I started the Mind Map pictured above on October 15th. Since then I’ve been adding to it, posting notes on it and adding quotes I like.

It hangs directly across from my desk in my home office and I read it every time I sit down to work.

It’s really a work in progress.

My Mind Map is one of the tools I’m using to help clarify my vision and my goals for 2012.

I started with writing out keywords to describe what I really enjoy about my work and the things that are a necessary part of my work/business.

From there I asked myself and answered two questions…

1. Occupations I would NOT want to have, be or do and WHY?
2. Occupations I might like or find interesting and WHY?

These two questions led me to ask myself “When did I come alive professionally?”

This led me to brainstorm a bit about what role I wanted to play in my own business.

Next, based on all of this and some journaling on the side, I listed my top three professional goals. Since then I’ve added one more.

The post-its and notes on the edges are ideas I’ve had in the past few weeks.

There is a reminder to take it one day at a time.

And, my favorite, a quote from an article in Fast Company magazine that had me laughing out loud when I read it and saying to myself, “that’s me.”

“I’m more of a creative monarch then a democratic leader.”

(Yep, that’s me. It pays to know and accept ourselves for who we really are.)

Why am I sharing all of this with you?

Because I want you to see that a mind map can be a work in progress, a living, breathing document you can work with every day.

I want you to know that you should have fun with the process and hold nothing back. Be wild and crazy. Dream BIG! Don’t judge any idea or thought, just get it on the paper.

And, remember it’s a mind map, a brainstorming exercise to help bring clarity, not a declaration of intent that is set in stone.

Creating a work-in-progress mind map is a creative and fun way to help begin your 2011 year in review and a tool to begin thinking about and planning for 2012.

I started The Dreaming Cafe in February 2009 with a fuzzy vision of helping and inspiring others via the written word.

Over the next two years that vision became clearer as I spent time every day writing, sharing and interacting with friends, readers and clients.

But, it was still a little fuzzy vision in many ways.

I became impatient. I wanted an epiphany. I wanted a perfectly clear vision to suddenly just come to me. I pushed and pushed, but got absolutely no closer to the answers, to a clear vision for The Dreaming Cafe or my life.

Then I slowed down and stopped pushing. I backed off and instead of trying to accomplish something, to make something happen, I decided to play again, to have fun again.

I’ve been spending the last few months journaling (traditional and art), dreaming, reading, brainstorming, mind-mapping and moodling. (“Moodling: long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering.” ~ Brenda Ueland)

I’ve also been decluttering and remodeling. All of these activities are helping my vision for both my personal and business life to become clearer. And, I’m having fun again. Writing is fun again. Teaching is fun again. Doing nothing is fun again.

Last night I took the first step in sharing a bit of my new vision with the world when I updated the ‘about’ information on The Dreaming Cafe’s Facebook Page.

If you missed it, here is what I wrote…

The Dreaming Cafe – Helping individuals and small businesses grow BIG dreams one small step at a time.

The Dreaming Cafe – Sharing inspiring and empowering ideas and resources to help you begin taking small steps towards your goals and dreams.

Chief Dreamer and CEO Sandy Dempsey is a writer, teacher and soul explorer who’s main purpose is to help people learn to grow BIG dreams by taking one small step at a time and to live happier, healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Mission: To inspire people to take small steps that change their lives in big ways.

I’ll be sharing more over the coming weeks about my vision for The Dreaming Cafe and what is to come in 2012. I hope you stop back and visit again.

Peace and blessings,
Sandy

I started my first business in late 1999. Kids Mail Time was a monthly gift subscription service for children. (This business card is a little smudged because the only one remaining in existence was the one my husband carried around in his wallet.)

Kids Mail Time Business Card

My next idea was BookstorePhD.com, a book review and referral site for people who loved to read. It never really got off the ground.

BookstorePhD.com Business Card

In the mid 2000′s another idea had me super excited – SaveATreeBooks.com. It was going to be the largest book trading bookstore on the planet. But, retail space, even warehouse space, at the time was at a premium and I just couldn’t get the numbers to work.

SaveATreeBooks.com business card

Then in the summer of 2008 I had a new idea, The Dreaming Cafe. A few months later in February 2009 The Dreaming Cafe became a reality. In the beginning I handed out both traditional business cards and bookmark business cards.

The Dreaming Cafe Business Card and Bookmark Business Card

At the same time I was launching Dreaming Cafe Ventures I also started a second business, New Route Logistics, a logistics consulting company targeting small to mid-sized distribution companies that could not afford to invest in developing their own in-house logistics and routing departments. My first business card was one I designed myself, then I hired a graphic designer to help me create a more professional looking logo and business card.

New Route Logistics Business Cards

When I decided to concentrate 100% of my self-employed energies on a single business The Dreaming Cafe won and New Route Logistics was closed. This is when The Dreaming Cafe morphed from a sole proprietorship to a limited liability company, Dreaming Cafe Ventures, LLC.

Dreaming Cafe Ventures, LLC Business Card

I started all of these business while working full-time and leading a busy life. Each time I started with an idea I loved, found the time to begin and combined both with consistent, small action steps.

I am repeating these steps today as I prepare to start a second business alongside The Dreaming Cafe (while also working part-time and caring for my Mom).

How about you? I know you have ideas you love. How about time? Do you have the time to start? You just might have more time than you think you do. Each time I began a new venture I was surprised by how much time I could find in my day. Want to know how I found that time?

Join me in next week’s teleclass, “Finding the Time to Do at You Love” on Tuesday, November 3, 2011.

In this 60-minute teleclass I will be sharing all the things I’ve discovered that have helped me find the time to do what I love – write, teach, start my own business, art journal, read and spend more time with my family.

And, what’s really cool about this opportunity is that YOU get to decide how much you want to pay. The registration has been set up as a donation. You pay how much you can afford or how much you want to donate to the Pajama Program. ($5, $10, $25 or more, you decide.)

I hope you will join me. To find out more and to register click on the button below.

Heather Plett is the founder of Sophia Leadership, a website, a blog, a movement that “is about ALL of us (women and men) learning to trust our feminine wisdom more and letting it change us and change the world.”

Heather’s courage, leadership, and compassion inspire me every time I read one of her blog posts, Tweets or Facebook updates.

In her post 100 Years :: 100 People :: 100 Changes she challenged us by asking “100 people (women AND men) to come up with 100 ideas (in honour of 100 years of International Women’s Day) that reflect their thoughts around the following question:”

Five Ways You Can Make a Difference

1. Smile - No matter how you feel, or what is going on, smile. Smile when someone holds the door open for you; greet your children with a smile when they come home from school; smile when the dog pees on the floor; smile when you are standing in the checkout lane at the grocery store; smile while you are brushing your teeth; smile whenever you realize you’re not. You will be amazed at the power of a simple smile.
2. Listen – When someone speaks to you decide to really listen. Don’t think about a story you want to share that relates to what they are talking about, don’t think about what you want to talk about, and don’t drift off. Really listen, repeat back what they’ve said in the form of a question to make sure you heard them correctly, or ask a question that invites them to tell you more. Do this with your children, your spouse, a co-worker, a friend and a stranger and discover how listening makes another person feel important and special, and how it makes you feel.
3. Touch - As social beings we all crave the touch of another human being. All living creatures do. Children who are not held or touched during the first few months of their lives often fail to thrive and may die or grow up severely emotionally and psychologically handicapped. Don’t invade a person’s personal space or touch someone with any form of aggression. A touch should be quick, soft, and barely noticeable, like a gentle breeze. Don’t force it. It should be natural. Try gently touching your child’s head while beading over to see what he/she is drawing for you; reach out to hold your spouses hand while watching a movie together; touch a friends shoulder or arm while speaking; hug your Mom, your Dad, your brother, your sister. The lasting effect of a gentle hug, or touch, can feel like magic.
4. Share – Tell someone, your spouse, child, parent, sibling, friend or co-worker how much having them in your life means to you. Share with them the goodness you see in them; share how much they bring to the world just by being themselves; think of five positive things you can say about the person and share your list with them. Share by telling them verbally or in writing. The mere act of thinking of the other person in a positive way will create a shift inside your own heart and when you share how you feel with the other person, lovingly, honestly and authentically, you may be amazed at the positive shift in your relationship as a whole.
5. Be Kind – We have heard about the power of ‘random acts of kindness’, but how many of us actually practice kindness on a daily basis? Hold the door for someone; let the car racing up next to you merge in front of you; pick up your neighbors trash cans; stop to help if you see someone in distress; do something without the thought of being paid back; make a fresh pot of coffee for your coworkers. Let go of petty grievances. Accept that we are all human, we all make mistakes, we all act without thinking sometimes and that we all have ‘troubles’. Be kind and accepting of one another. Don’t judge. They are so many ways we can be kind towards one another even if it is just smiling, listening, sharing, and touching. Be kind toward yourself first, then allow your kindness to overflow to all those around you.

These are not earth shattering, splashy, ‘let’s save the world’ ways to make a difference. But, if we all adopted just one of these strategies and made it a part of our daily lives imagine what an impact it would have in our homes, our workplaces, our communities and the world.

You can make a difference. The difference starts with you. It starts inside of you. It starts small, like a raindrop, but builds and flows outward like a tidal wave.

You can also download the FREE e-book with the same name (as an PDF) by clicking this link: 100 ways to make $100 (or more)

1. Sell something you’d normally buy by becoming an independent sales representative. Examples: Avon, Mark Kay, Mia Bella, Tastefully Simple, etc.

2. Rent booth space at your local flea market or farmers market and sell your ‘clutter’.

3. “I’d sell two or three pieces of jewelry that I make.” ~ Kate, Facebook

4. Rent booth space at your local flea market or farmers market to sell your handmade crafts, gift baskets, candles, jewelry, etc.

5. Pick up Poop – Clean up after your neighbor’s pooch. 10 customers at $10 a week, or 5 customers at $20 a week.

6. Love fish? Not the kind you eat, but the kind you have for pets. Sell your services as a fish tank installer and/or offer weekly maintenance of the tanks.

7. Chop and sell firewood.

8. Run errands for others. Grocery shopping, going to the post office, taking the car in for maintenance, doctors’ appointments, waiting for the cable guy, etc.

9. Know more than one language? Offer language tutoring and classes.

10. Share your expertise in Math, Reading, English, Literature, etc. by offering tutoring.

11. Love painting, cooking, making jewelry, Facebook, bookkeeping? Teach a class. Reach out and share what you enjoy and love by teaching others. Share your passions.

12. Submit a course proposal to your local community college and teach a continuing education class, or adult education course.

13. Organize market and teach a teleclass or workshop.

14. Always grow too many vegetables? Set up a garden/farmers stand and sell the extra fruits and vegetable from your garden.

15. Love to garden? Offer to plant, weed, and care for gardens for others who may want fresh vegetables, but may not have the time or inclination to garden.

16. Like working outdoors? Mow lawns. Rake leaves. Shovel snow.

17. Childcare – part-time, full-time, night-time, day-time, weekends. Everyone needs a little help now and again with the kids.

18. Yard sales and garage sales are a great way to clear your clutter and make a little extra money, too.

19. Pet-sitting. If you love animals, taking care of someone’s family pet(s) while they are away or on vacation may be just the thing to make a little extra cash.

20. Do you enjoy painting BIG? Are you good at it? How about holiday window painting for small businesses or mural painting.

21. Have your own art show and open house. Show and sell your paintings, crafts, sculptures, pottery, jewelry, etc. (You can also partner with other local artists.)

22. “I would sell old gold jewelry I do not wear anymore to jewelry stores that buy it.” ~ Michelle, Facebook

23. Set-up your own Etsy store to sell your art online.

24. Lead a fitness group, walking club, running club, yoga club, etc. Act as a trainer and accountability partner.

25. Holiday and house decorating. If you have a flair for decorating and love making your home beautiful you may be able to sell your services and help others to do the same.

26. Pet portraits. Combine your love of photography and animals into a specialty niche and offer pet portraits. You can travel to people’s homes or partner with a local pet shop.

27. Santa for rent. Think you can pull off playing St. Nick? Offer your services as a Santa for rent for photographs, parties, etc.

28. Dance instruction. Teach dance to children or adults.

29. Adult sports coach. Start a beginner, adult league for basketball, softball, soccer, etc. and teach adults who may have never had a chance to play as a kid, but want to now. (Most adult leagues are for people who already know how to play and may have been high school or college athletes and don’t accept beginners very easily or at all.)

30. Halloween costumes. Make and sell your own hand sewn Halloween costumes.

31. Senior companion. If you have the time and enjoy being around elderly people you may be able to rent yourself out as a senior companion. This doesn’t involve any nursing or skilled care, just a companion to talk with, run errands, share meals, etc.

32. Handyman/woman. Lots of people just need a helping hand around the house, especially older people who may not have children or grandchildren living close by. Weekly handyman duties could include fixing a leaky faucet, changing light bulbs or heater filters, unclogging drains, assembling a bookcase, fixing a door hinge, moving furniture, etc.

33. Housecleaning / office cleaning. You can offer general cleaning and dusting or even specialize in windows, carpet cleaning, floor refinishing, etc.

34. Summer camp for kids. Weekly or monthly programs that entertain and educate children during their summer break can be a very lucrative, short-term business.

35. Tour guide. Do you know fascinating details about your home town? Fun and interesting facts? You can act as a local tour guide for tourists or maybe even for school trips for children.

36. Set up a specialty online shop and sell something you love. Candles. Pet supplies. Imported leather-crafts from local artisans in foreign countries. Your product line is limited only by your imagination.

37. Event organizer. Love people? Love parties? Love organizing? Love to bring people together to celebrate? Event organizing could by your ticket to a few extra bucks (or a new career or business).

38. Have a guest room? Rent it out.

39. How about renting out your whole house for a day? A friend or someone you know wants to host a dinner party but their place is too small; someone is looking to host a weekly coaching group or teach a workshop but they have small children at home; a local small business wants to shoot a commercial and your house is just want they are looking for as a back drop.

40. “I would turn to my friend “Craig’s List” and sell something that I don’t need anymore.” ~ Tina, Facebook

41. Fashion consultant and makeover coach. Love clothes and fashion? Love people? Love helping people find their own style? Offer to help people update their wardrobe; find their own style; upgrade their dress style for a new job or promotion; help people shop and find the right clothes for their job or personal style…and charge for your service. It might be fun for you, but it’s worth being paid for, too.

42. Sell candy, snacks, fruit, etc. to your co-workers and offer some alternatives to the standard vending machine fare.

43. Lunch delivery service. Ever leave the office to pick up lunch and have six people ask you to pick up something for them? Why not charge them? If they went out to eat they’d tip the server or if they ordered out they’d have to pay a delivery charge. Charge $1-$2 per person plus the cost of their lunch. (You’ll either make some money, or have your lunch hour to yourself once again.)

44. Write, publish and sell your own e-book. Share your expertise and passion.

45. Scrap metal recycling. You can get money for your scrap metal (bikes, pipes, metal cabinets, etc.) by recycling and taking it to a local scrap yard.

46. Assembly worker. Well not really, but you can offer your services to assemble furniture such as bookcases, entertainment centers, bureaus, beds, desks, etc.

47. Organizing and decluttering. If you’ve been through your own organizing and decluttering process you may realize how much you enjoy it and how much you’ve learned in the process. You can offer your services to help others to do the same.

48. “I’d clean out my craft room of the stuff I don’t use anymore (stamps, paper, mat cutters, various stuff) and sell it on Craig’s List.” ~ Jami, Facebook

49. Gift baskets. Create and sell specialty gift baskets for birthdays, showers, holidays, new home/apartment, graduations, anniversaries, etc.

50. Be an extra in a movie or a commercial.

51. Music lessons. Teach someone else to play the instrument(s) you love.

52. Love to sew? You can do alterations, make children’s clothes, costumes, teach sewing, make doll clothes, etc.

53. Sell your photographs through a service like SmugMug.

54. Team photographer. There are numerous independent adult and children’s sport leagues and many people are willing to purchase not only still shots, but action photos of from the games, especially individual action shots.

55. Trade and sell baseball cards, or other sport trading cards.

56. Create your own T-shirt designs and sell them in person at flea/farmer market booths, online (your own website, CafePress.com, etc.).

57. Disney travel expert (or other travel destination expert). Do you love Disney World? Do you hold a season pass even though you live seven states away? Do you know all the ins and outs, and tricks to a great Disney vacation, places to stay, places to eat, etc.? Help people plan their Disney vacations. Share your tips in articles (you can sell) or write your own yearly guidebook (and sell it).

58. Are you good with electronics? How about fixing or refurbishing small electronics like DVD players, GPS devices, laptops, netbooks, toasters, clocks, etc.

59. If you have a website and a following you can recommend products and services you support and believe in and earn affiliate sales income.

60. Resume writing. Help others find just the right words to describe what they do for a living and write a resume geared toward a particular job or industry.

61. Mystery shopper. Many small and large retail business need feedback on their operation and customer service. If you enjoy shopping and have an eye for detail this may be a good way to earn a little extra cash.

62. Professional shopper and gift purchasing. People are super busy today. If you enjoy shopping and love people, you can offer your services to shop for and get that special gift for someone. Include specialty gift wrapping as part of your service and delivery if needed.

63. eBay – selling both new and used products through the highly popular online auction site eBay can earn you $100 or more depending on how much time you invest into learning the ins and outs.

64. “Sell no-longer-needed items in my home. I read somewhere that the average family has over $1500 worth of sellable, unused items in their home. I think it’s more.” ~ Becky, Facebook

65. Like to build things? How about custom made mailboxes? People love to personalize just about everything and I’ve seen more and more unique mailboxes on the roads lately. You may even be able to offer this service to local, new home contractors, as well as, individual home owners.

66. Tax returns. Do you have a background or training in tax preparation? January-April is great time to make some extra money helping people with their tax returns.

67. Are you able to quickly teach kids skills and/or get them to behave? Consider sharing your expertise and teach a parenting class.

68. Rent-a-geek. Love everything about computers, home entertainment systems, etc.? Consider selling your services to set up home networks, computers, surround sound systems, troubleshooting and computer diagnostics and repair.

69. Convert photographs to paintings, drawings, etc. Some people have exceptional skills as artists and are able to recreate a photograph as a work of art. One of a kind framed art, holiday cards, etc.

70. Party favors. Weddings, baby showers, graduations, every party needs special gifts for the guests. If you like using your creativity to come up with unique and fun ways to surprise and delight people this might be something you’d enjoy.

71. “I’d call up a few coaching clients to check in and see if they need any support.” ~ Jess, Facebook

72. Do you spend hours detailing your car, making it shine? Maybe you can offer a mobile car detailing service and travel to your customer instead of having them come to you. You can specialize in interiors or exteriors, stain removal or offer a comprehensive service.

73. Composting. Teach people how to make their own compost. Sell compost by the bag for small gardeners.

74. Love to cook? How about catering? You can specialize in family meals, romantic celebrations, tailgating, etc.

75. “I’d bake some cakes. [and sell them to family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc.]” ~ Marie, Facebook

76. Holiday baking (and selling). Cookies, pies, cakes, sweetbreads, etc.

77. Hire yourself out as a cook. Prepare the menu based on the client’s preferences, shop for ingredients, prepare the meals, refrigerate or freeze them and provide details for cooking and/or reheating.

78. “I’d do a 2-for-1 Office Spa Day special.” ~ Jen, Facebook

79. Porches, steps and railings. Many new and older homes need the porches redone, expand or may need railings. This is an area of contracting work you can specialize in. Wood, concrete, brick porches along with wood, fabricated or steel railings can be your specialty. One or two weekends a month and you can pick up $100 or more.

80. Gutter cleaner. Rain gutters need to be cleaned out every year and it is a job neither young and old like to do, want to do, remember to do or even can do.

81. Seasonal rental home cleaning service. There are areas of the country that have seasonal rental home at the beach, in the mountains, etc. These homes need cleaning between daily or weekly renters and need to be checked on during the off season.

82. Entertainer. Hire yourself out as a magician, clown, face painter, balloon artist, acrobat, etc., for children’s parties.

83. Traveling zoo. Do you have a collection of interesting, unusual pets? Or, are you fascinated by unusual pets? Snakes, pigs, turtles, iguanas, ducks, lizards, etc. You can visit schools, invite people to your farm and sell tickets, entertain at children’s parties.

84. Traveling science lab. Kids love science. If you do, too, think about creating a traveling science lab with simple, safe experiments that both educate and entertain children.

85. Graphic design/logo design. Many small businesses, including single-person, work-from-home business owners need help creating a memorable and distinctive business logo. If you have a flair for design and some graphic arts background and love helping people bring their ideas to life this might be a good fit for you.

86. Buy and sell used cars. Sometimes a little elbow grease can turn an ugly duckling into a pretty good looking duck and you can easily resell a used car and make a small profit for your efforts.

87. Host a party. Create a themed party, have great food, make it fun, tell everyone you know and sell tickets.

88. Sand Castle design, ice sculpture – if you have a unique hobby you may be able to sell your services and skills to both individuals and businesses for special events.

89. Cake decorating. Design, bake, decorate and sell cakes for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, baby showers, etc.

90. Wine tasting. Are you a passionate about wine? Why not teach a class about wines and combine it with a wine tasting event?

91. “Sell your hard cover fiction and non-fiction books on Amazon. [and softcover or paperback books.]” ~ Linda, Facebook

92. Organize a bus trip. You can organize and sell tickets for a bus trip to a casino, a theme park, show, concert, sporting event, etc.

93. Do you like to hunt? Arrange ahead of time to sell whatever you kill. Deer, bear, turkey, geese, etc.

94. Cemetery plot and headstone maintenance and care. Spring and fall cleanup and care. You can find details for headstone cleaning methods online. This service can also include special occasion flowers, grave blankets, etc.

95. Sell Christmas trees. You can buy them or grow your own.

96. Sell pumpkins for Halloween. Again you can buy them or grow your own. You can also decorate the pumpkins and sell them for a higher price.

97. Do you know a lot about astrology or numerology? Considering doing people’s charts for a fee.

98. Teddy bears. Create and sell themed teddy bear gifts for special occasions. If you love to sew you can design and make your own clothes. You can customize orders based on the customer’s needs and desires. This can be a local business or a global business. You can create a line of teddy bears to promote a business or an event. You can even consider other stuffed animals.

99. Web design and maintenance. Every business should have an online presence even it is just an online business card telling people who they are, what they do, how to find contact them and how to find out more. You can offer your design and programming skills to create and/or maintain simple one-page websites to full-fledged e-commerce websites, all depending on your skill set. You can also specialize in specific niche markets – indie pet stores, restaurants, beauty shops, service businesses like contractors, massage therapists, coaches, etc.

100. Virtual assistant. You can do data entry, make travel arrangements, type reports, prepare presentations, etc. Just about anything you may have done in the past as a clerical worker, office manager, personal assistant or executive secretary can now be done virtually using online services, email and phone. You can have one or more clients and offer one or more services depending on the client’s needs. You can offer monthly services or one-time project assistance.

101. (BONUS) Are you an English teacher? Love grammar and punctuation? Provide editing services to writers, bloggers, and others and help them with their e-books and promotional materials.

102. (BONUS) Convert documents to PDF for people who do not have the software/technology or ability to do it on their own

Has this list sparked any ideas of your own?

Everyone has something to offer.

Think about the things you do every day and may take for granted.

• What are you good at?
• What do you enjoy doing?
• What do you naturally help others do?
• How do you help others now?
• Can you help more people and charge for your time and effort?
• What do you love to make?
• What kinds of handmade gifts to you make and give away?
• Can you begin selling what you make?

As you go through your day and interact with others begin thinking about how you could make a little extra money doing what you already do.

However and whichever idea(s) you choose, you need to get the word out. Tell your family and friends and ask them to tell their family and friends. Use Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and other social networking sites to let people know what you can do for them. Carry a business card and/or brochure with you at all times. And, remember to be enthusiastic and always have fun!

Small Step Challenge: Pick one of the $100 ideas above or one of your own and put it into action over the next 30-days.

Post and share your experiences with other members of the Dreaming Café community on Facebook at: http://facebook.com/thedreamingcafe

If you blog about it, email me the link so I can share it. Sandy@TheDreamingCafe.com

Note: Some of the ideas listed above may require specials licenses or certifications. Check with your local township or state for any rules or regulations that you may need to comply with.

On Thursdays I take my Mom to the doctors for her chemo treatment. We can be there for anywhere from two to six hours. She usually sleeps and I normally read. I also bring my notebook and a pair of ear plugs.

My notebook is for capturing ideas, journaling on the go and organizing my to-do list.

The ear plugs are for helping dull the noise in the treatment room where there are nurses, patients and family members. I don’t handle loud noises or lots of conflicting sounds very well and there are usually numerous machines beeping, various conversations going on at the same time and sometimes the television is on, too.

Although I always have my notebook with me, I don’t usually accomplish a whole lot. I might capture a few ideas, sketch out a new blog post or newsletter article and organize my to-do list, but I’m not really working.

Over the past three months the demands on my time have increased. I have less time now than I did when I worked sixty plus hours a week. I’m not complaining. The way I am spending my time and the demands on my time are for things I both need to do and want to do. But, at the same time I find myself with less time to write and that just won’t do.

So the past two weeks I tried something different. On Thursdays when I went to the doctors with my Mom I brought along my laptop (and my ear plugs) instead of several books or my Kindle. I was extremely surprised by the amount of work I got done and how easily I lost track of the time.

I’ve always worked best alone – alone in my office at work, alone in my home office, alone at night curled up on the coach. I never even considered that I could work and actually accomplish something in a public place. I never once considered the possibility that I could be a ‘mobile’ worker, someone who could work in public. I’ve read all the stories about people writing and working in coffee shops, libraries, etc., but I just never thought I could be one of those folks.

I thought wrong!

I’m going mobile. I’m going to start carrying my laptop with me more often and I’m looking into buying either an iPhone or an Android smartphone to help me when I can’t use my laptop. And, believe it or not, I might just get an iPad, too! It’s time to explore, experiment and play with the whole idea of ‘going mobile’.

If you are an experienced mobile writer or worker, what tips could you give me to help make the experience both fun and productive?

I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed that past few weeks with the new year launching, new projects and just day-to-day responsibilities and obligations. When I looked at the calendar and saw that January was over I realized I needed to start taking my own advice.

That means I needed to slow down, break things down and start taking small steps, again.

This process keeps me organized, focused and allows me to accomplish quite a bit in a short amount of time. A side benefit is that the more I slow down and take small steps, the more I accomplish, the better I feel, the more energy and enthusiasm I have and the more I get down. It’s like turning into a perpetual motion machine. Sometimes. You’ll see what I mean towards the end.

Here’s how it works…

First, Mind Map Phase One and the brain dump.

I use BIG paper and lots of colored sharpies to make it fun. I get everything in my head out onto the paper. Every idea, project, task I can think of. This includes all personal stuff and business related stuff. It all comes out here.

Next, Mind Maps Phase Two, breaking things down. Personal. Business. Projects.

Here is where I start making more focused mind maps. Not every thing from that brain dump gets its’ own mind map, but the ideas and projects I feel are a priority over the next 3-6 months will.

Then the To-Do Lists. Using the Mind Maps as a guide I can pick and choose what small steps need to be done first, second or last.

Looking over the individual mind maps I start creating a to-do list. The key is that the to-do list never exceeds one page. That means there is a lot of scratching out, reorganizing and prioritizing along the way.

Each day, or every other day I make a new to-do list. Everything not accomplished on the first list goes to the top of the new list and then using the mind maps the process repeats itself until I have a one-page to-do list.

The final step is converting the small steps from your mind maps and to-do lists into ACTION.

This step is pretty self explanatory. At this point you just have to start moving and crossing things off the list. This is FUN. You can actually see how much you are doing.

One additional thing I’ll share with you about my to-do lists is that I like to use a single notepad or notebook. I start a new to-do list by turning the page. By saving my old lists, I can see how much I’ve accomplished in a few days, a few weeks and after a few months.

By managing your to-do lists in a single place it ends up becoming a nice reminder of how much you’ve accomplished, especially when you have days when you hit a lot of road bumps.

And, I promise you, you will hit a few road bumps along the way.

For example, a post like this would normally have some pictures or a video to illustrate the points I am making, but two things got in the way.

First, I lost or misplaced my digital camera. I have no idea where it is at this point and didn’t even realize it was missing until I went to take pictures for this post.

Second, after spending two lengthy sessions online with tech support it has been concluded that my Flip camcorder is defective and it’s out of warranty. I can record videos, but there is no way to upload them to my laptop because the camcorder isn’t recognized when it’s plugged into the USB port.

Deep breath. Release. Again.

These aren’t show stoppers, just a few road bumps that slowed me down today. I still accomplished a lot, just not as much as I had hoped.

There’s always tomorrow, and with a pocketful of mind maps, to-do lists and my walking shoes, small steps will get me moving again tomorrow.

I hope these tips help keep you moving forward, too.

It’s amazing how far a kind word can go, how much it means to someone to just say thank you and to acknowledge that they have touched your life in some way.

It’s a wonderful feeling when I find a card or a letter in the mail from a friend, sent out of the blue, just because.

I also  know how much it means to me when someone replies to the Dreaming Cafe’s newsletter and takes the time to comment, say thank you or even share a bit of their journey. Just one email makes it all worthwhile.

There are so many ways to tell people you appreciate them or to say thank you, especially today with modern technology. You can reach out, say something nice or say thank you to family, friends and strangers and all it takes is a few minutes of your time.

• Send a Facebook message or post a kind word on their wall.
• Use the Facebook Share button and thank them for posting.
• Tweet a thank you
• ReTweet a post.
• Send an email to someone and tell them how much you appreciate them.
• Send an old fashion letter or card with a personal note.
• Post a comment on a blog post you really enjoyed and tell the author how much it meant to you (even if you don’t know the author and this is the first time you’ve read anything they’ve written).
• Send a text message to someone you haven’t talked to in a while just to say hi and that you were thinking of them.
• Smile at strangers when shopping, make eye contact and say hello.
• Tell someone you care about how much you love them in both word and deed. (Don’t think they just know, say the words.)

Saying something nice or saying thank you is such an easy thing to do, I think we often overlook how much it means.

What are your thoughts?

This is Part Two of Ian Sanders’ inspiring interview with Dave Stewart.

This one is about how to put ideas into action and the value of collaboration. In Dave Stewart’s word, “I’d rather have 10% of something that took off than 100% of something that was still on the table”

The biggest takeaway…you don’t have to do everything yourself!

Watch and enjoy:

Related articles:
Part One: How to run an ideas factory

Staying organized in my personal life and in my work-at-home, self-employed life is vitally important in helping me manage my time, meet deadlines, achieve my goals and in getting things done.

Some of these things I have done for years, some are relatively new additions to my time management/organization tool box.

To-do Lists –


To-do lista are a great tool for staying focused and in control.

I make a new to-do list almost every day. It includes tasks I need to get done today, things I’d like to get done and projects I want to work on and don’t want to forget about.

As the items are completed I highlight them as done. (I don’t cross them out because I like reading over what I have accomplished for the day or week.)

When I start a new to-do list I carry over the items not completed the day before, add new ones and prioritize.

I prioritize my to-do list based on deadlines and importance.

You can read more about to-do lists here:

The Power of the ‘to-do’ List

The Power of the ‘to-do’ List Part 2

Engagement Calendar or Planner –


Invest in an engagement calendar or planner. You may need to try different ones until you find one that you will enjoy looking at and one that is easy to use for you.

I use a Frank Lloyd Wright weekly engagement calendar to record all of my appointments, my Mom’s appointments, meetings, conference calls, birthdays and family outings.

With this type of calendar I can only see one or two weeks at a time which helps me not to feel overwhelmed when I have a lot going on. Plus, looking at the beautiful designs of Frank Lloyd Wright is calming in itself.

After trying a number of different desktop calendars and day planners I have found this particular design suits me best. It fits perfectly on my desk, but is also small enough to carry with me when needed. This is the third year in a row I have used this engagement calendar and its’ design and format fit my needs perfectly.

Six-Month Calendar –


Longer term calendars help you plan for the future. You can buy a large multi-month calendar or make one like I did.

I have a tendency to focus on the project right in front of me and plan only a few days or weeks at a time. This is not the best way to run a business. Learning to incorporate both short-term and long-term goals and to plan for income projects several months (and years) into the future will help me succeed in business both in the short-term and in the long-term.

Idea Notebooks –


Since you never know when a new idea will strike and it would be a shame to let that idea get away.

I carry a small notebook with me or several index cards wherever I go, I have a pen and paper in the glove compartment of my car and I have notebooks and pens in just about every room in the house. When I’m reading I always have note cards in the book to record quotes and a notebook handy to catch ideas as they come up. Sometimes I spend more time writing than reading.

Every idea may not be great, but you’ll never know if you let them go without recording them.

Note: Idea notebooks aren’t just for words. Recently (since I have been art journaling, painting and creating collages and vision boards) I find myself drawing pictures and sketches to capture my ideas in a new way. I even carry colored pencils with me sometimes.

Project Folders –


If you have lots of ideas and things going on at one time, manila folders are an easy way to keep things organized.

I use manila folders as idea keepers for new and current projects. Some of them contain just a page or two of notes, scraps of paper with ideas on them, magazine articles, pictures or emails I’ve printed out.

These folders are kept on my desk, out in the open where I can see them and access them with ease. Most of the ideas contained in these folders are projects in development.

Project Binders –


Binders or larger folders are a great way to keep projects organized.

I use half-inch or one-inch binders or plastic project folders for active, in-progress projects. Everything I need for this project is in one place and I can just pick it up and start working on it, or if I need to leave the house, I can just grab it and know that everything I need will be at my fingertips.

Plus, once a project is complete, it is easy to store and access, if needed, at a future day and time.

File Box(s) –


If you have limited space, but still need to keep certain records or files handy and small, portable file box may be just what you need.

When you work for yourself there is a not of record keeping. After filing my taxes this year and searching for weeks for everything I needed I realized I need to be better organized.

I use a small, portable file box that sits right next to my desk making it easy to access and file things right away. I have file folders for individual income sources, expense folders, and a number of different business document related folders.

What tools do you use to stay organized in your personal life and business life?