WORKLIFEDESIGN

Brilliant ideas are all around us. The challenge today seems to be identifying those that can actually provide some insight into the questions or issues that we are facing.

To sort through the chaff, I find I will listen to the recommendations by colleagues, clients, family, friends and trusted interweb sources. They’ll often mention magazines, books, blogs, websites, events or simply ideas that are inspiring them.

Three of these little gems have really impressed me this year.

the design files

type blog

www.thedesignfiles.net

Caste your mind back to a time before the internet… drift … drift … drift … Did you ever cut out photos, ads, illustrations, products, etc from magazines and keep a file of your cherished desired items? No? Oh well, I’ve been a long time fan of The File and I love seeing what’s in Lucy Feagin’s File on all things designie. She interviews all sorts of creative types about their work and life and also features interiors of homes that are alive with their occupants’ obsessions, passions and personalities. One of my favourite posts this year has been on notebooks (you know, those things some of us still scribble in) but I’m just as taken by the furniture, fabrics and art of local makers. Lucy is truly gifted in finding the gorgeous and often simple objects that make our spaces full of wonder and beauty. [the design files: recommended by Kate James]

dumbo feather, pass it on

type mook

www.dumbofeather.com

I’m fairly new to the dumbo feather world but it is certainly a place that I intend to regularly visit. dumbo feather is a mook (sort of a magazine, sort of a book) and each quarterly issue features the stories of  five ‘remarkable individuals’. There a side-articles within each feature which draw out some of the ideas touched on a little more.  I find as I bounce from one article to the next, I keep being struck by a strange feeling. It’s the feeling that something very special is being said. It’s the feeling that this little mook is quite brilliant – not only in the people and ideas it gives space but how it does it. It looks and feels beautiful. [dumbo feather: recommended by Kate James]

fear.less

type online mag

www.fearlessstories.com

Fear is one of those things that most of us are well acquainted with. It holds us back, makes us do stupid things and usually oversteps its purpose of keeping us alive. So this magazine, that features the unique stories of people overcoming fear, is such a treasure. I like it because it has interviews with people I greatly admire such as Robert Thurman, Sharon Salzberg, Karen Armstron, Ben Zander and Howard Zinn as well as people I’ve never heard of who are just getting out there and living (as the blurb says) ‘remarkable lives’. fear.less is a free monthly online magazine that you can download or view online. [fear.less recommended by Christine McDougall]

How stories can help you remember what’s important

Sometimes I discover new ideas or designs or artists or writers through these publications, but mostly they help me remember.

I’ll be looking through the photos of someone’s home in The Design Files and remember that I really like a particular period of furniture design, or art, or fabric or the way light can be used to change the mood of a room. I remember how physical objects impact upon my space.

I’ll be looking at an issue of fear.less and remember that I really quite like the way Seth Godin formats his ebooks in landscape so you don’t have to scroll down and down and down and down. Or, I’ll remember that ebooks don’t have to look like books but can have their very own style which makes them easy to read and easy on the eye.

I’ll be looking at dumbo feather and remember that writing doesn’t have to be so minimalist. I’ll remember that stories that inspire don’t have to be “woo I’ve made it. I’m so cool.” but can have doubts and obstacles and heartache. In fact they are better if they do because they are more realistic and show the resilience and creativity of the human spirit. In the face of all this crap, this person continues.

It’s brilliant ideas like this that help me remember what’s important, and being aware of that makes all the difference in how I work and live.

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THE NEWSLETTER OF WORKLIFEDESIGN

SEPTEMBER 2010

Somewhere in the space between that which exists and that which has yet to be imagined, sparks of Brilliance fly. Some of the ideas you’ll find here will be able to be applied immediately, some will be not-quite-ready and some will be wild imaginings.

Enjoy!

Trish

SOMETIMES THE SOLUTION IS RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSE. LITERALLY.

The brilliance of mindfulness

Today’s brilliant! idea is to breathe. I know, you’re thinking I’ve gone all new age, woo-woo, bumper sticker (“Remember to breathe!”) but beyond the butterflies and dolphins there really is something in this one.

The particular approach to reconnecting with our breath I’m talking about is called Mindfulness. It’s a pretty hot area at the moment with what seems to be every therapist and their cat is incorporating it into their practice… READ MORE …

DANCE WITH SOMEONE ON SKYPE

This week, another idea jumped out at me from a blog’s comments section.

Over at the Herman Miller Lifework blog, they have a column called The Playlist where they interview people about the music that inspires them as they work.

Recently, they interviewed gallerist/artist/curator/writer,  Annie Wharton, and she provided an eclectic playlist of tunes that work for her – from Duran Duran and Lady Gaga to Peaches and The Normal. However, it was in a parenthesied side-note to Lady Gaga’s Alejandro that she revealed her Brilliant! idea …. READ MORE …

FIVE MINUTE RULE TO OVERCOME PROCRASTINATION

Sometimes Brilliant! Ideas come from the most unexpected places

I found the following Five Minute Rule to overcome procrastination from Page Lambert in the comments section of a blog about escaping from the slow death of an office job.

“My father, Loren Dunton (internationally recognized Father of Financial Planning) used to have what he called his Five Minute Rule to help overcome procrastination so that he was ACTING rather than AVOIDING. He knew that the hardest thing to overcome in terms of getting any project started, was INERTIA. So he played a game with himself: “Dunton,” he’d say, “you don’t have to write the ENTIRE article today…”  READ MORE …

WAIT TILL YOU HEAR THIS!

*Snow White Macbook vinyl decal

The most Brilliant podcast/radio ever: The I Wish Song

My favouritest radio show/podcast in the world, This American Life, did one of the most amazing introductions I’ve ever heard in this week’s (replayed) episode, Promised Land.

The host, Ira Glass, recounts how upon watching the 1937 Disney classic Snow White recently, he noticed how it has almost an operatic feeling with each of the main characters entering the story with a song. When he mentions this to his sister (who works for Disney) she informs him that what he’s seeing is the “I Wish” song in action. It’s a common storytelling technique that’s used in musicals where the character declares exactly what they want in that first song.

As Ira lists through all the musicals (classic and contemporary) that have I Wish Songs, I’m gobsmacked to hear how common it is. Think, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” starts off The Wizard of Oz, or, the Britney Spears’ film Crossroads which begins with her singing Madonna’s “Open Your Heart”. The Little Mermaid. Fiddler on the Roof. Funny Girl. All begin with the main character’s I Wish song.

What makes this intro so brilliant though is what happens next… READ MORE …

NEW this month in THE STUDIO

HOW TO BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE AT WORK (AND RESPONSIVE IN LIFE!) WITH REFLECTIVE PRACTICE

It’s hard to believe that this is the Number One resource that’s been downloaded from my website over the last five years…

GET YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW! WORKSHEET

This week I’m sharing one of my personal worksheets. This is what I use to stay focused and to minimise those 3.00am eyes-bolt-open, oh-my-god-what-am-I-doing moments.

THE ULTIMATE LIFE COACHING TOOL? ALL HAIL THE UBIQUITOUS WHEEL OF LIFE

I don’t use the Wheel of Life much these days (as most of my work with client’s is work-focused) but when I do, I’m always blown away by how effective it is. After this simple 10 minute exercise, a client often has new insight into their lives, clarity about their life and work direction, and renewed energy. It’s pretty neat… which is why I share it with you now. Enjoy!

GET ORGANISED WITH YOUR MONDAY MORNING WEEKLY ACTIONS WORKSHEET (MMWAW!)

Ahh, Monday morning. How I love thee…

Taking some time-out on Monday mornings to organise my week is essential.  I’ve found that I need to move beyond a to-do list of things that need my urgent attention and check in with what’s important (goals and priorities), what I need to do to realise these priorities and scheduling it into my calendar.

What’s happening?

Spring Clean Your Life! To celebrate the beginning of Spring in the southern hemisphere (yay!), I’m running special spring clean sessions so you can clear the clutter, chaos and confusion from your life and work. More details here…

Business Action Groups New BAGs are starting in Noosa and Brisbane in October. If you’re a solo business owner who’d like a bit of support, inspiration and action in your venture then join us for our innovative business peer support program. More details here …

Do a friend a favour … If you’ve found Brilliant! entertaining, informative or worthy distraction from work, then please forward on to friends and colleagues who may be interested.




Brilliant! Ideas For Work and Life is written and collated by Trish Weston. Everything in it is her opinion, with a smattering of facts to make it hold together. If you have any suggestions or comments please feel free to email trish AT worklifedesign DOT com DOT au

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