Life without WiFi?
Inconceivable!
How could anyone possibly live without WiFi?!
You may have heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which is a handy tool to use during cultural training sessions to explore what motivates us and to depict the complexities of moving to a new country.
Love this twist of adding WiFi as a fundamental need and motivator!
Very briefly, Maslow felt like there were certain basic needs that we have to have met before we can even think about other needs.
On the bottom are physiological needs like food and water – the survival mode necessities to keep us alive. The second level is safety; then comes family and love; then self-esteem; and the top level is self-actualization. This is where we create and do things because it’s what we want to do.
But some humorous soul (humor, incidentally, being a key factor in enjoying success during our international assignments) – decided to add WiFi to the basic survival necessity. Sometimes it really does feel that way, doesn’t it?
Now in our 7th month in Hong Kong – out in the “suburbs” of Sai Kung – we STILL don’t have internet hooked up. We’re making do with cell phone hotspots, a USB broadband device, and dismal, spotty connection.
As I work from home (when I’m not on the road traveling), this is clearly not ideal.
But while we still hold out hopes that PCCW will connect us one fine day, I’m finding the whole experience to be an exercise in patience and letting go. When the internet goes down, I take a 15-minute walk. If I’m up against deadlines, I go to the local cafe and get it done. Last week when I had to do that, I sat next to a neighbor I had never met — and she is now a client of mine!
After 7 months I’m mostly thriving in Maslow’s self-actualization mode (though I hasten to note previous moves took substantially longer to get there and I still roam up and down the scale.)
Some days I feel like the WiFi IS one of the basic survival needs, as clients in multiple time zones scream for attention and presentation deadlines loom.
But then I take a deep breath, get creative to produce what’s required, and appreciate that occasional life – and work – without WiFi is not only do-able but even desirable to be effective, productive, and fulfilled.
