Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking when Stakes are High caught my eye as I was starting a new project that I knew would require an elevated level of listening, conflict resolution, and verbal skill. It’s a physically small book that packed a large punch and I’m even considering giving it a second read.
Since February of 2016, I’ve worked while traveling. I’m a marketing professional serving non-profits and small businesses around online fundraising, website and social media management, e-newsletters, and integrated marketing campaigns. All my work can be done online or on the phone, so I took the opportunity this year to move, explore, and see new places while working with clients.
It’s not always easy, but it’s definitely possible and I thought I’d devote a blog post to describing how I work. This may clarify some things with potential clients, but it may also answer some questions from aspiring digital nomads.
I recently visited Tucson, but I basically hunkered down and used the city for a work retreat. I worked on client projects, blogged and made progress on my own creative stuff. Still, the one thing I won’t neglect in any city is the coffee scene. I visited nearly ten coffee shops in my 11 days in Tucson and yet one stood out. Batch Cafe & Bar actually stood head and shoulders above the rest.
How much do you value your time? Answers may vary. Some may say “very valuable,” while another person may get very specific with “$15/hour.” Another person, if asked to give up time doing something they love, might say they’d need $100/hour, which directly contradicts the $15/hour previously. So how much do you really value your time?
I took a survey from ClearerThinking.org and found that I am full of contradictions when it comes to my time AND money. (Although, as you’ll see below, I’m also fairly consistent.)
Time blocking is one of my favorite life techniques. I won’t say “life hacks,” because it’s not a hack: it’s just an obvious and careful planning tool.
I first shared a video from Fast Company on time blocking in 2011. I had already been using the technique for at least a year, so this brings me up on 6 years I’ve organized my life this way.
Time blocking is a way to organize your time, whether for work projects, personal projects, goals or even regular household tasks.
I’m fascinated by how things (and people) work. So imagine how interested I was in this infographic about the daily routines of famous creative people.
Once you’ve got a handle on the color coding and the creative people documented in it, click on the image to bring it up in a new tab.
On the Podio webpage, you can toggle between the daily routines. Interested in the sleep routines of your favorite creatives? Click on Sleep in the legend and you’ll only see that category in the chart. Likewise, with creative work, day jobs, etc.
I highly recommend this TED Talk from Stefan Sagmeister. A four-time TED speaker, Sagmeister is a graphic designer with an impressive portfolio and an even more curious professional habit: every seven years, he closes down his entire business for the whole year.
