This one is my favorite tool, and I saved it for last because it just might save the Scanner in you. Two minutes here or there for the projects you love may be all you ever find, but the trick is to be ready for them. And the Setup will make you as prepared as a fireman with clothes at the ready and a pole to slide down when the fire alarm rings. It’s simple, but it can change your life: Just get every single thing you need for any project set up in advance and ready to go. Put it all together in one place. Then forget it until you have a little time.
And I mean "little." Take short, frequent visits to whatever you love. You can make a sketch or write a line of poetry for even 2 minutes, and if you’re completely focused (no multitasking allowed), you’ll find it’s enormously satisfying. Slip in these brief visits as often as possible. The results will astound you!
One first-rate way to do this (but we rarely think of it) is right in the middle of your time with your family. I call this technique How to Paint a Masterpiece during Commercial Breaks. All you need is that same miraculous Setup and a small corner of time.
Jeff found a way to do painting with this Setup, but the technique can be used with any of your interests. In the corner of the family room, set up a ready-to-go painting corner with a canvas, brushes, and palette of colors and never put it away. Keep the brushes in water so they need only a wipe-off to be ready to use. Cover the palette with plastic wrap so it’s always ready. With your project completely set up and ready to go, you can actually stand up, walk over, and paint for a few minutes during every commercial. Sounds ridiculous? Try it. It’s fun!
Then sit down and watch TV with your kids until the next break. Of course, you might want to keep painting after that, but you won’t be sequestered away from your family, feeling guilty and lonely, either. (Jeff’s kids liked this process so much they started doing their household chores on commercial breaks!)
You can do the same thing with redecorating a room, writing a cookbook, scanning photos for a greeting card project, or creating a storyboard for your next home movie.
Start a new comment and tell us where your new Setup is and what’s in it. Maybe you have a spiral notebook with your book’s outline, one little section title per page, and a pen for writing whenever you’re stuck in line. Or maybe it’s a knitting basket next to the piano where your daughter must practice nightly. Or a ukelele and some sheet music in the back seat of your car, to play while you wait to pick up your passengers. Then read the rest of the comments and see if you would like to reply to any of them.
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Use the Next link (up above the title) to continue on to What I Learned from Chapter 5 after you are done adding your comments.
I do this with family paperwork and finances. Not necessarily my favorite activity, but it seems to help me be a functioning human being when the party feels organized.
I’ve tried placing other objects like a didgeridoo and guitar in the living room, but they get relocated by my wife.
I wonder if you could negotiate leaving it in the living room for a period of time (maybe a week or two?). That may help your wife know there is an end in site, and you get to see if it is useful to have it handy in your space? Just a thought 🙂 It did make me think about how often I clean my husbands stuff up and he probably wishes I would leave it be, lol. I will have to ask! Thanks Nate 🙂
I had never thought of doing this but it’s such a great idea, I’m gonna give it a go!
Awesome zibby! Let us know how it works for you 🙂
One of the things I’m interested in trying involves embellishing wood with carvings. I want to try carving with a dremel, with a knife, and with a chisel. To get started with learning, I have cut several flat boards of wood and have a set one aside next to a small engraver (the mechanism is similar to a dremel). I have only just begun this learning adventure, but the key word here is “begun”! I have been thinking about doing this for years, but have always let the gap between beginning and mastering the craft paralyze me. Somehow, setting a goal of practicing in short moments bursts and having things set up to support that whenever a free moment arises has been just what I needed to do to actually begin.
I wrote my first two books working in a warehouse and driving Doordash, so my setup was either texting myself notes that I’d write in a few minutes of down time or dictating voicenotes, stream-of-consciousness style. When I had time throughout the day, I would type everything up and then eventually when I was putting everything together for the second draft, I reversed outlined everything I had.
Sometimes you just need a couple minutes here or there to get put together a massive piece of work. I wrote a 600 page manuscript in 9 months with only a string of text convos, voice notes, and text messages.
Wow J! That is incredible
Amazing idea. way to go!