Posts

Productivity Habits: Examining Ourselves and Taking Steps Toward Better Effectiveness with Author & Consultant Ben Elijah - The Busy Creator Podcast 66

Productivity Habits w/Ben Elijah

Ben Elijah (@inkandben) is a consultant in the productivity sector and author of the book The Productivity Habits. In this conversation, we dig into the productivity sector as a whole, and discuss his origins as an author and as a not-very-productive person.

The Productivity Habits, by Ben Elijah

The Productivity Habits, by Ben Elijah

This episode is oddly self-referential, as we, two productivity nerds, talk about how bad we are with our own habits, and about how we continually struggle to stay productive — at least in our own eyes. Ben writes and speaks about the topic, which is an ongoing struggle for all of us. You’ll learn some of Ben’s tested habits and techniques you can use to get started down the road toward better effectiveness.

Catch up with Ben via his site, InkAndBen.com

Listen Now

Read more

Friday Links, vol. 12

Friday Links

The week in Internet. Useful resources for creative professionals.

Tools

  • Online cat purr generator — for when you need some kitty pumping from your speakers
  • Silverback is online software to remote-test your app — watch and record users in real time

Techniques

  • The Bouba/Kiki effect, especially as it pertains to logo design

Habits

  • John Lee Dumas shares his morning routine, which he calls a “ritual”
  • Tim Ferriss shares Productivity Tricks for the Neurotic, Manic-Depressive, and Crazy (Like Him)

[…] Full post →

Friday Links, vol. 11

Friday Links

The week in Internet. Useful resources for creative professionals.

Tools

  • Gemini is a duplicate-finder app for Mac. You probably have tons of duplicate files, actually.
  • LooseLeaves is a Mac app that lets you quickly share snippets of markdown via the web
  • Here’s a funny looking sit-stand desk. But it seems legit.

Techniques

  • Weird things start to happen when you stare into someone’s eyes for 10 minutes, so maybe don’t do it.

Habits

Everything Else

[…] Full post →

Friday Links, vol. 10

Friday Links

The week in Internet. Useful resources for creative professionals.

Tools

  • ID2Office, the InDesign plugin that allows export to MS Word and Powerpoint format, has updated to a new version for CC 2015.
  • Grab some type samples from The Designer’s Foundry

Techniques

  • Create dynamic pull quotes in InDesign using tables (really!)
  • The Hamburger Menu Doesn’t Work
  • Listen to video games soundtracks while you work; they’re designed to maintain focus, eliminate distraction. As discussed on Reddit

Habits

  • What Stephen Curry Can Teach Us About Creating Successful Habits
  • Self-Discipline: what it is and why we are bad at it

Everything Else

  • A Visual History of the iTunes Application Icon.
[…] Full post →

Todd Henry Returns to Discuss Significance, Vision, and Competence for Creative Pros - The Busy Creator Podcast 64

The Busy Creator 64 w/guest Todd Henry

Todd Henry (@ToddHenry) is an author, speaker, and creative consultant who has written three books, including his newest, Louder Than Words, available August 11, 2015.

Louder Than Words book

Todd Henry’s new book, Louder Than Words

Building on his previous writing efforts, Louder Than Words is aimed at creative professionals who struggle to find significance in the larger arc of their work and careers. Together, we discuss his unwavering writing methodologies, the struggles faced by creative pros at various points in their career, and what he’s discovered in writing and publishing three related books in seven years.

Catch up with Todd at ToddHenry.com, or AccidentalCreative.com

Listen Now

Read more

Pro Tip for Keeping Your Portfolio Up To Date

Pro Tip for Keeping Your Portfolio Up To Date

If you’re at all like me, you’ve caught yourself sheepishly admitted “wow, my portfolio is a bit out of date.” That goes double for websites, which can look aged and neglected if they’re slightly non-current.

But I have, in recent weeks, developed a system to combat this problem. And like most productivity or studio management systems, it’s dead simple. Allow me to share it with you.

Read more

The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 56 - Mind Hacking with Sir John Hargrave

The Busy Creator 56, Mind Hacking w/Sir John Hargrave

Sir John Hargrave (@SirJohnHargrave) is the CEO of Media Shower, a content marketing and media company. Following a background as a high profile internet prankster, he has examined the conditions and obstacles that modern professionals face — many of which are mental. His upcoming book Mind Hacking discusses techniques for training a stronger mind and overcoming these obstacles.

Our conversation discusses the symptoms that affect creative pros and how we can hack our mind with simple, daily techniques and habits.

More information about the book is available at MindHacki.ng. The book isn’t published until 2016, but previews and digital versions are available on the site.

Mind Hacking by Sir John Hargrave

Mind Hacking by Sir John Hargrave

Listen Now

Read more

The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 34 - Health & Fitness for Creative Pros with Scott Colby

The Busy Creator 34 w/guest Scott Colby

Scott Colby (@ScottColby) is fitness & nutrition expert and coach based in Colorado. In recent years he’s moved from being a traditional personal trainer to being an online entrepreneur, creating the Fit For Photos workout and nutrition course.

This conversation focuses on issues relating to health and wellness specifically aimed at creative professionals. We discuss the effects of deadlines, studio culture, and stress on creativity and energy. Scott shares some tips for dieting and how to structure a morning routine that aide productivity, energy, and ideas.

Read more about Scott on his website, ScottColby.com or his podcast, The Power to Change


Read more

11 Productivity Tips You Can Use Today

Habits

From Fast Company comes a snappy little article about productivity — creative or otherwise. Some of these you’re probably already doing, but otherwise, take a quick look and get busy. My favorite is perhaps the toughest one to implement, and one that I am rather trying to adopt myself.

GET AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER
“The promises we make to ourselves are easy to break,” says Laura Vanderkam, frequent contributor and author What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast. “It’s much harder to call a friend on Friday and inform her that ‘I failed.’” She set up weekly check-ins and which kept her motivated to complete the first draft of a novel in 2013.

[…] Full post →

Portfolio Items