I like everything millennials, I am no longer young, which means it is my duty to remember and share things about the past that would otherwise be forgotten. For example: most software worked pretty well without an active internet connection.

I know, it’s hard to believe. Computers in the 1990s and early 2000s considered “connecting” to be a new state, but rather the opposite is now true. Most software assumes you’re constantly online, and a lot of it doesn’t work if you’re not. It’s fine most of the time, but it’s boring if you want to work on a plane or while visiting the family farm.

Some things just can’t be done offline now, especially if your job is to respond to people in real time. However, most tasks done on a computer can be done at least partially offline, if you’ve set things up to work that way. Here’s how to work offline in a world that requires constant connectivity.

Determine which apps work offline

The first thing to do is to determine which tools depend and do not depend on the Internet. The golden rule is that if an app is running in your browser, it probably won’t work offline.

There are some exceptions, of course. For instance, Google Drive can work offline if you install a Chrome extension. But for the most part, your browser apps are designed to work with internet connections, so you can’t depend on them if you need to work offline.

Another thing to remember is that most communication software, like Slack, can’t send or receive messages offline. Most of these apps don’t even allow you to read old messages offline, which means if there’s crucial information buried somewhere in a DM, you won’t be able to access it.

Finally, any file stored in a cloud service cannot be accessed offline unless you synchronize it with your computer. Some cloud services, like Dropbox, sync files to your computer by default. Others only sync files that are in folders specifically marked for offline access. Make sure any files you need to access are marked for offline syncing.

If you’re not sure something will work offline, there’s a simple test: turn off your computer’s Wi-Fi. I know, it’s scary. But after five minutes of trying to work, you should have a good idea of ​​what tools you can and can’t rely on.

Copy the information you need

Now that you know which apps won’t work offline, it’s time to plan ahead. What projects can you work on completely offline? What information do you need to work on these projects? Make sure you have all the information you need, especially if some of it is on an app that you know won’t work online.

For example, if there are documents you need to read or edit, make sure those documents are downloaded to a folder on your computer. If there is crucial information hidden in a DM conversation with your manager, make sure that information is copied somewhere locally. I like to use note-taking apps for this, copying every piece of crucial information for a project onto a page or folder intended for that project. Working offline forces you to be organized: you collect information ahead of time instead of assuming you can find it later.