The Art of the 20-Minute Nap

No one ever believes this when I tell them, but I take a 20-minute nap almost daily that makes me feel completely rested and ready for the remains of the day. I learned it on accident when I was traveling a lot producing ARTCRANK and HAD to rest and only had 20 minutes between setting up the show and throwing the party. 

Things you'll need:

• A bed or couch (or floor and pillow)
• A heavy blanket (heavier the better, but any may work for you)
• Relative silence (or earplugs)
• Your phone

This is how I do it: I drink an extra large glass of water (nature calling will wake you even if your alarm doesn't) to get the benefits of hydration as well as the nap. I lay down and cover up, and elevate my feet if possible. I tuck my hands under my butt. (I'm a tucker.) If it helps you to cover your eyes, do that. Set your timer for 20 minutes and go in. If you're wearing earplugs, hold your phone or lay it on your chest. Breathe deeply and drift off. 

You won't fall all of the way to sleep, that's not the point. I was doing it wrong napping for an hour or more because I felt so sluggish afterwards and then for the rest of the day. When I nap like this, I always wake up with a clear mind and smaller bags under my eyes. Once you do it a few times, you'll start waking up after 19 or so minutes or so (but please still set your alarm). Try it a couple of times to see if it will work for you. 

Happy napping! Let me know how it goes.

Earning My Keep

I was recently called out for being a helper in this MPR The Current interview.

Screen Shot 2013-08-15 at 3.56.35 PM

While it felt good to be acknowledged for service to my community, it mostly got me thinking about how this came to be. Why am I this way? Do I give too much? Could I be doing more? I don't remember a certain point that I started to love giving and helping but I do remember, early on, feeling great when I would help at a food drive at school or volunteered to help a teacher after school. I think I loved the variety and different view that it provided (and getting out of class wasn't so bad either). It was new and fresh and it allowed time to get to know other people that I didn't usually encounter a little better.

This guy, ammirite?

"Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” —Fred Rogers

For me, giving back isn't a second thought, or something I do when I have spare time. Giving back is something I set out to do each and every day, and after years of doing it, it's built in. I really don't believe that a person can be truly successful without giving back and serving their community and what they value in some way. I am teaching my boys the same thing. We volunteer together, donate time and items to charity, pick up litter in our neighborhood, and always sponsor a family at Christmastime to make their holiday as magical as ours. It's up to me to raise helpers, and model this behavior for others. Additionally, I have a policy to not take work that doesn't have a charitable aspect built in, or an openness to have me build one in.

Fortune is earned.

Success without giving back unbalances things. Now, I'm not entirely sure I believe in luck, but I think that fortune exists. Consider that fortune isn't granted without hard work. My immediate reaction to good fortune of any kind is to donate money, time, or resources and pass that feeling or fortune to someone else. I think this has made all of the difference, and that it definitely contributes full circle back to my success. My life is richer because I give.

Five quick ways to give:

1) Give a cash donation to your local food shelf. We know now that cash goes a lot farther than actual food does.

2) Get involved in a fundraiser. Or, better yet, plan one yourself. A group of us put together this fundraiser for a friend earlier this year. Pool your resources and expertise and get busy.

3) Have time but no money? Volunteer for an organization whose values match yours. Bring a friend. Hell, bring a date!

4) Tried and true: Feed parking meters that aren't yours. I get a roll of quarters whenever I'm at the bank just to keep in my car for this purpose. It feels amazing, and costs so little.

5) Donate your services or expertise to a charity or nonprofit. Social media specialist? Give a short seminar for a nonprofits' marketing team. Content strategist? Offer some guidance on their web presence. Photographer? Capture their office and people.

Please share your ideas in the comments below on easy ways you give back. Then, rewrite your life as a helper. I promise it will come back to you in spades.

If you liked this article, you may also like: Now Is The Time.

A New Adventure

As the owner of my own business, I'm always on the lookout for good projects. I've had to fight for some and some have landed in my lap. I've been very fortunate as a freelancer to have consistent work. I wasn't looking a few weeks ago when an opportunity arrived via Twitter DM. In the midst of plenty of interesting work, I hesitated. Then, I Googled. And I found this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=oOv71pUy74w

Then, I saw the press from Wired, CNET, Forbes, Time, Engadget, PC World, The Verge. The words magical, revolutionary, game changer, and many more caught my eye.

Then, I interviewed and met with four brilliant men, who talked about their "little startup" with contagious fervor. And told me about their families. And listened when I talked about mine. While we all ate cheeseburgers.

AND THEN, I read this blog post they wrote about innovative problem solving. You should read it. It's really cool and not what you think.

I was pretty much in at 'Googled,' but I can't tell you what that blog post meant to me. To see their team, in the office, work together that way to solve a problem made my whole self happy. It's a sign that everything isn't broken, and I simply live for those. I was impressed. They offered the job to me the very next day, and I happily accepted.

I am excited to start this new adventure next week. My brain is already cooking with ideas. I'll still be posting here on my blog, actively engaging on our beloved Twitter, doing some public speaking, and producing ARTCRANK. I won't be taking on any new clients for the duration of my time at Canopy, however.

When I told my boys about the Sensus, the first thing that came out of their mouths was: "COOOOOL. WHEN CAN I HAVE ONE!?".

I have a feeling that won't be the last time I hear that.

To find out more: http://canopyco.com/