Every so often, it’s good to really give your life and your habits a spring cleaning. After several months of never having more than a couple days at a time at home and a series of massive life changes – there comes a time to take stock of where you find yourself and hit the reset button.

There are some really interesting suggestions that we have been implementing in our lives lately that I’m finding to be very successful so I thought that I should share them with you as I know many of you creative types are dealing with the same kinds of frustrations that I do on a daily basis.

Streamlining your life

#1 – Get rid of physical clutter around you. For us this meant mostly books, because we’ve always been bookish folks. Even before the publishing company we collected books just to read, not to sell! Now with most of the classics being available on e-readers for free, we donated to a charity book sale anything that we could get our hands on digitally unless it was a really special edition. 25 cases of books in fact. And we hardly made a dent in the existing collection… but it sure opened the space up and made me feel better.

#2 – Get rid of the mental clutter. We spend an awful lot of time and energy trying to remember the things we need to remember… so I went back to my OMNIFOCUS program to make sure I was acting on the principles from the Getting Things Done book and not trying to keep track of everything in my head. Downloading all those to-do’s helps free up the memory for actually processing things I do need to think about right now.

#3 – Get rid of the to-do’s that are haunting you. You know, like the dental check up you haven’t booked even though it’s 6 months overdue, or your taxes from last year, or the huge stack of thank you cards from your wedding still waiting to be posted (ahem). Whatever you least want to do, should probably be the thing you do first. They don’t get any easier the longer you wait…

#4 – Do a time spent to priority check. Make a list of the priorities in your life, and then assign an estimate to how much of your time per week is being spent on those things. For example:

• spending time with husband & daughter 10%
• writing 1%
• spending time with friends 5%
• generating income 84%

Maybe it’s time for a realignment? Or maybe some of those items simply need to get eliminated from your life and scratched right off the list. Within each category you can analyze in more detail what is taking up all your time. For example, what work do you spend most of your time doing and how much of your income does it actually bring in? Can you cut back on those tasks that have the least return on your time invested and then spend that time on things higher up your priority list?

 Increasing Productivity

#1 – Don’t check your email until right before lunch. Then don’t check it again until right before you quit for the day. The more emails you send, the more you get. And once you start checking, you are at a serious risk for distraction every time something comes in.

#2 – Decide the night before what your first and most urgent task at work will be the next morning. Start with that, then work your way through your “to do’s” in OmniFocus (or whatever program you use) in order of priority until it’s time to check your email. You’ll be amazed how far you get! And that way, if your email contains something that becomes an urgent priority item, you won’t be distracted and keep pushing the already existing urgent items further down on the agenda!

#3 – If possible, the first thing you do in your day should involve exercise. Walk to work, go to the gym, do some stretches and/or exercises before you sit down to your desk. It’ll get the blood and oxygen flowing to your brain and you’ll be more alert, quicker with all your tasks and feel better about yourself too.  Repeat at midday, getting some time away from your desk to run errands, a quick walk over lunch or just do some stretching while you step outside for a quick breath of fresh air.

#4 – Avoid refined sugar and complex carbohydrates (most of the “white” stuff) as much as you can. You’ll be amazed at how tired you don’t feel in the afternoon. Seriously, just give it a week and see how much of a difference it makes!

Something that’s really working for you that I didn’t mention here? Share it with us in the comments section… we’re always looking for more ways to improve our lives!

We have talked about participating in the 3 Day Novel Writing Contest before, but always found that the labour day long weekend was not a good time to carve out 3 days for solid writing and hibernation.

We both struggle with carving out enough time in a regular work week to make any significant headway on our fiction writing, so this year we decided that even though we couldn’t participate in the official event, we would schedule our own 3 days and just have a contest between ourselves.

Although challenging, it certainly did work. Some keys to success that we discovered over the course of the 3 days:

-block off everything else from your calendar

-make some great reheatable meals ahead of time (soup, stew, chili etc.)

-make sure that your story is well outlined in advance to keep the instances of writing yourself into a frustrating corner to a minimum

-disconnect the internet

-turning off your phone

-if you get stir crazy, don’t switch activities – just switch locations. Library, coffee shop, apartment, coffee shop, library…

In fact, the 3 day push worked so well that we’re planning to do it again in October. If you’d like to join us, we’re doing a mid-week one on October 5, 6, 7. Can’t commit to the whole day? What about 4 hours each day? What about 2 hours each day? Decide on something realistic and achievable for yourself, and then check in with us and let us know what your goals are. We’ll keep you posted on how we’re doing too…

Anybody else in?

Are any of you out there on Google+ yet? Jared Hunt and Crystal Stranaghan both are, and we’re looking to connect with other people with similar interests. For all you lurkers out there, feel free to add us to your circles! Now that they’ve taken it out of the “invite only” beta phase, all you have to do is go the the Google+ site and click the +you button!

Jared is extremely active on Google+ and has found it does everything he wants in a social media tool all in one place, and I am in the process of seeing how it works for me. Interestingly, the new Facebook updates are a blatant attempt to offer most of the same features (and even the same layouts!) as G+.

Add Jared to your circles:


Add Crystal to your circles:

As you may have noticed, the posting over the summer on this site has not been nearly as frequent as it had been. We had our wedding reception in July, and followed that up with some time away to enjoy the sunshine that finally arrived and reset some patterns in our lives.

As part of our focus on paying some attention to our physical selves, we started hiking roughly once a week. Having made the decision to not own a car, we’ve been trying out all the hikes we could access by transit, and complete in a single day.

If you are interested in detailed ratings, guidelines and instructions for the various hikes we’ve been on, or just wanting to see some pretty views and hear about someone else’s effort, then you can check them out on Jared’s website.

If you have any recommendations for hikes we should add to our list, please do leave a comment below. Even if they’re not accessible by transit, we do have access to a vehicle when we need one.

I came across this interesting tool/company the other day while looking at programming options for a book app I’m working on for a client. InteractBooks is the app publishing house, and InteractBuilder is the platform they’ve created to let you construct your app and  test it while you develop it.

I am currently testing the software, and chatting with the developers about their setup, and will keep you all posted on what I discover. It does allow someone who doesn’t speak the coding language to build an app, although it is quite technically involved from an asset (file) preparation angle and would certainly present some challenges if you’re not technically inclined at all. There are good tutorials though, so as long as you’re clear on what you’re trying to do, and you or your illustrator is clear on using photoshop to prep your files, then you should be able to make some progress.

I’ll be posting  a detailed review article once I’ve spent a bit more time working with it, but for those keeners out there who just can’t wait to get started, feel free to check it out directly!

If you find you’re interested in setting up app distribution through them, but don’t want to learn the technical side – let us know.  We might be able to help…

If you’ve used this yourself, let us know how you found it.

The diagram below is simplified somewhat, but should hopefully help you to determine the order of the steps you should be taking along the journey to publish your children’s book. Much frustration and heartache (and unnecessary expenses) have come from people not being aware of these steps, or not working through them in the recommended order.

If you have already done some of the steps in the wrong order- don’t panic! We have helped many people “rescue” their books from mistakes and limitations that happen when the steps are completed out of order. Need help with your children’s book project? Get in touch and we’ll see how we can help you!

Book already finished and you wish you could start over? We can help with that too…

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD A PRINTABLE PDF OF THE publishing flow chart.

MEET TAMARA VUKUSIC

Tamara Vukusic is an all-Canadian mom-on-a-mission having called the prairies, the nation’s capital, the high arctic and the west coast home.

She worked in the world of journalism and media relations for more than a decade. Her most memorable career experience was working as the Director of External Relations for the 2002 Arctic Winter Games co-hosted by Iqaluit, Nunavut and Nuuk, Greenland. This is also where she met her playful husband and busted her fantastic dog – Gromit - out of dog jail.

As a volunteer, Tamara has chaired committees in the Community Living movement, with the United Way and for Humane Societies across Canada. She has volunteered as a fire fighter and hockey coach.

Tamara is a graduate of Carleton University’s Journalism Program. She also holds an honours degree in political science.

There has been no greater fodder for creating or making sense of the world than in her current role as mother of four and six year-old boys and wife to a kid-at-heart husband. And don’t forget Gromit-the-dog!

They live in Kamloops, B.C.

TAMARA IS ONLINE AT:

www.sparkstorystarters.com

and

www.facebook.com/sparkyourimagination

CHATTING WITH TAMARA

What was/is your dream or goal?
I was curious. We were having a blast using playful, ‘out-there’, imagination-bolstering questions around our dinner table. Our kids begged for them. Our friends asked us to fork over some questions. I had just turned 40 (somehow that’s relevant) and I was curious to see if they could be useful to other families. And, admittedly, I wanted to see if I could actually finish something. For me being a mom involves a great deal of being in the moment but rarely having the satisfaction of completion.

And man-o-man it feels sooooo good!

What did/do you find most difficult about getting started?
Watching so many young kids around me play on iPhones piqued my interest in creating an app. It was a bit of a counter-movement to be truthful. I liked the idea of using the technology to bolster the imagination of kids and connect them to their families. It goes against the stereotype of handheld devices: I like that.

The question was how do I create an app when I only just learned how to download the darn things on my new iPhone. In comes Crystal (see below).

What have you done/are you doing to work towards this goal?
I have created a product called Spark Story Starters which is the debut product of Spark Your Imagination. The guiding principle of Spark Your Imagination is to nurture creativity in kids and promote family unity.

Spark Story Starters is a deck of cards and and Spark! is an app – Spark! for iPhone/Spark! HD for iPad/iPod (these are the same products in different formats – the app title was abbreviated in the interest of cramming a brand into that tiny space they give you for your app on an iPhone).

I have also created an app called KidCart that mimics what I have done for years when I give my kids a clipboard with some items to find in the grocery store. The catch is that on the iPhone they get illustrations as a visual cue and the list can be translated into French or Spanish (if chosen).

What have you found most rewarding about going after your dream?
I love that my kids see me working on something that is somewhat of a mystery to them. As an at-home mom for the past seven years, I have become predictable through the eyes of my kids (okay, so 6 a.m. front yard picnics during the first snowfall aren’t exactly predictable..). But now I am carving out a space for myself and, although my kids contribute to my creativity, I am the one who owns it. They have come to respect my space and my business. They also seem to appreciate that we have created something that is being enjoyed beyond their own family. I think they feel good about that. And I feel good about that too. So, you see, there are a whole lot of good feelings happening around our house (most days anyway).

Do you feel the process of going after your goals has changed you? In what ways?
The process has absolutely changed me.

I have confirmed that I am capable of finishing something. As a parent I’ve worked hard to be in the moment. Maybe I’ve worked too hard at this because there has been a lot more ‘being’ than ‘doing’ around my house (at least by me). I haven’t actually finished much in the past seven years. It feels so good to be able to hold something up in my hand that I started… and finished.

I am learning to be unapologetic about asking for creative time – from my husband, my kids and my friends. The more I do it, the easier it gets.

What have you learned/accomplished so far during this process?
Wow, I’ve learned a lot when I stop to think about it. I’ve learned…

• that some of the zany things we’ve been doing as a family are of interest and value to other families (gotta love validation)
• that social media marketing is a big world that can be tackled in small bites (this is coming from the ‘stickie note queen’)
• that you have to ask for help – no one has all of the answers and there are people out there – like Crystal – who have answers and/or know people who have answers
• that creating a new product and an app doesn’t make me more interesting but it does give me some new things to talk about
• that my kids can learn from the process too. As an example, Spark! has been downloaded in 36 countries. Every morning I check my itunes account to find out where Spark! is being used. Then I run to the map with my kids and we find that country on the map. It boggles our minds that the questions we use around our kitchen table are being used in Saudi Arabia, Poland and Brazil!

What piece(s) of advice would you give to people who are working
towards a goal similar to yours?
You can learn anything. Self-teaching is admirable but it can take a lifetime (or at the very least a great deal of time). Figure out what you do best and find other people to help you navigate the rest. It’s far easier to learn from another person than to rely solely on trial and error.

Having said that, trial and error is absolutely necessary. Don’t be hard on yourself when you make a mistake. Move on and consider the time, money or energy you spent on your mistake as ‘life tuition fees’.

Were Crystal and/or Jared helpful to you in some way, and if so how did Crystal and/or Jared help you to get closer to your goal?
Crystal is a star. She has a battery of skills gathered from her many professional and personal experiences. If that weren’t enough, she has a rolodex (okay, this is the stickie note queen way to say… database? – I’m pretty sure the high tech savvy Crystal doesn’t own a rolodex) full of people who she has worked with and holds in high regard. She has the ability to match you with the right person to realize most any dream – illustrators, developers, programmers, writers.

When you are with Crystal your dream is the absolute most important thing to her in that moment. Her interest in helping others to realize their dream is genuine.

And, in your moment of glory when you realize your dream, Crystal lets the victory be your own.

Would you recommend Crystal and/or Jared’s coaching, service or workshop to others? If yes, what would you tell them?
The first time I met Crystal she was speaking in front of a room of 100 people at the Surrey International Writer’s Conference. I liked her immediately. She is genuine, approachable and has a great deal of information and insight to share. And, this isn’t stuff from a book. She has lived it and learned from it.

Why does this make a difference?

Because she has been in your shoes. She remembers what it was like to start at the beginning and to work through it – piece by strategic piece – to the realization of a dream.

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If you think the Spark Story Starters cards sound interesting, ask for them at your local book or toy store. I am just starting to contact retailers across Canada and your interest would help.

The product has received rave reviews from kids, parents and grandparents. Interest is quickly spreading to include teachers, counsellors, drama & art programs and speech therapists. If you can think of someone who might be able to use the cards, please spread the word. I’m always happy to send some free sample questions or a promo code for the download of the app.

The Spark Story Starter cards can be purchased from my web site – www.sparkstorystarters.com – or from one of 20 retailers across BC (listed on my web site). The cost per deck is $11.99 (free shipping).

The app version for iPhone is called Spark! ($.99) and for iPad/iPod is called Spark! HD ($1.99) and can be found on the App Store or on iTunes. A version for android phones is also available for $1.99.

KidCart has been created for the iPhone and can be purchased for $1.99.

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The Spark! app (for iPhone) hit the #2 best-selling educational app spot on the App Store twice since its release at the end of January 2011.

Spark! now lives in 36 countries.

Spark Story Starters have been featured on Global TV BC, Global TV Calgary, CTV News, CBC Daybreak South, CBC-BC radio regional news, CFJC-TV (Kamloops), The Kamloops Daily News, The Vancouver Sun and on national on-line parenting magazines savvymom.ca and yoyomama.ca. All of these clips can be viewed on my facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/sparkyourimagination.

I took 2nd place in the Kamloops Fast Pitch Business Competition. The audience was four guest judges (including Dianne Buckner from Dragon’s Den) and a live studio audience of 300. You can check out the YouTube clip here.

The cards were created and printed in B.C. as were the apps (all B.C. talent).

Though our Well-thy Living posts often focus on tips and tricks to make you more productive, we also consider health and fitness an integral part of a Well-thy lifestyle. Better fitness not only helps you to be more productive, it also enhances your enjoyment of the fruits of your productivity!

During my time as a personal fitness trainer, I worked with 20-25 different clients with goals ranging from weight loss to qualifying for a world-class rowing team. I estimate that another 40 people approached me with the intent to begin a workout program, but failed to follow through, often quitting after only one or two workouts. A common thread I noticed in the clients who didn’t keep up with their fitness goals was that they were attempting to make too drastic a change, too suddenly. As a result, I developed a test that helped people introduce fitness into their lifestyle gradually while also determining if they were really committed.

The test is to do two push-ups, two crunches and two lunges every morning for 30 days. If you feel like doing more than two of each, go ahead, but your commitment is just two.

Even if you’re really in a hurry, you can honor your commitment in less than one minute each day. You’ll soon find that you feel like doing more than two of each exercise, and that’s great. The important thing, however, is to make fitness a part of each and every day – even if you only have a minute.

Here are some videos to show you proper form for each exercise:

Push Ups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh00_rniF8E

Crunches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xyd_fa5zoEU&feature=fvwrel

Lunge: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUy8BNfhkeQ

(Always double check with your doctor before beginning any new fitness program).

Do you have what it takes to meet the first Well-thy Living Challenge and introduce fitness into your lifestyle? We’d love to hear from you!

One way to overcome writer’s block is to eliminate as many distractions as you can. A good starting place is to use a distraction-free writing tool like Byword. I first heard about this program via an article in MacWorld and, though I haven’t tried it yet, I really like the concept. A quick search turned up another great article on the subject over at lifehacker.com. Well worth a read.

I’ve also found that my iPad offers a similar experience since you can only view one application at a time. If you want to push the distraction-free element even more, there are a number of writing apps designed just for that purpose. For example, iA Writer for iPad provides you with a very simple, elegant interface that will allow you to focus your energy and attention on writing instead of formatting.

Do you have any tips on beating distractions and writer’s block? Use the comment form below to share them!

Whether it’s a novel, a new business or a new fitness routine, starting a new project can seem totally overwhelming. There are often dozens of things to consider and dozens of places you could start. I call this the “mountain” problem. When you look at a new project as a whole and think about how much time it’s going to take or how many tedious details you’ll have to deal with, it can seem impossibly large – like trying to move a mountain. The fact is, however, that even mountains can be moved – as long as you don’t give up before you start.

I came across a great article on Rands in Repose about the difficulties creative people can face when we’re getting started on a new project. I recommend giving the whole article a read-through, but some of the points that stood out to me were:

• The pressure to get started is often the element that prevents us from doing our best work.
• It might look like slacking to an outsider, but an unrelated creative exercise might be exactly what you need to reach the right mindset for the real task at hand.

Do you have any tips on getting started? Use the comment form below to share them!