Category Archives: Professional Advice

Tips from the pros, mentor advice — looking to learn from people in the field? Find sage advice from weathered professionals here.

SwearJarr: Protect yourself from foul language on Twitter

Written by michael. Posted on June 2, 2010. Filed under Professional Advice. Tagged , , , . No comments.

Check your language before an employer does

Much has been made of what information is public vs. private online in the wake of Facebook’s privacy updates. As far as Twitter goes, you can protect your Tweets, but that doesn’t always mean they’re protected from search engines.

The fact remains that when you publish personal information online, you have to assume it’s going to be publicly available. When it comes to interviewing for a job or internship, that can make for sticky situations.

For anyone that has had to tweak their Facebook profile upon entering the job market (as opposed to the reckless abandon of college, oh how I miss thee) knows, sifting through and removing less-than-flattering info can be arduous.

Enter SwearJarr for Twitter. You can scan all of your Tweets (or someone else’s) to see a history of foul language. The site then recommends you donate money for each transgression, with the money going to a rotating cast of charities.

If you have some Twitter cleanup to do, check out SwearJarr while contributing to a good cause!

Good Creative Habits: Solitude or Idolization?

Written by michael. Posted on May 27, 2010. Filed under Professional Advice. Tagged , , , , , . No comments.

Zenhabits' great post on getting creative; inspired

Looking for advice on how to maintain a productive and creative streak? We previously shared some of Hemingway’s Hacks with you, but here, ZenHabits focuses more on consistently sparking your own creativity.

Gleaning some creativity tips from Felicia Day, Chase Jarvis and some historical icons as well, there’s some good insight into how successful creative types keep the ideas coming.

Whether it’s photography, design (web or graphic), writing, music or even business, there’s a fine line between staying sharp and just going through the motions.

What the ZenHabits post inadvertently shows is that often, creativity and inspiration can come from others. The post talks about the importance of solitude, but a lot of times one can simply ponder what creative or professional idols are up to…it’s a good way to rev up the engines!

What do you think? Are you at your best when you have some time alone with your thoughts, or do you get fired up by those you admire?

Having productivity issues? Try Hemingway’s Hack.

Written by sarah. Posted on March 24, 2010. Filed under Professional Advice. Tagged , , , . 1 Comment.
Hemingway had a few tricks up his sleve to keep him writing.

Hemingway had a few tricks up his sleeve to make sure he kept writing.

Maximizing productivity is a goal that a lot of people have. Earnest Hemingway, world famous author and winner of the 1954 Nobel Prize in literature, was a pretty productive guy. Hemingway had a secret to his productivity that seems almost too simple. He has a way to permanently keep himself from getting writer’s block.

Hemingway said:

“The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day … you will never be stuck. Always stop while you are going good and don’t think about it or worry about it until you start to write the next day. That way your subconscious will work on it all the time. But if you think about it consciously or worry about it you will kill it and your brain will be tired before you start”

Hemingway and other writers such as Roald Dahl have used this trick to keep them productive, and it seems to work.

So, the basic idea is don’t finish your daily task if you want to keep the momentum going. The more momentum, the more productivity. If you make finishing your task your next task, you will have more momentum when you start up again.

To put it simply:

You should stop your task when:

1) You know what you will do to finish it.
2) When you feel the drive to finish it.
3) When you reach a creativity peak.

—–Then don’t think about your task until the next day.—

Using Hemingway’s trick will help you to:
1) Avoid being stuck.
2) Keep your momentum going.
3) Start the next day with the reward of finishing a task.
4) Boost your self confidence and motivation level before moving on to the next task.
5) End your day on a high note.
6) Allow your brain purposeful rest when you stop working.
7) Allow your subconscious to work on the bigger picture while you relax.

This trick works not only for writing but for any creative process. So, no matter what you need to get done, take a tip from Hemingway and take a break when you’re ahead. You will feel more confident and be more productive!