It’s time to step out of your comfort zone and do something out of the ordinary.
What new thing will you do today? This week? This month? This year?
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6 things I’ve learnt about finding work to fund my startups
This is a guest post by Ben Keene. You can find out more about Ben here.
I was recently discussing with a friend how to balance paid work with working on your own startups, especially in those leaner times. Here’s what I came up with. Not rocket science, nor the solution for everyone, but this approach has helped me.
Woodland sunrise at RSPB Headquarters by Stuart Geeves
1. Pay it Forward. I know it’s frustrating when you work on things that don’t pay you straight away but I’m a big believer in give before take. Loving new ideas and supporting people on their career/startup journey is actually a pleasure, at least from a karma point of view!
2. Drop the CV and build a page that shows why you’re different (and therefore invaluable). Tell your story! I’ve used Strikingly. It’s free and looks a whole lot better than a CV.
3. Ask yourself: ‘what I would really be happy/fulfilled doing?’ Then build everything else around that. If the answer is running your own business, in what? And then, how? If that means working on it part-time for 12 months whilst you freelance, do that.
4. The right freelance work takes time to get. I’ve always done a little of this but now (because of a new family arrival) I’m making much more of an effort. In fact, I’ve used my wife’s pregnancy as a timeline to get the contracts signed. The result? I spent Sept-December meeting and networking with people I wanted to work with/for. It really only costed me my time and coffee and I’ve now got a number of interesting paid projects. Yes, they’ve taken time to close but at least I’m working on things I want to be doing (which means I should do a better job), and then I can use the rest of my time to work on my own startups.
5. Collaboration increases productivity. I’ve spent a lot of the last few years working mainly on one project with one or two people. I’m now working on 4 or 5 projects with a lot more – yes, I have to be organised – but I think I’m getting better and more productive at what I do.
6. Switch off from email. Less is more. I’ve always told myself this with projects. But I’m not very good at practicing it. A couple of years ago I started taking weekly 24 hour email fasts – what we used to call ‘a weekend’ before smartphones and apps changed things. I’ve learnt that enforced regular time away from my inbox has lots of upsides – and most of them are work based.
Let me know what’s worked for you too.
How to leave work on time
This is a guest post by one of the UK’s leading experts in digital distraction and digital detox and author of The Distraction Trap: How to Focus in a Digital World, Frances Booth. Find out more about Frances here.
For many of us, leaving work on time seems impossible. Getting up from our desk, and walking out of the door at the time we are meant to should be simple, but it isn’t. We want to leave work on time, we aim to leave work on time, but yet, we don’t manage it.
Day after day, this cycle repeats.
So how can we shift our thinking? While working 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour late each day might not seem like much in isolation, when you add this little bit of time up each and every day, it becomes a huge chunk of our time. One of the things that often overwhelms us about work when things get out of balance is not having enough time for personal admin. All those little life tasks build up and we feel disorganised and out of control because we have no time to do them.
By getting our work done, then leaving on time, we leave ourselves time for our lives outside of work. Being productive during the working day improves our work-life balance. An important part of time management includes leaving time for our lives outside of work. It might seem a small thing, but one vital step in doing this is leaving work on time. After all, if Barack Obama manages to get home in time for dinner, then surely, so can we.
Here are some [Tweet “dos and don’ts to help you leave work on time”].
Don’t:
Pick up the phone to answer one last call just before you’re due to leave. The call is bound to be a tricky one.
‘Just check’ your email one last time. You’ll get pulled back in to answering demands, and another email cycle will begin that could pull you off course for another half hour an hour.
Waste time during the day and then have to stay late to catch up on what you should have done earlier.
Create a crisis each day.
Make extra work for yourself. Instead, look for ways to be more productive in every instance possible.
Work in an office where there is a culture of all staying late just for show.
Let work fill your entire evening. Be especially careful if you work for yourself – you might have to do extra work on boundary setting.
Waste time on email.
Waste time on social media.
Feel guilty. By taking time away from work to wind down, recharge, and enjoy your life outside of work, you’ll be more productive and happier when you get back to the office.
Do
Expect it to take longer than you think to finish up for the day.
Leave clear instructions ahead of time for anyone you’re handing over to as you leave.
Stay late on the days it’s really vital to. You won’t mind this now and again if you leave on time normally.
Steer clear of other people who waste your time. Remember, you need that time so you can leave on time. Read my article on the Top 10 Ways To Say No And Save Time to help with this.
Get organised. Work hard.
Get your work done in a productive, efficient way during the day.
Think twice before deciding to take work home with you. This especially includes working from your smartphone or tablet (just because the technology means you can doesn’t mean you should).
Set a good example if you’re the boss.
Get in to the habit of leaving on time.
Think about results, productivity and getting things done, rather than sitting at your desk just for the sake of it. What you get done is the important thing, not how many hours it takes you.
Expect it to be tricky at first. Whenever we make a behaviour change this is the case.
Try leaving work on time today.
Making time to make – why it matters
This is a post by our Senior Editor, Rachel Kempton.
If you’re anything like us, constantly juggling work, family life, and other commitments, finding time to nurture your creative spirit can be a real challenge. All too often the time we set aside for ourselves – to dream, to create, and to pursue our passion projects – is the first thing to ‘go’ when we are prioritising, and re-prioritising, our daily to-do lists. And yet this time is so incredibly precious, not just because it’s time spent doing what we love, but because it’s vital for our overall health and wellbeing.
Earlier this year Beth and I decided that there was only one thing for it – a creative retreat! So in April we flew 3,410 miles to Philadelphia to attend the Sweet Paul Makerie, an extraordinary two-day event packed with modern crafting workshops, world-renowned teachers, fabulous meals, inspiring speakers, and an awesome community. It was just the thing to reignite the creative spirit in us!
Some of the Makerie’s inspiring teachers with host Paul Lowe Einlyng of Sweet Paul Magazine (L-R: Christine Schmidt, Crystal Sloane and Lotta Jansdotter)
Day 1 at Terrain
A delicious breakfast on arrival
After a warm welcome from Sweet Paul himself, we joined the lovely Matthew Robbins, who runs his own events design and planning firm and features regularly in the pages of Martha Stewart Weddings, to learn how to create four beautiful tables for special celebrations and intimate, everyday gatherings.
My favourite was the ‘mixed metallic table’, which saw us make gold leafed bud vases from recycled bottles, and gorgeous boutonnieres as dinner napkin embellishments.
A sparkling success: our mixed metallic table
I also loved working on the ‘spring table’. The flowers has the most wonderful scent and we had so much fun covering the table with moss! We all agreed that we’d never have thought of decorating a table this way but it really is an easy and affordable way to bring the outdoors in.
Matthew enjoying some messy play!
To complete the look we all designed our own vintage inspired seed packet escort cards and burlap bag for favours using ink, leaves and rubber stamps.
Time for lunch and we couldn’t resist having a sneaky peak at the dining room…
After a spot of post-lunch retail therapy at Terrain, we headed to our next workshop with the super-talented Christine Schimdt from Yellow Owl Workshop, to learn how to design and carve our own stamps.
We got down with compositions and pattern repeats, learnt how to turn ideas into prints and left with a compulsion to block print every plain surface!
I got lost in my own little world creating stamps to enhance my stationery collection
Time for a break and pre-dinner cocktails and nibbles around the open fire was exactly what was required! As I was chatting to new-found friends from all over the world I started thinking about why surrounding ourselves with like-minded people, who share the similar interests and values, is so beneficial. There’s an energy, a buzz and a feeling of belonging that comes with being part of a community like this. Magic happens when we share in creativity because we show our genuine selves which creates a happy, warm and non-judgmental environment which nurtures our souls and inspires us to relax and have fun trying new things.
After fabulous food and a glass (or two!) of wine we all listened with intent as Genevieve Gorder, one of America’s favourite interior designers, and Sweet Paul interviewed each other about what inspired them to leave their Scandinavian roots to pursue their passions. It’s always so inspiring to hear people talk about how they have designed their lives to do what they love.
All in all it was a magical day in a magical setting, and a valuable reminder of why making time to create is good for the soul.
Day 2 at URBN Campus – Anthropologie Headquarters
Feeling inspired…
The entrance to URBN blew us away with its giant hanging plants, stunning shimmering mosaic wall, and beautiful seating area.
And then we reached the library… WOW!
I can only dream of having a space like this at home, brimming with beautiful books and inspirational magazines.
After breakfast and a coffee it was time for our first class of the day – watercolour correspondence with Anna DeMarco Mills and Meredith Langer.
Our teachers, Meredith and Anna. You can read our interview with Anna here and look out for an interview with Meredith, coming soon!
Anna showed us how to use simple watercolor techniques, including using abstract shapes and custom stencils, to create our own gorgeous stationery.
Then Meredith took over and taught us some traditional beginner nib and ink techniques, as well as tricks for free hand lettering using different pens. It was fun being a beginner!
There was real satisfaction in writing out each letter of the alphabet again and again until you got the hang of how to use a font. I found myself totally engaged and absorbed in the process; it was almost meditative.
After more delicious food we headed to Lotta Jansdotter‘s workshop to get stencilling.
You can read our interview with Lotta here
Lotta introduced us to the exciting world of colour and design. We began by looking at colours we were drawn to and created simple mood boards to inspire our future projects. The we made simple stencils and printed them on fabric swatches to see how different colours work together.
Then time to design and cut our own stencil to print matching bags! We used a fine marker pen to draw our designs onto durable plastic (which can be wiped clean with soapy water and used again), and cut them out with a carving tool and stencil them on to fabric using a stencil sponge.
Why is it important to make time to make?
There were so many things that made this creative retreat special for me, but above all giving myself permission to spend two whole days not thinking about anything except making beautiful things with my hands, was utter bliss. I came away feeling positive and re-energised, and with a renewed sense of commitment to make more time to be creative in my every day life. I learnt so many new skills and techniques, and discovered a love of flowers and nature that has already seen me lose hours in the garden creating a little outdoor oasis for my family.
This is how I felt at the end of the workshop, reflecting on this special time:
I can’t wait to see how else my new found knowledge and skills will enrich my life. Making this time to do this for myself has made my whole world much bigger and brighter.
We can’t always take two full days out from our busy schedules but we can all carve out a little more time in our daily lives if we choose to make ourselves a priority from time to time. This week we invite you to spend an hour doing something creative. Silence the voice that tells you it’s a waste of time – it’s absolutely not! Bake a cake, make a card, write a poem or a short story, switch on that sewing machine, paint, draw, pick up your knitting, or make something for someone you love. The important thing is that you find somewhere peaceful, where you can sit without being interrupted, and create, create, create!
How do you feel? Why should you make more time for creativity? And how can you make it part of your every day life? How can put a creative or beautiful twist on the normal, routine parts of your day?
What experiences are you learning from right now?
The growing stages of life never stop. From the moment we are born, to the moment we die, we are learning. We are developing and growing, having new experiences and gaining new insights. Our biggest challenges are often our greatest teachers; it’s through these that we gain knowledge, wisdom and a deeper understanding of the world around us. The more we understand, the more meaningful life becomes.
Live broadcast from The Little Beach Hut of Dreams!
BBC journalist Jane Vickers in The Little Beach Hut of Dreams
UPDATE: The Little Beach Hut of Dreams has been sold as we no longer live in Brighton and only residents are permitted to own beach huts there. This post has been archived for reference but we are no longer accepting applications for Dreamer-in-Residence. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our Dreamers-in-Residence for being part of our adventure, and to Towergate Insurance for awarding The Little Beach Hut of Dreams runner up position in Beach Hut of the Year 2015. She was very proud!
Things have gone a little crazy around here since our Little Beach Hut of Dreams was shortlisted for the Towergate Beach Hut of the Year competition. Today we hosted a live BBC radio interview from the hut, with a soundtrack of seagulls and breaking waves. You can listen to Beth’s interview here:
The Little Beach Hut of Dreams is a tiny creative project that we dreamed up in order to create space in a busy world, to honour the importance of carving out time to dream, and just be in the moment. But more importantly because it recognizes our idea to share this tiny space with the world through our Dreamers-in-Residence programme, which allows members of our community to borrow The Little Beach Hut of Dreams for free for the day in return for a blog post which will in turn inspire others.
Now the competition is on to find the winner – and there is a public vote so we would LOVE for you to support our project and vote for The Little Beach Hut of Dreams! It just takes a minute – CLICK HERE to vote.
By voting for The Little Beach Hut of Dreams you are showing your agreement that we all need time and space to dream, and encouraging others to use assets like this for wider community benefit, not just their own enjoyment.Thank you!
Be inspired to do something new today
Do you feel stuck, bored or frustrated? Are you searching for deeper meaning in life? Then perhaps it’s time you tried something new.
The truth is that it’s always within your reach to make new connections, learn new things and have new adventures. You may not be able to quit your job, or change the fact you have a long commute, but every day presents countless opportunities for you to decide how you want to handle these things, and every other part of your day, in order to make the most out of life.
Of course it’s easier to carry on doing things the same way you’ve been doing them for days, weeks, months, years, but taking a chance and doing something different can bring enormous benefits. Sometimes even the smallest shift in thinking or doing can create the biggest opportunity, paving the way for positive life changes and major fulfilment.
[Tweet “How will you push yourself out of your comfort zone today? What new thing, or things, will you try? “]
Download a high res version to print here.
We go places we’ve never been because we want to be surprised
This is a guest post by adventurer, author and motivational speaker Alastair Humphreys. Find out more about Alastair here.
There are many aspects to travel.
We go to places we’ve never been because we want to be surprised.
We want to see new sights and experience fresh things.
We seek out remote places to see what they might teach us – about the world and about ourselves.
Going somewhere you have never been means there are no familiar crutches to prop yourself up, no old memories to fall back on. Everything is new and different.
We need your vote! The Little Beach Hut of Dreams shortlisted for Beach Hut of the Year!
Yesterday we opened up The Sunday Times newspaper to discover that The Little Beach Hut of Dreams has been shortlisted for Beach Hut of the Year (cue squeals of excitement!)
This is particularly exciting for us, because it is a tiny creative project that we dreamed up in order to create space in a busy world, to honour the importance of carving out time to dream, and just be in the moment. But more importantly because it recognizes our idea to share this tiny space with the world through our Dreamers-in-Residence programme, which allows members of our community to borrow The Little Beach Hut of Dreams for free for the day in return for a blog post which will in turn inspire others.
Now the competition is on to find the winner – and there is a public vote so we would LOVE for you to support our project and vote for The Little Beach Hut of Dreams! It just takes a minute – CLICK HERE to vote.
By voting for The Little Beach Hut of Dreams you are showing your agreement that we all need time and space to dream, and encouraging others to use assets like this for wider community benefit, not just their own enjoyment.
Here are just a couple of examples of how The Little Beach Hut of Dreams is playing a part in other people’s dreams and plans:
SHABNAH: Shabnah used the time to think about a big adventure she was planning, and in doing so realised just how much power there is in pressing the pause button. Since her residency, Shabnah has travelled to Peru and Ecuador, before spending January in Colombia, which she tells us was 100% unplanned and 100% perfect. She wrote about her Dreamer-in-residence experience here.
In Shabnah’s words “Every time I catch sight of (a beach hut) I am taken to that silence within my previously overactive, second-guessing mind. When I applied (to be a Dreamer-in-Residence) I had been feeling lost and struggling with all decisions – I might make the wrong one, so best to make none. Being able to take a deep breath and return to how I felt that day makes it easier to listen to myself and make a decision that feels right in the moment, however small. Thank you Little Beach Hut built for dreaming for letting me clear enough of the chatter from my head for dreaming space.”
PETA: When Peta applied to be a Dreamer-in-Residence she was in need of a huge boost of inspiration. She had been working on an illustrated book for months, but needed space, and the view and calm to make real progress. She said that in her home office she was constantly distracted by emails and other work obligations. She also has a grand plan to live somewhere where she can plant fruit trees and keep bees, but is currently stuck somewhere with little nature nearby, so the day in the beach hut was a taste of being close to nature for her. She made great progress with her book during the day and we are waiting to hear when it comes out.
Our 2015 Dreamers-in-Residence are using The Little Beach Hut of Dreams this summer and we will share their stories soon.
If you like our idea and love our Little Beach Hut, please do take a moment to vote..
Huge thank you – this means a lot!
From all at Do What You Love
[All images: Holly Booth]
Discover the purpose of life…
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