Identifying Log jams

What is one thing you can do, today, that will change the way you live or work or even play?  That one thing, is your log jam.  Until you figure out what’s holding you back from being effective, you’ll probably stay stuck… like the logs in a stream or river.

My logjam was my printer.  I have a desk top printer-scanner-copier -fax machine that takes up a lot of counter top space in my office.  I had it on a piece of plywood that rests on top of my computer table.  So, the printer keeps the board anchored in plce.  I put my typing stand, mouse, and stacks of papers on that board.  It sticks out in space a bit to my left.

But every time I printed something, the exiting paper would run into the back of the typing stand and I’d have to move the stand in order to refill the machine with paper.

I have a small bureau in this same room and I realized I could put my printer on the buraeu, and that would free up the clutter by the typing stand.

I moved the printer.  And suddenly, I realized it was a log jam that had been interrupting the efficient use of the whole office!  After I moved the printer, I got a burst of organizing energy that has been going on for several days now.  I have cleaned off many work surfaces here in my office and I have moved on to organizing papers and files.  This burst of energy and efficiency has helped me return to blogging and other activities.

What is your log jam? 

Is it an object?  Does the printer “have to” be located in that place, or did that seem the most logical place to put it, and now its location is just a habit. 

Or is your log jam, a person?  Are you staying in a relationship that is not good for you, just because of habit?

Or is your log jam a thing you do? 

 

How many Habits do you have?

“Woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head, found my way downstairs and drank a cup, and looking up, I noticed I was late…”   From:   A Day in the Life, by the Beatles.

Without judging the aspects of the habits in the song snippet, above, let’s count how many habits are referenced there.

1.  Gets up at a certain time.

2.  Maintains some level of personal hygiene.

3.  Has achieved some level of motor skills (gross:  stair climbing.)

4.  Consumes beverages.  [procuring food/beverages implied.]

5.  Can make analytical assessments based upon visual cues.  (looks at clock [implied] correlates that to a time of day by which he must leave his home.

6.  Has a place to live. 

How many of these do you call a habit? 

How many habits do you have?

Do they serve you well?

 

Making New Habits

I spent a lot of my waking hours these past few weeks, watching the Summer Olympics.  I let other things slide on some days.  On other days, I would leave the TV on (almost all day on one channel!) while I did my Saturday Chores.  I’d pause in front of the TV as I made my laps from room to room, pursuing my goal of completing chores.

We’ve all made time in our busy schedules to watch the Summer Olympics for a few glorious weeks, and now that it is over, what will you do with all that extra time?   Will you: 

             A.  Continue to stay glued to your couch, and watch whatever TV show comes on next?

             B.  Do something you used to do before the interruption of the Olympics?

             C.  Do something new?  Did the Olympics inspire you to set a new goal for yourself?

This is the first step in changing a habit:  recognizing that you do have a choice in how you spend your time.  You can decide to stay on the couch and watch the TV.  Or you can turn the TV off and go out with friends.  Or go to the gym.  Or read a book.  Or something.

Time management is up to you.  It is your opportunity to decide how you will spend your time.  Your decisions are based upon your priorities, but they are also based upon your habits. 

I’ve been reading a lot of books these past few months.  That’s instead of making WhimsyGear products.  I am presently reading, “The Power of Habit:  Why we do what we do in life and business,” by Charles Duhigg.  It is a great book.  Perhaps you’ll read it.

I’ve been away so long, part 2

Well, that first part was getting long so I decided to make this story a two-parter.  I don’t think it will become a mini-series.  We’ll see.

So, my point was that for something like 6 weeks I spent every available minute making all this stuff to sell at the Faire, and planning my Booth and all that.  The fair ended, I deposited my $58.00 (or there-abouts) and began putting all my Fair stuff away.  That took awhile. 

By all rights, It was time to take a rest and get re-acquainted with my family and friends who had heard nothing from me for weeks but the stuff I was making for the fair.  (I am blessed to be surrounded by people who love me and adore me, no matter what I am presently focused upon.)

Then it was time to do the taxes.  Everything I do turns into a production, let me tell you.

Then I wanted to attend other festivals because it is festival season in Florida from January the end of April.  After that all the snowbirds go home (to do their taxes) and it gets too darned hot here to go to a fair.

And so I have spent the past 6 weeks doing hardly anything with my WhimsyGear.  Then one day 2 weeks ago, I began the tedious task of uploading product to Etsy, in hopes of attracting customers who want what I have to sell.  {I say ‘tedious’ because it seems to take a long time to locate good photos and then write all the descriptions and identify all the possible tags, and think about what someone else would think about if they were looking for my Wares.}

I have posted a total of 2 wands to Etsy, since the Faire.

It’s a start.  But right now I have to call my Mother.

The Joys of Advanced Planning

In a really good moment of insight, a few weeks ago I printed our enough copies of all the Handouts I used in Week #1 last week, and which I will use for Week #2 tomorrow, for The Creative Express Workshop.  Some of my advanced planning was helped along by the arrival of a coupon for a certain office products store for color copies for  $.35 per page.  That had an expiration date, and I met it.  Yeah!!

But I am really, really glad I did this because I didn’t get to work on The Workshop much this weekend because family arrived from out-of-town.  (This is a little known fact in Florida:  Family Visits a Lot.  Fortunately, they are staying at a time share on Sanibel Island, which means we can visit them.  This is the best way to have family visit, in my opinion.)

So, now all I have to do is pack the car, and round-up 1 resource sheet and make copies of it.

Meanwhile, I am traveling out-of-town next Tuesday and Wednesday for my day job and am aiming to be back to Lee County in time to present my Class #3.  But in case I am late, I have lined up a dear friend to come in and walk the class through the materials.  Which means, I must have the syllabus to her soon.  Like maybe Friday.

Hey, it’s a goal.

getting the hang of shameless self promotion

So, did I mention that my Workshop starts tomorrow?  I think I’ve told just about every body I know except you; and about 4 people in Wyoming.  That is one of the difficulties of starting a new venture like this.  I am good at teaching adults about time management and prioritization and about unlocking their creativity.  I enjoy showing people how to make a collage, and showing them how to create a character (as a means to making changes in their life.)  I’m really good at preparing worksheets for the Workshop and putting them into nice folders with labels with the choo-choo-train…

I am all set for tomorrow’s class.  (I told you, the Workshop starts tomorrow, right?)  I have all my Handout sheets sorted from the Exercise worksheets.  I have all my Reference Books book marked.  I have my Resource materials packed.  I have signs made and packed; a fruit tray ordered (but not yet picked up.) 

So, I hope you will remember that you said you’d be there!

See you at 7:00 PM.

Forget multi-tasking, now there’s quadra-tasking

 For decades we have been writing about multi-tasking, and telling our friends how busy we are, with all the many things we are doing.  I think we have reached the point where we have hyper-jumped to the next level:  Quadra-tasking.   And you heard it here first.  We drive while talking on the phone.  We talk on the phone and surf the web.  We listen to music while doing all kinds of things.   But are you really getting “more” done than you used to? and is all of it meaningful activity? 

How do you decide what to do next?  Do you know what your priorities are?

What is a priority?  It is a value you assign to a given task and based upon available information.  How do you decide what your priorities are?  You have to make some decisions.  Some of these choices will seem like no-brainers: 

Which would you rather do?  Go to Work or Watch a Movie on TV?  Well, if you want to keep your job and make money, then you may choose to go to work.  But if it is your day off, then you’d probably choose to watch the movie.

Ok, how about this one:  Which would you rather do?  Watch a Movie on TV or Go to the Beach?    Well, if it is your day off, why not go to the Beach?  What if you have no transportation?  Then you might stay home and watch the Movie on TV.

How much can you really do at one time?  How much can you do, mindfully at any given time?  Do you want to become more mindful?

Announcing The Creative Express Workshop, July 27, 2011

The Creative Express Workshop is an 8 week class starting Wednesday July 27, 7:00 to 9:00 PM at the UUCFM, 13411 Shire Lane, Fort Myers, FL 33912.

This class is ideal for people who want to learn to become more creative.  Participants will learn about creativity, and its relationship to relaxation, time management and prioritization.

Then, participants will explore and experience the creative process through many media:

• singing and playing music,
• writing poems and blogs,
• producing visual art,
• developing a character, a play, a plan, and a party.

Class costs $10.00 per week, or, $75.00 if paid in full in advance.   (Now you can look for The Creative Express Workshop on EBay and register for the Class, and pay with PayPal!) 

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the UUCFM.

Please contact   

MzJayBeeDee at aol dot com 

for more information and to register for the class. 

I believe Creativity can be taught

I believe people are more creative than they let themselves think. I believe that people can be taught to be open to more sparks of inspiration. I believe artistic technique (in any medium,) can be taught. I also believe that what a lot of creative people need to be taught is time management and goal setting, so that they will learn how to carve out the time to do their art.