The Tools of Your Art

Focusing on what we do is very difficult at this time of year (as you can see by the later than usual post!!)

Time seems to tick by quickly & with so many away or starting vacation in this week of North American holidays (July 1st in Canada, July 4th in the US), many people are simply not around.

Focusing becomes difficult.  If everyone else is out playing, then I should be too, right?

Not true.  This is the perfect time to focus on what you do.  Think of the quieter time as a gift - a moment to reflect on what you do, why you do it and the tools you use to create your art.

What tools do you have?  What forms your palette, brushes and creative material?
Reviewing and reflecting on this can help you refocus for the rest of the Summer and prepare you for the back half of 2015 (I know....uggghhh, I did write that!)

So start here:

• what tools do you use to track your work, your performance or your clients? (idea:  Freshbooks & time tracking, Trello & Evernote!)
• are there better ways to tweak your outputs?  or do you really need to? (idea:  post it goals for the day & week planned out over the summer)
• what tools do you use for learning?  how much time do you spend in learning mode? (idea:  download audiobooks for your daily walk or run)
• what tools do you use for creating?  what is obsolete & what is your go-to tool?  is it effective, still? (idea:  seek out cool tools on Indiegogo or The Grommet)
• where do you use your tools?  and consider how?
• example:  I read many books and post it note them to death....now when the weather is beautiful I get my butt off the couch or kitchen stool and head to a deck chair in the breeze...same work, new space...gives me new & fresh perspectives too.

Take a moment and tell me about your tools, share some tools you like to use & what value they hold.  Everyone creates differently, so sharing this information can help others move in new directions too.