FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS

Pic from the 2010 show

It's true, I have difficulty staying focused & dedicated to any certain task. Distractions are constantly pulling me away form whatever I'm currently working on. Whether it be in the form of a great new idea popping into my head & the intense desire to start working on it immediately or in the form of pure laziness. lol In the quest to conquer my focus-disability, I came across many great ideas to keep you focused & dedicated to your goals.  All kinds in all forms exist, many very similar to the last, and at first sorting though them was a little overwhelming. So I've taken the liberty of stripping them all down to the basics, grouping similars, & came up with a short to the point list.

Here is the summary/short list of the ideas I found most useful.

1. Fear failure. Make failure a non-option.

2. Get up & move, taking a quick 2-10 minute break every hour. This keeps your focus from waning.

3. Post your focus statement in a noticeable place.

4. Spend 10 minutes doing absolutely nothing each day. Great solutions & ideas come to you during this relaxed time.

5. Use a timer

6. Envision the world you will create; then write down the next 3 steps to get you there & do them!

7. Check in hourly with a motivated friend, & each of you declare your goals for the next hour.

8. Before bed each night, write your next day's goals list

9. Pretend you only have two hours to work per day. What 3-5 things would you do? Do only these 3-5 things all day everyday.

10. If you start to feel distracted, get up & take out the trash, clean out your purse etc.

11. Slay the dragon, eat the frog! Complete your most difficult task first. After that, the rest of the day is a breeze!

12. Reward yourself for staying focused.

13. Keep a photo of your hero/heroine nearby. What's more motivating than seeing Oprah watch you work?!

14. Unplug yourself from all distractions & social networking sights during your working hours. Believe me, it will still be there when you get back.

15. ONE THING AT A TIME

16. Outsource/delegate tasks hat others can do

17. Think of your past life/job and how you don't want to return to it.

18. Break down large tasks into smaller ones

19. Write a not-to-do list

20. Make your working space into an inviting environment

There you go, there's my top 20 tips for staying focused and dedicated.

Hope these help you!!

"The successful man is the average man, focused."
Quote Source Unknown

**TIME MASTER**

Some pics of my pattern process.

See my bag of pattern paper in the corner for the recycle bin?

(Note: the fabric used here is not what the final garment will be made from)

Some sketches & my faithful draping book I got in college & still continue to use.

As my design room doubles as the movie room, you can see some of the dvd collection behind the dress form. See "Psych" at the bottom? One of my most favorite shows ever!!!

For last year's collection, my typical process was taking one garment at a time from pattern to finish, however, this seemed not quite as economical time wise as I wanted. This past year I did some research on getting more accomplished in a day & making the most of your time. Turns out that many people lack the time management skills & daily productivity that they desire. Whew, glad I'm not the only one!! In my search to become a master of productivity, I came across many great articles & tips.

Attempting to implement these time management tips brought a little bit of challenge. Eeeek, are bad habits hard to break & good habits killer to create! :-P Yet, the outcome makes it definitely worth it!

Now after months of all this better time management practice, a slight advance in my own productivity began to emerge.

Thus the decision to take a different approach to the manufacturing of the 2011 collection was made.

This collection I grouped similar activities. i.e.
All pattern work done first
Second all muslins
Currently all sewing
Next all hand sewing & embellishments
Then all accessories
Finally all photo-shoots

This way produces better, faster results, as many steps in each activity become instinct when repeating them over & over again right after each-other. Definitely faster than bouncing around between very different steps in the manufacturing process. It also relieved some of the stress, for things remained more organized.

Remember that this process, even though it works for me, may not work for you. Find your own way & work it in whatever way works best for you!



"I believe cats to be spirits come to earth. A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through."
Quote by Jules Verne
Happy Birthday, Mr. Verne!! Thanks for always keeping me entertained!!