I’m one of those people who constantly have something to do. Whether it’s a client project, a personal project, or just something I’m learning, there’s rarely a moment where I’m bored or without something to do.

Some people may not like this practice, but for me, it’s perfect. I can’t stand being bored and staying active makes my brain work smarter. Here are a few tricks I use that help me keep in constant motion:

Keep a to-do list.

If you haven’t already guessed this from past posts, I’m a huge fan of lists. I keep them for everything, but to-do lists are my first love. I use them for prioritization, to get things out of my head and onto paper, and to just help make sure everything gets done. One of the best things, though, is the flexibility. I can write them down by hand, type them out on my computer, or (my personal favorite) keep track of them in the Action Method Online. Best $10 a month I ever spent!

Write lists about random things.

This might sound strange, but I’m notorious for just keeping lists of random things. It keeps me creative and always thinking. Once in a while, they spawn new ideas, but more often than not, they’re just used for self-reflection. Sometimes these lists are design related, sometimes not. Some of my favorite lists include:

• What are some things that I like that are not design related?
• How can I improve my goal setting process?
• What are my current business expenses? Which ones are unnecessary?
• What business-related topics do I want to focus on this year?
• Who is my ideal client?
• How can I make more money?
• How can I better schedule my week?

Always have a personal project.

I can’t emphasize this point enough. Most designers will agree with me – personal projects are the way to go. They’ll keep you active and updated in the industry, as well as (hopefully) help get you in contact with out designers or developers. So many of the apps and projects that I love started out as personal projects.

Read everything you can get your hands on.

I collect books obsessively, both physical books and e-books. I read blogs on a regular basis and use RSS feeds to keep track of them. I browse Twitter constantly and have started referring to Facebook more and more. The more knowledge I gather, the more I love this industry.

Meet with your peers on a regular basis.

I adore meeting with my fellow designer, Jessica Rau, every week. Why, you ask? Firstly, this eats up an entire afternoon every Thursday. Secondly, we also do a mini-book club session, where we read industry-related books and then share our notes each week on the chapters we were supposed to read. Thirdly, we assign ourselves homework, usually relating to the book, but sometimes research related, too. Finally, it’s a great opportunity to bounce ideas off of each other, to vent about frustrating client experiences, and to work on new and exciting personal projects together.

It’s really quite simple, I think, but it’s a hard accomplishment for most people – myself included. It takes an incredible amount of discipline and determination to stay constantly active, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Remember way back at the beginning of January when I set my yearly goals? Well, 2012 is already 1/12 over and I’ve made a little progress. I’ll only go over the ones I’ve actually been working on. Let’s take a look, shall we:

Business

In 2012, I will earn at least $5,000 from freelance work.

This month was a bust. I didn’t get only new jobs and got one payment for a job that actually occurred in December. I did have a client interested in my services, but they were on the fence about their previous designer/hosting service and said they’d get back to me. I’ve yet to hear anything back. Sounds like a no-go.

Design Community

In 2012, I will utilize and be more transparent on social media sites.

I haven’t made any measurable progress with this goal. I’ve definitely been more active on Twitter. That being said, I haven’t really noticed any difference in followers or conversation.

In 2012, I will write, publish, and promote one new blog each week.

I started off great, but then fell off the wagon, meaning I missed a week. I blame the weather, the power outages, and the Internet outages. Also, the fact that I was stuck in my house with three other people for four days straight may have made an impact. Despite this, I fully intend to keep blogging as if this never happened.

In 2012, I will attend a design-related event or meeting.

I haven’t made any plans yet. I did sign up for the Seattle StartUpDigest newsletter that sends out weekly emails telling me about upcoming events in the Seattle area. I’ve found a couple that look intriguing, but haven’t made a move on any of them as of yet.

Skillset

In 2012, I will complete a Daily Project.

So far, Make Some Cool Everyday has been a success. I did miss a day, but I made it up the next day. I really like that this topic is a little more lax than last year’s (One Song Lyric a Day), so I’ve tried doing things I never would have normally tried. I’ve really enjoyed it thus far.

In 2012, I will Actively seek out new skills.

Now here’s a goal I’ve been really working at! I signed up for Treehouse at the beginning of the year and just decided to start at the very beginning of web design, just for the hell of it. It’s been a great recap so far, and learning by video is a new concept for me. I also signed up for Code Year and I’ve been following along with the Javascript lessons each week. They’re gone really well so far, and I even convinced my brother to join in.

Travel

I haven’t done a single travel-related thing this month. This month, though, I’ll get going on the Emerald City Comicon one, for sure.

Health

In 2012, I will plan out my meals a week at a time.

I’ve done pretty well at this so far. We put a calendar magnet on the fridge. It has a space for each day of the week; in each spot we write in what lunch and dinner will be. Lunch leftovers have never been better!

In 2012, I will visit the Puyallup Farmers Market or Tacoma Boys on a regular basis

As the Farmers Market isn’t open yet this year, I’ve been going to Tacoma Boys at least once each week. They’ve had great fruit and veggies every week. My favorites this month: avocados and kale. Yum!

Personal Wellbeing

In 2012, I will read at least 90 fiction books.

I’m off to a rather slow start. I’ve been reading George R.R. Martin’s Storm of Swords since the first of the month. It’s wonderfully good, but so long and so time consuming. I’m almost done with it, though, so it’ll only be a matter of a few days until I get to all the review books sitting in a stack on my desk, just waiting for me to read them.

In 2012, I will put at least $2,500 in my savings account.

I’ve been great at saving so far! I’ve cut my expenses way, way down and I’m super proud of myself for doing so. Now I just have to keep building it up.

One of the first things I discovered when I began reading design blogs was the sheer amount of information. The amount of resources out there is nearly staggering. And really, if you think about it, the same is true all over the Internet.

When I started designing and exploring the Internet for relevant information, I was a crazy pack rat. I swear I saved everything I came across. It was all completely organized, but there was just so much of it that it might as well have been a giant mass of information. Whenever I needed to find something, it was nearly impossible to find it. If I did find it, half the time the article was a year old and out of date or I just too advanced for it.

My biggest issue came when I was learning the ins and outs of Adobe Illustrator. I searched the Internet for tutorials, organized those tutorials into skill levels, and then just started at the beginning. I got through about 20 tutorials before I was ready for something different, something harder. And then I’d get distracted. And then I just stopped using tutorials all together. Incoming jobs and work experience took care of the learning. I finally dumped almost all of the Illustrator links that I’d collected – about 4 years after I began collecting. All that time, just wasted.

Since then, I’ve learned some very important lessons about collecting knowledge from the Internet.

Know What You’re Looking For

Searching “contracts” yields 254,000,000 results. Searching “graphic design contracts” yields 42,400,000 results. Searching “freelance graphic design contracts” yields 1,180,000 results. While that’s still a ridiculously large amount of options, I’d take 1,180,000 over 254,000,000 any day. Plus, I’d wager that that last search phrase will yield results that are much closer to what I’m actually looking for. Don’t just take a shot in the dark.

Don’t Waste Your Time

I learned quickly what makes a good, useful website and what doesn’t. Frankly, in the design community, if the site isn’t pleasing to the eye, I won’t read it. If it looks like it hasn’t been updated since 1999, I won’t read it. If ads are overwhelming and largely unrelated to design and/or development, I won’t read it. It’s very much like judging a book by its cover (I do that, too).

Resist Peer Pressure

Just because the website is popular, has 100,000 RSS followers, and boasts 500 comments per post, does not mean you have to read it. Just because it’s the popular kid of the design community doesn’t mean that you’ll learn valuable information. Likewise, just because the site seems unpopular and only has 1 or 2 RSS followers, doesn’t mean it’s a waste of time. You might have just found a gold mine.

Skim First, Save Later

I can’t tell you how many articles I’ve decided not to save, simply because I skimmed it and found that it was missing something, didn’t interest me, or didn’t suit my needs. If it contains the same information as another article that I’ve read or know I’ve saved, there’s no reason for me to save this one, too. If you doubt its usefulness, just get rid of it.

Limit Yourself

You can’t read everything. Don’t save everything. Keep only things that are relevant and you think you will actually read at some point.

Organize, Organize, Organize

I’m an obsessive organizer, especially when it comes to my computer. Everything has a place and I’m damn well gonna put it there. I have a folder for articles and within that folder, more folders. Each one is the topic – “Business,” “Pricing,” “Print Projects,” “Customer Service,” etc. I have a separate folder for each Adobe program and any articles or tutorials dealing exclusively with the program. There’s one for Web Design-specific topics, and one for Web Development. This helps me find what I want when I want it. Periodically, I reorganize everything.

Don’t be Afraid to Delete

This is a lesson that took me a very long time to learn. If I don’t think it’s a good resource, just delete it. If I don’t think I’ll ever need it, delete it. If I start to skim it and I don’t find it interesting or useful, stop reading and just delete it. If you keep reading it, you’re wasting time. If you keep it in your files, you’re wasting space and potential search time in the future.

There is an endless amount of information available on the Internet these days and with it comes a great responsibility. What you do with the knowledge is your choice and your choice alone. I can only guide you.

Go forth and be knowledgable.

I’m pretty good at getting things done. It’s always been one of my Secret Super Powers. After a recent conversation with the amazing Jessie Rau, I realized that getting things done is really hard for a lot of people. Which led me to think, how do I do it?

Step 1: I Hold Myself Accountable.

It sounds pretty simple at first glance, right? Ha! I swear, I’m always employing another sneaky move to make myself get done the things that need doing. Some have worked brilliantly, some have taken a violent nosedive and crashed back down to earth. Here’s what I’ve tried and how it’s worked out:

Make a To-Do List.

If you don’t like to-do lists, call them something different, for all I care. To-do lists have long been one of my favorite things. The best part is: it’s so simple! All you have to do is write down the things that you need to do. I write them on paper, I list them out in Word (bullet points are my friend), I type them out in Gmail and email them to myself, I illustrate them in my composition notebook that goes everywhere with me, or, more recently, I use Action Method Online to sort everything for me.

No matter how I do it, keeping a list of what I need to get done is always beneficial. It helps me prioritize and—maybe most importantly—it reminds me of what I actually need to get done. Every time I glance at it, I’m reminded that I need get off Twitter and go back to working.

Set a Deadline.

Action Method Online has seriously helped me with this issue, and for the most part, I get everything done by the deadline. A couple chapters of a book that I need to read before my next meeting with Jessie? Check. The first Code Year 2012 lesson? Check. Nine times out of ten, I know I need to get something done by a certain day, so if I actually give it a deadline, I will remember this fact. Prioritization at its best.

Continually Remind Myself.

This one usually helps me get things done, but never on its own. Put a note in your pocket. Write it on your bathroom mirror. Put a reminder wallpaper on your phone or computer. Write it on a sticky note and stick it to your computer. Chances are, if you constantly remind yourself that you need to do something, eventually you’ll either guilt yourself into it or you’ll be so tired of seeing the damn reminder that you’ll just do it.

Answer to Someone Else.

Sometimes it just doesn’t work to rely on myself to get things done. If I suspect this might be the case, I tell everyone I possibly can. My parents, my brother, my boss, my coworkers, my friends, my fellow designers, the barista at the coffee shop (ok, I haven’t had to do that last one yet, but I bet if I mention it, they’ll bring it up a week or so later). Having your friends and family hound you about getting things done is great. Nothing makes you feel guiltier than telling them that you’re still not done with a project due a week ago.

Make a Game of it.

Sometimes the trick is to pretend you’re not doing something so terrible. My mom has a trick to make herself stop procrastinating and start typing faster – she pretends she’s playing a video game. Everything she does is timed. If she does it in a certain amount of time, she gets bonus points. If she’s writing a particular difficult section, she acts as if it’s the bonus round, or the Daily Double, if you well. Sometimes all you have to do is distract yourself from what is otherwise an unpleasant experience and it’s much easier to just get it done.

Just Fucking do it.

Aaaand this is my Super Secret Trick. I’m really great at making myself guilty. There are a few things that I routinely tell myself: “It needs to get done and I know it, so I need to just do it.” “It’ll be over with quickly and then I don’t have to worry about it anymore.” “Think about how disappointed my client will be.” “Damn, I just made myself a whole lot more work.” Usually, these inner monologues do the trick.

And there you go. This is how I keep myself accountable. There really aren’t any secret tricks involved, nor any super powers (though it would be really cool if there were). Just a whole lot of guilt involved.

Every year, as January 1 gets closer and closer, I scramble to put together a bunch of New Years Resolutions. It’s always this half-assed attempt at acting like I’m going to make a difference. I’m pretty sure 99% of the world does the same thing. My downfall? I tend to forget about these goals by the end of January. At least 98% of the world is right there with me, right?

This year, however, that just won’t fly. I’m determined to stick to my goals, reflect on my progress on a regular basis, and do one big review at the end of the year. It’s not about completing the goal, it’s about working toward making a difference in my own life.

For ease, I broke them down into a handful of categories:

Business

In 2012, I will completely redesign my website.

This has been a necessary evil for a long while, but procrastination gets the best of me every time. This will include a full-scale portfolio, a landing page, a better About Me page, and lots more photos. I really want to brand myself with something I love.

In 2012, I will earn at least $5,000 from freelance work.

This particular goal is the first step toward becoming more self-sufficient. I’d like to move away from studio work and move toward freelancing under the McKelden Creative moniker. I’ve done some smaller projects for clients in the previous few years, but nothing really worthy of being considered freelance. This needs to change.

In 2012, I will completely separate business and personal expenses.

I’ve needed to do this for a long while. It’s just getting too difficult to keep track of and it’ll save me a ton of time come tax time! It’s just a matter of setting up new bank accounts and remembering to be organized.

In 2012, I will put together a solid contract and proposal template.

I already have a half-assed version I’ve put together out of necessity, but it’s time to get serious.

Design Community

In 2012, I will utilize and be more transparent on social media sites.

After reading Scott Belsky’s Making Ideas Happen, I realized that I hold myself back a lot. And if I don’t open up and share more (to a certain point, of course!), I’m never going to really feel like a member of the Design & Development Community. I’m tired of reading from the outskirts. It’s time to be involved.

In 2012, I will make a connection with another designer or developer.

Back to that same concept of being involved in the design community. I really only interact with one other designer (the amazing Jessica Rau), so I need to make new connections.

In 2012, I will earn an invitation to Dribbble.

I love love love finding great designs on Dribbble, so I’m sure I would love posting to it, too. It’s also a great way for me to be involved with the community.

In 2012, I will write, publish, and promote one new blog each week.

This has been such a difficult concept for me in the past, but when I really break it down, one per week is only 52 for an entire year. That’s nothing! Plus, how can I expect to become a participating member of the Community if I don’t give something back?

In 2012, I will put together and brand both Facebook and Twitter accounts for my business.

No more of this silly generic template stuff. I need full branding across all accounts. And while I’m at it, I should change that Twitter picture that was taken 2 years and 50 pounds ago!

In 2012, I will attend a design-related event or meeting.

I only live 45 minutes south of Seattle – and there are tons of design-related events that happen up there every month! I just need to find and then commit to them.

Skillset

In 2012, I will complete a Daily Project.

Last year, I tried to illustrate a different lyric each day. I made it as far as the beginning of August. This year’s theme is Make Something Cool Everyday.

In 2012, I will code my first WordPress theme from scratch.

No more using templates! It’s time I started from the very beginning and created my own template, both for personal and business use.

In 2012, I will learn to use my camera really well.

I’ve had it for almost year and all I know how to do is point and click! I need to know how to do everything!

In 2012, I will Actively seek out new skills.

I love learning and I want to try some new stuff this year, as well as refine the skills I already have. Also on the agenda? Learning in different ways, starting with trying out videos (which I’m usually inclined to never watch).

Travel

In 2012, I will head to the ocean every chance I get.

I only live a couple hours from the ocean, but I only manage to get there once a year if I’m lucky. It doesn’t even have to be the same place each time! I could head to Ocean Shores, Long Beach, Alki Beach, or a million places in between.

In 2012, I will spend a day in Portland.

Farmers markets, the most amazing giant bookstore, no sales tax, and maybe even an awesome train ride there and back. No reason not to go! This has been a trip in the making for a very long time.

In 2012, I will go camping at Fort Worden.

I missed camping at Fort Worden last year, but this year: family be damned! There is no place in Washington that I love more and an entire week of sleeping in a tent only a short walk from the waves sounds perfect.

In 2012, I will go to PAX.

My brother and I went to the Penny Arcade Expo in 2011, had an amazing time, and have every intention of doing the same thing this year.

In 2012, I will go to Emerald City Comicon.

I haven’t been to ECC before, but my amazing friend Becca has agreed to go with me. Fun will be had by all!

In 2012, I will visit friends in Spokane.

Yet another thing I’ve been putting off forever. I have people that need visiting and 2012 is the year!

Health

In 2012, I will walk 30 miles at the Lakewood Relay For Life.

I made the bet; I can’t back down now! Last year, I walked 16 miles. Surely I can almost double that!

In 2012 I will lose 30 pounds.

In 2010, I lost 50 pounds. In 2011, I maintained my lowest weight. It’s time to lose more!

In 2012, I will plan out my meals a week at a time.

If I really try, I have this super awesome talent for making dinner and then turning the leftovers into a great lunch the next day. It’s just a matter of doing it.

In 2012, I will visit the Puyallup Farmers Market or Tacoma Boys on a regular basis

I have a weakness for fresh fruits and veggies and I need to actually make an effort to buy them more often! The Farmers Market is only open May through October, but Tacoma Boys offers fresh and local produce year round, so I have no excuse!

Personal Wellbeing

In 2012, I will read at least 90 fiction books.

I read 81 fiction novels in 2011. What’s 10 more?

In 2012, I will put at least $2,500 in my savings account.

Seriously, why is it so hard for me to save money? It shouldn’t be this difficult.

Whew! I really have my work cut out for me, but I’m determined more than ever! Feel free to share your goals for 2012 and how you’re going to get there.

Every good artist will balk at that statement. Every great artist will admit to it. Artists collect everything that they see, read, watch, observe, learn. It’s in our nature to collect everything, internalize it, and then save it for later. Sometimes it’s in the form of ideas. Sometimes they’re more tangible – like the file of 1,000+ photos I have saved on my hard drive, methodically divided into groups, like Print & Packaging, Color Combinations, Web, etc. If I like it, I’ll save it. Even worse is my collection of quotes, but that’s something for another post.

The best thing I ever did with those files, however, was steal an idea. I discovered Austin Kleon’s blog, which is beautiful and illustrated and I wanted to do something just like it.

So I did. I started illustrating articles when I read them. I took notes, used a combination of four colored Sharpie pens, and then drew pictures.

It was a little like being back in high school again. You know, where you drew pictures in the margins, wrote words and outlined them over and over and over again until you accidentally ripped a hole in the paper with your pen.

And it was soothing. I used this opportunity to experiment with typography, sketching, different types of lettering, color combinations, contrast, and hierarchy. Sure, it took me three times longer to read an entire article, but I felt like I was involving myself in the process. I wasn’t skimming over words while my mind wandered.

And to think, it was all because I stole an idea.

Now, to be fair, it wasn’t exactly what Austin was doing over on his own blog. He drew comics and posted them, he had lots of black backgrounds and white text. I was all about the sketch-style lettering, grids, and hierarchy.

Do I feel like a better artist because of it?

Absolutely. I kept myself immersed in my craft in two ways – I was reading articles about my craft and I was actively pursuing it.

And even better, it helped me solve one of my biggest problems – not making anything. In the past, I would read articles – which helped me learn great things, mind you – but I wasn’t practicing what they were preaching.

Which kind of defeated the purpose.

And while this work that I’m making is definitely not worthy of publishing, definitely not going into my portfolio, I secretly adore looking back at it. I think it’s pretty awesome if I do say so myself.

Welcome to my blog! Please be patient – updates are coming soon, I promise! In the meantime, please contact me at jessica {at} mckeldencreative.com.