue to its developer, who said, “Wow, thanks!” – only to leave the problem unfixed.

As always, you have to be careful when choosing what to use and what to leave behind. Just because a tool is generating buzz doesn’t mean you’re obligated to try it.

Realize That Opinions Aren’t Always Based on Fact

I don’t think I’m alone in saying that I love to share my opinions. If you’ve ever seen my Twitter feed, you probably get that message loud and clear. And a well-written opinion can serve as a valuable resource when making decisions on anything from which car you should buy to which WordPress plugin is worth installing.

But they should also be taken with that proverbial grain of salt. While I’d like to think that most people are pretty honest when sharing their thoughts, there are a variety of reasons why someone may love or hate a particular thing. The hard part for those of us who read these opinions is that the author’s reasoning may not always be so clear.

Did they love a product because it works or because they’re friends with the developer? Did they hate something because they had a bad experience or just didn’t know what they were doing? So often it’s difficult to tell.

Opinions can be both insightful and fun to read. But we probably shouldn’t take them as the final word. If we’re interested in finding out more, we should research or even try the item in question for ourselves.

Look for What’s Relevant and Useful

As a designer, your social media feeds and inbox can be inundated with tools, tutorials, and product announcements. Keeping track of it all certainly isn’t for the faint of heart. And even if something looks cool, you may not have the time to sit there and read through each item.

This is where being picky can help. The truth is that you probably aren’t going to use most of whatever fills up your feed. Instead, look for items that you think are useful for your specific workflow.

That means if you’re a WordPress developer, you can probably filter out most of the Drupal or Joomla stuff (unless you want to learn about them). If you’re exclusively a front-end designer, then code frameworks may not be very relevant.

You only have so much time in a day. As such, dedicate it to the things that will help you improve your skills and efficiency.

Tune Out When You Can

Like so many people in our world, designers tend to keep their phones with them at all times. And our jobs often require constant vigilance. Websites break, clients have questions, and so on.

Just having that smartphone in hand is a great temptation to start scrolling through feeds and checking email. It’s yet another opportunity for information overload.

It’s healthy to take breaks from it whenever possible. Even shutting yourself off from the online world for an hour or two before bed can make a positive impact.

Otherwise, you risk becoming burned out on technology. That would be a shame because there’s always something new to learn – if you know how to filter through the junk.

The post Sifting Through Design Information Overload appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

In the modern world, there are new, innovative ways in which information regarding emergencies and disasters is distributed to the masses, as well as low-tech ways in case digital isn’t possible.

Alert Ready in Canada

Alert Ready is the nationwide, emergency alert system in Canada. It operates in conjunction with The Weather Network and provides alerts on a variety of emergency scenarios, including floods, storms, terrorism, amber alerts, and animal danger. Their main methods for reaching the public include tv, radio, and other screens such as lottery terminals and video-on-demand. There is also an optional text alert, but there is a subscription fee involved.

Alert Ready on television screen

This system is designed to reach users through various means, mostly involving screens, which is effective for a portion of Canadian citizens, but not as large a percentage as one may have found in previous years. There is a decreasing number of people using televisions and radios, preferring to watch and listen to shows and music online.

To reach younger citizens, the text alert should be included in phone plan subscriptions the way that 911 service is included, and not as an extra service. Fortunately, many other outlets are also looking out for users during disasters.

Facebook Safety Check

In the modern world, when something bad happens, people tend to flock to social media to get details, check to see if anyone they know was there, and figure out whether it will affect them personally. Facebook recognized this trend, decided to be proactive about it, and Facebook Safety Check was born.

For those who aren’t aware, Facebook Safety Check, which was introduced in October of 2014, is a check-in system that recognizes if a user might be in an affected area- whether a disaster, conflict-ridden space, or other emergency situation- and the user can then say whether they are in that area, whether they are ok or not, and check the status of their friends as well.

Facebook Safety Check screen

It is activated by Facebook on a case by case basis, and so far it has been activated over a dozen times for disasters such as the 2015 Nepal Earthquake, the 2015 Paris Attacks, and the 2016 Ataturk Airport bombing. There has been one incident of it being activated for people not in a disaster area, but no one was harmed by the mistake. This works well for reaching a fairly young group, but wouldn’t help with users over a certain age.

Twitter Real Time Alerts

Similar to Facebook, Twitter saw that people would rush to post, search news, and contact friends and family in response to disasters, so they created Twitter Alerts, which allow safety and outreach organizations to send out important messages to all their subscribers in case of emergencies.

Example of alert (courtesy of Twitter)

Tweets from this service have a unique appearance so they stand out in the feeds, and there are also push notifications that will pop up to announce alerts that users have subscribed to on Twitter. Twitter has a wider following in terms of age groups, but still does not include those older generations that do not use newer technologies.

Emergency.lu- Dealing with Technology Outages

It’s been brought up on many occasions that technology is great, but we can’t rely on it in an emergency situation. Many disasters cause electricity outages, downed phone lines and cell towers, and even internet service, making it difficult for people in those areas to communicate with themselves and the outside world.

That is where Emergency.lu stands out from many of the other emergency technologies. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, partnered with HITEC Luxembourg and SES, a world-leading satellite operator, created a satellite that can be quickly sent into a disaster zone within hours in order to bring high-quality Internet connectivity and low-bandwidth versions of Skype and Lync to areas where regular Internet connections have been downed.

Satellite and workers in Vanuatu (image courtesy of impactjournalismday.com)

The system and satellite have been operational since 2011, and has been deployed in various places since then, including Nepal and Vanuatu, Mali, the Philippines, South Sudan, Venezuela, and Ebola-affected countries in West Africa. This technology is used primarily for emergency services to communicate with one another, but may also allow for general users to access services.

Robots and Accessing the Inaccessible

In many disasters, roads and buildings become dangerous to navigate or are wiped out completely, making it difficult for first responders to get help to those who need it. Whether those people have ways to communicate with the outside world or not, their physical accessibility is still a problem. That is why robots and drones are now being routinely sent into disaster areas to locate, dig out, or provide medical supplies to those in inaccessible areas.

The user experience of interacting with one of these robots is minimal, but significant- it is a sign that there are people trying to reach them, and are

now aware of their existence. Two-way communication through these devices doesn’t seem to be part of its make-up, but that may be added in the future to help with the rescue efforts.

Innovative Low-Tech for Disasters

Sometimes the best method involves going low-tech, but in innovative ways. Refunite, for example, run the Refugees United call-center, toll-free telephone lines, and SMS messages so that people in refugee camps can reconnect with loved ones elsewhere in the world.

This is, however, only low-tech at the point of use. The infrastructure to distribute, maintain, and support the call centre and messaging platform is using the the same security protocols and coding standards as we use in first world countries.

Trying to get signal (image courtesy of refunite.org)

Low tech needs to continue to exist and innovate because many disaster scenarios result in reduced or no infrastructure for high tech solutions. Internet, mobile phones, computers all run on electricity (or at least their batteries do), and when power is out for significant lengths of time, there still needs to be some way to communicate.

What UX Designers Can Contribute

The users involved in disasters are varied and require many different actions, dependent upon the type of disasters. User experience designers should research the area and its citizens to determine what types of alerts and methods of communication would reach the largest number of people. Things for user experience designers to consider:

• Age of the majority of the population
• What types of disasters are common in the area?
• What the technological infrastructure is in the area- do people have computers? Cell phones? Landlines?
• What emergency services exist in the area, if any?
• How do the majority of people communicate with their friends and family?
• Have they experienced disasters before? Do they know what to do in an emergency situation?
• If power was lost in this area, what would be the major impacts on the people (for example, power lost in a cold country means no heat in many homes)
• What emergency communications already exist in the area, if any?
• How desensitized are the population to emergency announcements? What messages would they take more seriously?

Building emergency alerts and systems based on the answers to the above questions will result in a more effective, location- specific tool for communicating during disasters, and hopefully help prevent loss of life through early warnings. Want to join a group that uses UX and technology to help with disasters?

Check out Crisis Commons and Ushadhidi, two organizations that are dedicated to contributing their skills to disaster scenarios, or check out your local Virtual Operations Support Team (or VOST). There’s also the option of getting a job in the disaster management industry- Springboard has a guide to getting UX careers which could help in the job search process.

The post What UX Designers Can Learn From Disaster Design appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

These scenarios would be difficult for anyone. But, for a freelance designer, it could put you out of business.  That’s why you need to be prepared for the worst. Having an emergency plan in place is vital for any business. When your business lives on a single computer, your livelihood is at stake.

Here are some tips to help you avoid a potential disaster:

Back-Up Your Files On-Site and Off

This may seem obvious, but it amazes me how many people still don’t back up their work on a regular basis. With the plethora of back up utilities that are around (I prefer the free tool SyncBackSE), there’s no excuse not to keep your archive current. Windows 7 users even have a utility built in to the OS. Use it to schedule a back up to an external hard drive or USB flash drive each day after you’re done with work.

Image Source: Acronym of B2D – Backup to via Shutterstock

You should also consider backing up files online as well. That way, you have a second layer of protection if there is a hardware failure or natural disaster. I’ve been a happy user of Mozy for several years, but services like Carbonite and Dropbox are also quite affordable and popular. You can then download any lost files to your system. They even allow you to access your files from a mobile device.

What to Back-Up

Image Source: Filing cabinet with folders via Shutterstock

Of course you’ll want to back up the core files of your websites. But don’t forget about these important files:

List of FTP Sites
This one can save you a lot of headaches. Your FTP client may have a way to directly create a back up from within the program, or you may need to look in the program’s folder on your computer. Either way, make sure to keep this list current. The same thing goes for all of your CMS logins.

Graphics
It’s not only important to back up the graphic files that are directly used on your website, but it’s also worthwhile to back up your layered PSD files, Fireworks files, etc. Odds are, you’ll need them again in the future.

Photoshop Filters, Brushes, Actions, Custom Shapes
They are resources that help you express your creativity. Spending hours trying to find lost ones online isn’t quite as helpful. Back them up!

Fonts
Ever open up a file in Photoshop and discover that the original font you used is missing? Make sure to keep an archive of all the fonts on your system.

Contracts and Proposals
This one got me last year when my PC’s motherboard and hard drive failed. I lost a lot of important documents. Now, they’re backed up daily.

Email
While lots of people are using services like Gmail to store messages online, some are still using standalone email clients with old fashioned POP accounts. If you’re in that group, backing up your email is a good idea.

Financial/Billing Data
I use QuickBooks to keep track of my billing. It features a setting that will allow you to back up your data each time you close out of the program. Whatever system you use to keep track of finances, this one’s very important. You don’t want to have to try and figure out how much money your clients owe you.

Apps & Utilities
Since we often purchase our software online, we may not have that "hard copy" on a disc. Keep an archive of important software and their serial numbers. If you do happen to have some important software on disc, it’s a good idea to invest in a fire-resistant (and waterproof) safe.

In Conclusion

It’s easy to say "I’ll get to this another day". Take some advice from someone who has lost pretty much all of the items above at one time or another. Spend an hour or two now to set up a back up schedule. Make sure all of your important files are included.

If and when a hardware failure or other disaster strikes, you’ll be glad that you were prepared for the situation.

Have any other ideas on preparing for a disaster? Please feel free to share them below!

The post Preparing for Disaster as a Freelancer appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

In Spain, however it has slightly different connotations, and almost the opposite could said to be true. Technostress has been linked to those of us who are constantly on. Like me and perhaps like you. Those people who live with their smart phone or iPad or laptop switched on 24/7. We all know of people who seem to spend their entire day Tweeting, and we hate them for it. Stones and glasshouses are never a good mix.

Photo Credit: Jody Rodgers

When you work for yourself it’s hard to switch off. How many articles have you read on time management, and how many times have you tried to implement their suggestions? How long passes by before you slip back into your old ways? In my case, not long. As I’m writing this I’m using the Pomodoro method. I’ll let you know if this helps me to stay focused, and how long I end up using it for…

In our bid to concentrate solely on work we are forever seeing helpful lists similar to this one:

• Turn off all social sites and apps.
• Turn off your email.
• Try the Pomodoro Method (or similar).
• Close all programmes not in use.
• Close the door.
• Tell everyone to bugger off!

Photo Credit: Space Ritual

Now all these things are great when you’re in an office environment, but what happens when you leave the office? Do you keep your work email switched off? Do you shut down your Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare accounts? Maybe you do, maybe you don’t, but one thing’s for sure, the “niggle” is there, at least for most of us.

We need to know if that client has got back to us, we need to know if we’ve reached number X with our Twitter followers. Worst of all, there are some clients who expect us to be waiting for their email, regardless of the day or hour. We need to educate ourselves, before we can educate others about limits and boundaries.

The danger in always being on, is the level of stress it can create. We don’t allow ourselves to pause for breath, or to appreciate the little things in life that are passing us by. Being a freelancer is supposed to bring greater freedom, so what happened?

There’s no doubt that working for oneself holds endless benefits. One benefit we don’t have however, is the ability to close the door at the end of the day and to think, “great, I don’t have to worry about work until tomorrow morning”. I know this isn’t the case for all freelancers, but for many of us the office is usually open 24 hours, if only in our heads.

My partner has a job that can be very stressful at times, but she is perfectly capable of switching off when she leaves at the end of the day. So where’s the trick, what’s the answer? What do freelancers need to learn from office workers?

Nothing! Technostress is bigger than work related technologies. It doesn’t care who you work for or where you work! It can strike at anyone. Office workers feel the “itch”, the same as we do. They need to check if their best mate has added them to their list of friends via whichever social media site they happen to be using that week. They’re as addicted as we are, and while it may not be work related, the result is the same. Technological addiction to get through the day.

Photo Credit: Mehfuz Hossain

If some big bully came along right now and took away your smartphone, iPad, laptop, and computer, how would you get though the day? Would you curl up in the corner, or would you stand tall, punch your fist defiantly in the air, and chant, ‘yes I can!’. Right now I’d probably be the former person. I need my gizmos, I need to be connected… but I also need a life.

So what’s the cure? Social media blackouts? Throwing our smartphones in the bin? Leaving the laptop at the office? Are we so weak that we even need to cancel our home internet connections?

It must come down to strength of character. It can’t have anything to do with the amount of money we make, or our field of expertise. Us freelancers cover pretty much the entire spectrum when it comes to salaries. Whether we earn 8.000€ or 80.000€ the “itch” to be on is there. We need to know! What exactly is it that we need to know? What are we missing out on? No doubt there are already studies on the phenomenon that is Technostress, but I’m just a lowly designer who needs to get some of his life back. I don’t have time for studies or psychiatry sessions, I need to find out how many visitors have seen my latest portfolio update!

You won’t find any bullet point advice here, there are plenty of great articles around that offer ways to “Work Smart”. I don’t have any spectacularly impressive advice that will stop you in your tracks. I am simply becoming more “aware” of my interaction with work outside the office, and it needs to stop. This is my cry for help, and a call to arms.

I have only ever really had one golden rule with regards to freelancing. Never open work email outside office hours. I managed to maintain that rule until very recently, perhaps this was related to setting up the new studio, perhaps I’m more worried about closing projects. The simple fact is that I broke my only sacred rule, and that interferes with my personal life. I have a family and my health to think about, perhaps it sounds melodramatic, but I would like to keep these things both intact and separate.

Is it possible to draw a big thick line on the ground, and say “right, this is where it ends”?

Photo Credit: Conrad Rutkowski

I don’t want my life to be my work, hell I’m a freelancer! There is no better way to work… and live. I don’t want to be that person who is only capable of work, who has to check visitor stats while I’m playing with my daughter in the park. That wasn’t why I started in this business, right?

No easy answers, no advice and no where else to go, so what am writing this article for? This is my couch session, and its it’s free. I know I’m not the only one who suffers from Technostress, and I know that numbers are on the rise.

Workloads increase, and new technologies get their claws deeper and deeper into our apple-like souls, with their only goal being a 24/7 control. Through making lives easier, through being constantly connected, through being constantly updated and constantly on, we lose a little piece of ourselves that used to be free…

If any of you are suffering from Technostress, and have any ideas on how to kick this into touch, or perhaps you just need to lie on the couch for a while yourself, then I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’m all ears!

Good luck!

The post Technostress – The Freelancers Disease? appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.