The Day I Broke My Internet Connection as Punishment for Myself

So yeah, a few weeks ago, I had this big project due at the end of the month, and it was kind of riding on my ability to find some clients. I work from home, so I rely pretty heavily on my laptop and my internet connection to get things done. Now, being a freelancer means that there's no real separation between personal life and work, it’s all mixed together. This week had been especially stressful because I hadn’t gotten any new leads in days, despite sending out dozens of emails and cold messages to potential clients. I started off okay, got up early every day, got straight to work. But by late afternoon each day, my productivity would drop like a stone. Before I knew it, I was scrolling through social media or watching old episodes of Friends instead of writing copy for that new client who had seemed so promising on Monday. This went on for three days and I felt this growing sense of dread building up inside me, I didn't want to let down my boss at the agency or any potential clients. So, on Wednesday afternoon, in a fit of self-induced frustration, I decided I needed to take drastic action. I walked over to my router, unplugged it, and left it like that for an hour, basically giving myself a time out from the internet. I spent those 60 minutes thinking about why I was so unproductive. Was it really lack of motivation? Did I need to change up my work routine? Or was there something else holding me back? After a while, I plugged everything back in and tried to get some work done, but the feeling lingered, like I’d let myself down again. So here’s where things go a little sideways: The next day, I went out and bought a packet of those mini chocolate bars that look like they’re from the 90s, you know, all colorful wrappers and small pieces. Every time I got distracted, I would eat one as a reward for my procrastination. I felt pretty stupid afterward about both actions, but it’s been weirdly helpful to reflect on them in this confession, I hope someone else can relate if they feel overwhelmed by the constant availability of information and productivity expectations.