When You Play More, Your Creativity Blooms

I wrote this article after watching the playful wonderland, a video on TED Talks. Take seven minutes to watch it if you’d like to become more creative. Or just because it’s fun to take a break and look at something different.

Steven Johnson, of the above TED Talk, discussed the “strange delight of play.” And claims that you’ll find the future wherever people are having the most fun.

Innovations Occur Because of Play

What I really liked about this TED Talk was the idea of an invention that was surprisingly frivolous (the flute), and how that invention, and inventions like it, fuel innovations. That flute led to the invention of the organ and the organ led to the invention of the harpsichord. And the harpsichord led to the programmable music box. And so on through the programmable loom to the computer.

We Learn through Play

As many parents know, kids learn the best when they’re playing. And maybe adults learn better through fun and playing, too. When kids have positive early experiences, they become happier adults. And those positive experiences include play to a large extent. Play-based learning is important to kids as this article from Edmentum points out, so why don’t we play more as adults? Is it just that we forget how?

Different Forms of Play

For adults, there are board games, online video games, in-person theater games, and all sorts of team sports. Like children, we have our favorites and don’t often stray from those. But what if we all insisted on more play? We would look at things very differently, wouldn’t we? And who says having fun can’t be a part of our work day? After all, having a sense of humor and playing can spark new ideas, add to your happiness, and it’s just, well, fun.

Alternate the Way You Play

When you play in a different way, you may become more creative, too. You might want to decide what fun means to you, and how to incorporate play into your everyday life. Is your form of playing improvisational theater? Is it dancing and singing? Or is it playing mini-golf? Do you need to take a break from working? If so, you might like this article:  Best Reasons to Take a Break from Your Business. (I had fun writing it!)

How Do You Become More Creative?

For me, with the economy opening back up, I’ll be heading to the gym. Not so much to lift weights, but to dance. Yes, Zumba counts as dancing. I’ll also be doing yoga, as well as taking on some more fun projects, which I’ll talk about as they occur. I am thinking about watercolor painting and ceramics, too. Since a lot of our choices were taken away from us, I feel grateful to have more choices.

 

 

#DigiBlogChat Questions for May 18, 2021

Communities

For our #DigiBlogChat on May 18, 2021, the topic is building community. Join us on Twitter every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time for a fun and educational chat!

Q1. What comes to mind when you think of community?

Q2. What communities are you involved with?

Q3. What temporary communities have you joined because of Covid?

Q4. How can an online community be strengthened?

Q5.  What are your main reasons for joining communities?

Q6. As we open up after Covid, which communities will you keep?

Q7. How would you go about creating a new community?

Q8. What are the main differences between an online and offline community?

Q9. How have communities made you better?

Q10. What tips do you have for us to strengthen our #digiblogchat community?

 

You’ve Got 15 Minutes on Social Media. Now What?

People always say you can do something on social media in 15 minutes, but can you really? I think if you’re really focused, you can. You can’t get a lot done, but you can do something.

First Things First

Set a timer because you’ve got to get out of there in 15 minutes. And resolve to really get out of there! You may also want to decide on a smallish treat for yourself (helloooo chocolate bar!) once you’re done. Make sure you won’t get interrupted and really focus for that 15 minutes. And speaking of 15 minutes, you might like Five Secrets to Social Media Success: Greatness in 15 minutes day.

Check Your Notifications

The first thing I’d do is check my notifications, especially if you haven’t been on the social media site recently. See if anyone has mentioned you, and thank them or respond. Of course, if it’s been weeks or months since you’ve been on, maybe just issue an apology and leave it at that. You might not be able to go back and respond to everyone. By the way, don’t set up your notifications so they buzz or otherwise hijack your attention. Here’s how to turn them off: This is Why You Need to Turn off Your Social Media Notifications.

Share Something

You can share an picture that you took yourself or a post that someone else had on their timeline. Check that there’s a good image if you’re sharing an article. And say something about it. You don’t have to say a lot, but you could say what you like about the article. If it’s a picture you took yourself, say where you took it or what it reminds you of or something about it. Using talk to text can save some time, especially if you’re on your phone. One way to share something is through Friend Sourcing.

Leave Some Time for Responses

People may want to respond to what you just posted, so make sure to leave a little time so that you can respond back later. In other words, be social. Five minutes should do it, in most cases. And if you’re wondering when you need to respond, here’s a good guide: The Non-Awkward Professional’s Guide to Interacting With Strangers on Social Media. Bottom line? There are different levels of responses, and if someone simply “likes” something you posted, don’t feel obligated to interact with them. A comment, on the other hand, means the person wants to interact with you.

You’re Done!

Eat your cookie, go for a walk, or do whatever you do to reward yourself.

#DigiBlogChat Questions for May 11, 2021

The topic for Tuesday, May 11, 2021 is “Influence and Influencers” with questions by Larry Mount aka @lazblazter! Join us each Tuesday at 1:00 pm pdt and add the #DigiBlogChat hashtag so we all can see your tweets. Here are the questions! 

Q1. Who among us would claim to be an #influencer and can you explain please? 

Q2. What is the role of influence in brand management?

Q3. What concerns might you have about #influencers and why is that? 

Q4. What is the relationship between Social Media marketing and #Influencers? 

Q5. If you aspire to #influence where do you start in terms of #SoMe platforms? 

Q6. Is it appropriate that @tiktok and @insta appear to lack regulatory controls to protect against exploitation? 

Q7. How would you educate for responsible use of influencers by brands? 

Q8. What is your success recipe in this space, do you blog, are you exclusive to a platform? 

Q9. Is it reasonable to advocate colorful video clips as the fastest means to recognition as an #influencer? 

Q10. If #influence can pay dividends to us all, do we need to work still?

Best Reasons to Take a Break from Your Business

While most of us know intellectually that it’s a good idea to take a break and go on vacation, with the pandemic, it’s been more difficult than at other times. But getting away is critical for our mental health, and to prevent burnout. Here are my reasons for taking a break.

Get a fresh look at old ideas

Do you find yourself going through the motions sometimes, like I do? Sometimes I find myself doing things just because that’s why they’ve been done before. Like somehow that habit became set in stone. It’s so useful to ask why things are done a certain way. For instance, why publish blog posts on a certain day, or why make them a certain length, or why write them at all? Are you stuck for ideas about blogging? Then you might want to try these: How to Quickly and Easily Unleash Your Blogging Creativity.

Totes ma goats

Take some photos you can use on your own accounts

Do you find yourself with a lack of creativity? Recharging the battery seems to always recharge the well of creativity, too. When you get outside there’s the fresh air, the open road, and the mini-golf! If you’re looking for some wonderful photos, my good friend Beth Staub at Adventure Photo Studios takes photos and also sells them. I love her nature photos, in particular.

Irises

Meet up with friends

One of my favorite ways to spend days off is talking with friends. They always give me a fresh perspective, and make me laugh. And of course laughing is a major way to prevent stress from building up. For me, it’s been about a year since getting any time off–which is way too long! So even though we didn’t go anywhere exotic (hello Humboldt County!), it seemed far away. By the way, you might like this article about friend sourcing. Friend Sourcing: the New Way to Content Creation?

Humboldt

Talk about something else other than your business

When I’m at work, I tend to meet people in similar businesses. But while traveling, there are so many other people in different professions. Sometimes that hyperfocus on business isn’t a good thing. We spoke with people of all ages, with different jobs, who lived in different places. Our friends at home are more like us, so we don’t get that infusion of new ideas.

Spend time playing for good ideas

Playing isn’t just for kids. It might be even more important for adults! While away, we played mini-golf, something I hadn’t done in years. It was one of the silliest courses (and some of us may have cheated just a little), but it was so much fun! Read this Forbes article about The Importance of Play.

 

#DigiBlogChat Questions for May 4, 2021

The topic for #DigiBlogChat on Tuesday, May 4th, is how to create the perfect headshot with Beth of @AdventureGlass! Join us each Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time for our fun and educational chat. Here are the questions:

  1. Getting a headshot?  What are your responsibilities vs. the photographer’s responsibilities?
  2. What questions should you ask your photographer before the session?
  3. What clothes work best for headshots?  Colors?  Why?
  4. Indoor vs outdoor – what do you like best and why?
  5. MAKE UP – yes, even men – what are the best practices?
  6. What is the number one thing to remember when getting a head shot?
  7. Do it yourself vs pay for a photographer – what are your thoughts? Why?
  8. You get what you pay for – what should headshots cost from a pro? Why?
  9. Editing – how do you like your editing?  Wrinkle free or leave me alone? Why?
  10. Angles – it really is all in the angle – show us your favorite angles and tell us what angles you avoid and why.

Five Secrets to Social Media Success: Greatness in 15 Minutes a Day

So here’s the deal. Here are five actionable things you can do this week to improve your social media and become more successful. Some of these are things not to do, and those might be even easier for you. Read one each day for five days and you’ll improve. Really.

Day One: Share Every Day

Can you do this? You don’t have to create all your own content, but you need to be on your accounts. As friend Robert Nissenbaum discusses, getting results and engaging on social media are intertwined: If you want results, think about how you post and share content. Engagement and how you share makes a difference. You can schedule, but it’s even better to be live on social media. You might even come into contact with someone else who’s actually there, too.

Day Two: Don’t Tag Everyone in the World

Yes, we’re all connected to quite a few people on our social media accounts. But you don’t have to tag everyone. And if you are tagged, you don’t have to then reply to everyone! It’s quite simple to simply reply to the person who tagged you and to no one else (unless there’s a reason to, but usually there isn’t one). If you reply to everyone, chances are you’ll get muted or–worse–unfollowed. So don’t do that!

Day Three: Engage, Engage, Engage

Engagement is probably the most important thing you can do on social media. Talk to other people. Be social. If you don’t know how, here’s a book you might like (on Amazon): 21 Ways to Total Social Media Engagement That Will Make You Look Like a Pro. Why should you care about engagement, you might ask. Well, the internet is a crowded place and getting more crowded every day. So with engagement, you and your brand can stand out.

Day Four: Create Lists

Yes, those things everyone complains about. Make some of them. They can be private if you are afraid people will judge you for putting you on their lists. Here’s the skinny on why lists are so important: Twitter Lists for the Power User. By the way, I don’t get why people complain about lists. Do you?

Day Five: Create a Professional Bio and Headshot

If you don’t know what your bio should say, ask some friends. For a good headshot, hire a pro. Your bio is the first thing people read about you, and your headshot says a lot in a visual way. Your bio is a snapshot of you and your life at this moment in time. It can be changed! So don’t worry too much if it’s not perfect.

 

 

#DigiBlogChat Questions for April 27, 2021

The topic for #DigiBlogChat on Tuesday, April 27th, is Creativity with @maricarjagger ! Join us each Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time for our fun and educational chat!

Q1.  How’s your level of creativity during the pandemic? 

Q2. What have been your creative outlets? 

Q3. What can you do with a writer’s/creative’s block? 

Q4. Is it possible to bring creativity into your business? 

Q5. Why is creativity important to your business? 

Q6. What do you do to get inspiration? 

Q7. How can you demonstrate the value of creativity in your business? 

Q8. What do you do to maintain your creativity? 

Q9. Are you more creative when you’re busy or when you’re relaxed? 

Q10. Do you have a creative muse? 

Q11. Extra credit: Just for fun, use whatever you have around you and spell the word LOVE! 

Had Enough of the Surge in Boundaries Blurring Between Social Media Platforms?

One thing I’ve noticed happening a lot lately on social media platforms is that the boundaries are blurring between the different platforms. Just like with movies, people are copying each other and there is less distinction in the platforms. When will the blurring ever stop? Wired had a good article about this phenomenon: All the Social Media Giants Are Becoming the Same. Have you noticed this, too?

Everything starts to look the same

How can you even tell where you are on the interwebs any more? When one thing looks like the next looks like the next, is there any reason to switch from Insta to Twitter to Facebook? For example, now there are Facebook stories, just like there are Instagram stories. They were on Insta first, then Facebook had to copy them. And before that, they were on Snapchat. And of course now that Clubhouse has really taken off, Facebook is reportedly working on something similar.

Why is this happening?

Is there really so little creativity that everyone has to copy everyone else? Is this because there’s a lack of boundaries in our personal relationships? Does someone need to step in and say no? Or is it simply because Facebook saw Instagram’s saw Snapchat’s success and wanted to keep people on their platform longer? I vote for that one. Everyone wants to be a one-shop stop. So if you can shop, upload photos, and catch up with friends on Facebook, why would you have to go somewhere else? You wouldn’t! By the way, you might like this article about how to unleash your blogging creativity.

The death of creativity?

So in another instance of copying, Instagram reels copied TikTok. And all of the social media platforms now are pushing hashtags as well as more video. There are some rules, but those are changing all the time, too. Videos can be up to sixty seconds long on Insta and TikTok, but up to sixty minutes long on Facebook. Of course, on YouTube, video length is a whole different story. There’s a 15-minute limit, but you can get around it, luckily for us wanting to know how to fix our plumbing or knit sweaters.

It’s one big blobby casserole

Remember those blobby casseroles where there’d be some kind of meat mixed with an onion soup packet topped with corn flakes? You couldn’t even really tell what kind of meat it was. It was like being in a school cafeteria on a bad day, when the chef was hungover and didn’t feel up to making something original. That’s what happens when there are no differences (or very little difference) between social media platforms. If you like those kind of casseroles in real life, then maybe you’d like this post on Epicurious! 73 Easy Casserole Recipes That We Keep Coming Back To. At least once you’re done cooking, you get something delicious! Ok. End of rant.

 

#DigiBlogChat Questions for April 20, 2021

Earth Day and Sustainability 20th April 2021

For this April 20th, our topic is Earth Day and Sustainability, hosted by the wonderful @FinolaSloyanPR. #DigiBlogChat is every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Here are the questions:

Earth Day is the day designated for fostering appreciation of the earth’s environment.

Q1.  Some of you have had first-hand experience of the issues that threaten the environment. Give your examples and did you look differently at the world after this.

Q2. What is your interest or concern in climate change, or do you think ‘this won’t affect me in my lifetime’?

Q3.  It has been said that many small gestures made collectively can make big environmental changes. What changes have you made?

Q4. Did you know that the large impenetrable detergent containers take years and years to break down? Or that 91% of plastic never gets recycled, according to National Geographic. What have you done to reduce your use of plastic?

Q5. Sir David Attenborough’s latest documentary The Year Earth Changed explores the impact lockdown restrictions across the world have had on the environment – are you interested in seeing nature’s rebound amid Covid?

Q6. Big business will only consider the green angle if it costs less in terms of both upfront CAPEX, as well as reoccurring OPEX charges. How can the world appeal to consciences so that financial reasons are not what will drive business decision?

Q7. Another documentary, Seaspiracy, on Netflix reveals that it is fishing nets, more than plastics, that is the main trash problem in our oceans and it is fishing gear that is showing in washed up whales’ stomachs. Is this widely known?

Q8. It’s a difficult one but has anyone thought about flying less? Elon Musk and Tesla said in their Battery Day that they will drop the price of batteries 56% by 2023. Transportation will be changed as batteries get cheaper and there will come a time when batteries can store enough energy to fly an airliner across the Pacific ocean.

Q9. A 21st century sustainable society needs to have three overlapping concerns working in harmony with the other: environment, social\human and economic wellbeing. Our conversation here on #DigiBlogChat is one way of contributing to raising awareness. What are some other practical steps we can take?

Q10. The theme for this year’s Earth Day is ‘Restore Our Earth’. Have you any plans to acknowledge Earth Day on 22nd – please tell us what they are. Inspire us to act!

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