Work productivity unplugged — How to work offline and stay productive.

Lost your internet or Wi-Fi connection, working off-grid, or simply want to unplug for a while? Even though we live in and work in an ever-increasing and connected electronic world today, it is possible to stay productive when you’re offline. Read on to learn some of the benefits of working offline, how you can work offline, and work productivity tips for the world today.

What you’ll learn

• Mastering the art of offline work
• The advantages of working offline
• Offline work productivity tips to get started
• Using offline technology to save and transfer files
• Working offline Adobe Acrobat
• Connecting with Adobe Acrobat online

Master the art of offline work.

The idea of deliberately disconnecting from the online world may seem counterintuitive, but it can be a powerful strategy to boost productivity and focus on core tasks that you don’t need to be connected to do.

Being connected to anyone, anywhere, at any time, via the internet was only first launched to the wider public a few decades ago — in the early 1990s. How did people work before the internet? Productively and unplugged. Your workday does not need to be over just because your internet connection went down! It’s not a lost art — you can too!

Understand the advantages of working offline.

There are many advantages to being disconnected from the online world while you work — all of which positively affect productivity and workplace efficiency, whether you’re in the office or working remotely. Some benefits of working offline are —

• Increased focus in a distraction-free environment.
  It’s easy to get distracted when you’re connected to the net — the pings of email notifications, messaging app communications, and just that ever-present temptation to pop online and look something up can take your focus away from the task at hand.
  
  Working offline allows you to focus and connect to the core aspects of the work you are doing, and not be distracted and interrupted by online activity. You’re heightened focus and concentration will lead to more efficient and high-quality work.

• More head space for creativity and problem-solving.
  Most people struggle with thinking creatively and finding solutions to problems when they’re faced with constant distractions.
  
  Disconnecting from online noise provides more mental space for creative thinking. You’re likely to find that you can explore new ideas creatively and think more critically and constructively about the task at hand.

• Reduced stress and anxiety.
  Being continuously engaged and active online can contribute to stress and anxiety. The expectations that come with instant communication and messaging apps can add to the pressure.
  
  Taking a break from being connected and communicating constantly online will help you to relax and rejuvenate — and be more efficient and productive when you go back online.

• Improved time management and self-discipline skills.
  Working offline requires you to use self-discipline and time management skills. By preparing for, and staying focused on offline tasks, you’ll develop effective time management and self-discipline skills to be proud of.

• Increased productivity.
  Working offline allows you to prioritize tasks, set goals, and accomplish them without interruption – all leading to increased overall productivity.

Follow offline work productivity tips to get started.

Be strategic. Incorporate a few offline work tips and tactics into your routine. Taking a strategic approach will help you to be productive when you’re both online and offline.

Some tips on how to work offline and stay productive are —

• Prepare your apps.
  Many applications have an offline function so you can use them without an internet connection. Check your support files and documents for the offline features in all your apps, including email and cloud storage services, such as the Adobe Document Cloud and Adobe Creative Cloud.
  
  You will usually have to activate any offline capabilities before you go offline. Synchronise your data while you have an internet connection, and seamlessly update it when you reconnect. When you’re offline you can often still work on existing emails and documents, to then send or upload later when you’re back online.

• Plan your offline time.
  Unexpected internet interruptions aside, plan some offline time every day or every week. Schedule set times for working offline in your calendar. Let your colleagues know the times you’ll be offline and change your status in your applications to say you’re not available during these periods.

• Prioritise tasks.
  Before you go offline, create to-do lists and prioritize tasks based on importance. Your to-do lists should include what you will do when you are offline, and what you will do when you reconnect, such as printing, emailing, and uploading files. This will help you to stay focused on make the most of your offline work sessions to be as productive as you can.

• Stay focused.
  Don’t let yourself get distracted by other things. Taking breaks when you’re working offline is not only encouraged but also essential. Just don’t let that 10-minute coffee break turn into getting creative in the kitchen, or the chance to stretch your legs turn into a mini-marathon. Keep focused on your work activities that you have planned to do while you’re offline, and the time you have allocated to do them.

• Stay connected in other ways.
  You can’t always just completely disappear and become incommunicado when you work online. Let people know how they can reach you if they need to or in an emergency when you’re offline. Keep your phone handy so you can call and text your coworkers if necessary.

• Reconnect mindfully and intentionally.
  When you go back online, do so intentionally and mindfully. Plan to spend a few minutes checking your emails, messages, and updates. But be sure to resist the urge to get lost in cyberspace and digital noise. Set some limits for yourself and prioritize online tasks when you reconnect based on their importance.

Use offline technology to save and transfer files.

Use offline technology to transfer files when you’re not online. Technology solutions to help with workplace efficiency when you’re offline include —

• External hard drive or USB sticks.
  Save, store and back up files to an external hard drive or USB stick. These have the advantage of being portable. So, if you’re away from the office, you can simply transfer files to your main electronic filing system when you are able. Make sure any external drives have the storage space you need, and they’re compatible with the ports on your computer.

• Data transfer cables between computers.
  You can transfer files between computers on the same local area network (LAN) via data transfer cables and an ethernet cable. USB data transfer cables differ from standard charging cables in that they can transmit data, however some can do both.

• Bluetooth technology.
  Bluetooth technology can be used to share and send files offline between nearby devices. Bluetooth works wirelessly via radio waves and does not need an internet or Wi-Fi connection. Ensure both devices have their Bluetooth enabled to do so.

Work offline Adobe Acrobat.

You can still work offline with Adobe Acrobat applications and be productive with PDFs when you’re offline.

• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  Download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to your computer or mobile to annotate and comment on PDFs, fill in forms, add e-signatures, and more offline.

• Adobe Acrobat Standard and Pro.
  If you haven’t already got a full version of Adobe Acrobat, check out the PDF editing and many other features to work with PDFs offline. Download the free Adobe Acrobat trial to explore what you can do.

• Adobe Cloud Storage
  Cloud documents that you have already created and opened in Adobe Cloud storage via Adobe Document Cloud and the Adobe Creative Cloud can be accessed when you’re offline. Simply open your app and go to your files.

Work with Adobe Acrobat online.

When you’re online, check out the range of free and paid features you can do with Adobe Acrobat online. There’s no need to download any apps. Just drag and drop or upload your documents to —

• Edit PDFs online
• Password-protect PDFs online
• Convert files to and from PDF online
• Rearrange PDF pages online
• Compress PDFs online

Related content.

Keep up with ways to be productive with PDFs when you’re working offline and online. A few related articles include —

• How to create an effective PDF to-do list
• How to boost productivity with remote work tools
• 5 ways PDFs can help improve work productivity