CREATE: Better productivity by doing less

A great deal is talked about productivity. There are literally thousands of blogs, books, techniques, videos etc.. around on how to improve it. I've just installed a Pomodoro timer onto my Mac and am going to use the Pomodoro technique to write this post. But is productivity really important? Do we need to be more productive? Should we be focusing on this?

There are things we need to do in life. We need to make sure our dependents are healthy, nurtured and loved. We need to make sure we eat and sleep occasionally and look after our own bodies. Beyond that everything else is all gravy, it's a bonus. We really don't need to do much more.

THINK: Community Payback for all?

This morning I saw a team if people picking up rubbish. They had 'Community Payback' written on their yellow vests and I'm guessing they were there because of their crimes.

But it got me thinking. Why is it only necessary for 'naughty' folks to 'payback' to the community. It seems to me that many people are extremely disconnected from their local communities. What if for a few hours a week it was compulsory to 'payback' or even 'invest' in your local community. Now I'm not a big fan of heavy handed state legislation but surely this would help to solve a lot of our modern day problems.

Reconnecting and helping the local community could lead to less litter, less loneliness, less crime, less pointless travel, less tv watching, more interesting activities, more local business, more art, more tolerance and understanding, more of a sense of a real community that helps and supports itself, the benefits would go on and on. Just a thought really.

CONNECT: Get involved, introduce yourself...

Hi everyone,

I started this blog as a way for me to document my own little journey, but what's been really amazing is the amount of incredible people that I've met both online and in the real world since I began. And I'd like to meet more of you.

That little problem of money and how to make it

We all need to have money right? Me included. Unfortunately it's necessary to eat, put a roof over your head, cloth yourself, travel to other interesting places, or even indulge in the little luxuries that might make you happy. You need some of the stuff if you want to live to the maximum. You can work for other people or you can try to make it yourself, and many people including myself are exploring the latter option so they can have more freedom and flexibility.

If you've watched The Social Network you may think that it's worth investing your time into trying to create the next Facebook and set yourself up as the next billionaire. The odds of that happening though are well, tiny!

The good news though is that the odds are much better if you want to create a small online service that might appeal to a couple of thousand people. It's possible to make a million dollar business with even numbers this small. You can even create something that you find fun and that could benefit the world...

Jellymongers, x-rated cakes, an agile agency and a dollop of Tuttle

This week I've been dipping in and out of Internet Week Europe and generally mixing it up around London on the look out for innovation and inspiration.

Here are a few highlights...

Calling designers! Bored? Want to get involved in something fun and different?

Calling all designers (or friends of designers)...
PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH ANYONE WHO YOU THINK 
MIGHT BE INTERESTED

Do you fancy getting involved in something a bit different? Are you getting bored of what you are doing? Too much corporate work, or maybe working for people who just don't appreciate you or let you show off your talents. Are you still studying, or maybe just finished and looking for some experience. Are you in between jobs or working but not really enjoying it?

Life to the maximum might just be able to help.

STOP: creativity and the power of nothing

All great designers and musicians know the power of nothing. If you're new to the design world it's very tempting to put as much as you can onto the page, to fill every last inch with images, shapes, words or information. Experienced designers know that white (or any other colour) space is incredibly powerful, it allows the page to breath. It gives the design power and presence.

The legendary Peter Saville used this technique to give an almost spiritual dimension to much of his work. It's very brave and hard to leave so much of the canvas empty, our natural inclination is to fill things up. Surely the more you add, the better it will be? But this just isn't true.