Productivity Tool: The Job Aid

I'm a big fan of the job aid.

A job aid is a quick-reference tool you can use to help you with tasks you do regularly, but not quite often enough that you could do them in your sleep.

It's an easily accessible "how-to" that saves you from wasting time trying to remember how you did something the last time. Whether it's in the form of a diagram, a checklist or a single word jotted down on an index card it can make your life a heck of a lot easier.

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Tonight I was getting ready to prep another print for the online shop and couldn't remember the convoluted 5-filename printing system* I'd come up with the last time. I knew the system worked and I knew I'd scribbled it on the back of one of my daily planning cards.

When I found it I created the following job aid so I wouldn't have to flip through all of my cards again:

my friendly guide and reminders to help me not lose any changes

when manipulating images for prints

Now the next time I create prints for the shop all I'll have to do is bring up my checklist and work through the steps. No scratching my head, no re-thinking through the process, no trying to remember where I put my notes.

Easy peasy.

* I came up with this 5-filename system when more than once I had to redo some work after having saved over something I shouldn't have saved over. I am open to suggestions for simplifying it if you have any!

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Is there a task you do regularly, but not often enough to do it in your sleep?

Instead of wasting time trying to remember how you did it the last time each time it comes up, would it be useful to create an easily accessible quick-reference go-to guide?

The Creative Living Experiment Mailing List: Deepening the Conversation

I thought I'd give you a glimpse into the type of stuff I send out to my mailing list. I do send out news and updates, yes, but one of my main goals is to deepen the conversations I start here on the blog and get folks thinking.

If this type of thing interests you I invite you to join in. I'd love to have you with us!

The mailout below, titled Powerful Tools: 5-Day Challenge and the 15-Minute Sprint, was sent out a few months ago.

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Awesome You, are you up to the challenge?

[Less talky, go straight to the challenge!]

Last week on my blog, I wrote about my latest 5-day painting challenge. It's a tool I've used before when my painting practice takes a back seat for too long: I challenge myself to show up at the art table and paint five days in a row. It doesn't matter for how long and it doesn't matter if I finish anything, the goal is to show up and paint. That's it.

The great thing about the 5-Day Challenge is that it doesn't have to be limited to painting.

What if you challenged yourself to five days of healthy eating? Or how about five days of decluttering? Or one less late-night TV show in exchange for an extra hour of sleep?

Five days is VERY DOABLE.

BONUS tool: The 15-Minute Sprint

If you feel too pressed for time, try adding the 15-Minute Sprint to your toolkit: five days in a row, spend 15 minutes doing x every day (where x = writing, decluttering, organizing your finances, researching recipes for home-cooked meals, the list could go on...).

It's astonishing what you can achieve with just 15 focused minutes. It gets. things. done.

So here's my challenge to you:

1. Find a specific task or an area of your life where you would like to see progress.
2. Pledge to dedicate at least fifteen focused minutes five days in a row working on it and follow through.
3. Bask in your sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

You'll be amazed at the difference five days can make.

Warm wishes,
Stephanie

PS – Let me know how it goes. You know I wanna know!

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Like it? Sign up here.

Find Your Birdsong

songbird, 2009, Mud Lake, Ottawa

When I'm feeling blah, angry or frustrated I need only to sit in the sun and listen to birdsong. It's balm for the soul this weekend.

Find your birdsong and be with it.

Work Transition Checkpoint: Six Months In

a new month, a new opportunity to get my work planning geek on!

It's been six months since I left my 9-5 job, a good round number for a work transition checkpoint don't you think?

In no particular order, here are some bits & bobs on where I'm at - headspace, insights, projects and more...

[Warning: it's a bit long.]

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I don't think I've ever worked so hard. When I work it's intense because I love what I'm doing, work is often what I did for play when I was at my 9-5 job. I can easily put in a 10-hour day and go through days without taking a full day off.

That being said my body still gets tired and my mind does too. I need to listen. I need to build in breaks, days off, and find new ways to unplug completely.

It's a bit of a head-scratcher right now. I'm learning.

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I'd summarize each of the first six months of my leave as follows:

NOVEMBER - Chill. All about Art Every Day Month. Wonderful!

DECEMBER - A mixed bag. Holidays, Solstice Reflections, disillusionment, raring to go, but not really a good time to start anything. A little frustrating.

JANUARY - Go, go, go. Lots of action, to-dos and insights.

FEBRUARY - Go, go, go. Lots of action, to-dos and insights.

MARCH - Crash. Sink into fear of never again making enough money to buy a tent-trailer or replace my 10-year old Honda. Savings are running out and income is minimal. Help. Some action, but at a much slower pace than the previous months. Brought intuition and painting back to the forefront. Good move.

APRIL - More painting, focus on art and updating the online shop. Letting go of my money fears - or sticking my head in the sand, still not sure which one. A little quicker pace than March, but not quite as crazy as January & February. All good.

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I'm confused around my financial expectations.

Sis says that when she asked about it six months ago I didn't expect to have a salary equivalent to that of my 9-5 job at the end of the year, I told her it wasn't realistic. Now that the savings have run out I'm getting a little antsy about revenue. But I still have to be realistic. It just feels slow sometimes, that's all.

Patience, patience. And trust.

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I love the projects and products I'm working on. I can't wait to start working on them in the morning.

Isn't that flippin' amazing?

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My March money fears showed me that going down the what-if route and trying to control every scenario was not sustainable to my body, soul, nor to my marriage. This led me to let go a little and trust that things are unfolding as they are meant to.

My role is to take the next right action, let go and move on.

This feels a lot lighter.

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I feel alive.

I am blessed.

Period.

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Till the next checkpoint...