Sometimes a side project is exactly what you need to feel creative again.
Because, let’s face it, inside of our everyday roles (both professionally and personally), things get stale.
I read an interesting article on firstround.com recently, where Spotify’s Tobias van Schneider was quoted as saying, “Side projects are great because you don’t need to know anything. You get to be a beginner because no one is watching you and there are no expectations. If you don’t have an idea, don’t stress about it, just go do something else. It’s this attitude that it doesn’t matter that allows us to be inspired and to work on only the things we truly want to work on.”
He’s spot-on (pardon the pun), because there’s nothing more liberating than finding time to work on something that you’re into, but doesn’t REALLY matter.
To this day, my interest in and borderline obsession with certain types of music and performers has always been enhanced by the unique, arresting, and irresistible works of art that graced the covers of their LPs. I wanted to find a way to feed this passion, and challenge myself to do it with some constraints (so that I’d actually do it).
Since my personal time is generally limited to what I can get done on my mobile device (I have three kids under the age of 5 who boss all other in-house tech already), I figured that was best tool for doing something interesting and creative – and for myself first.
My other outlet – the most scalable thing most mere mortals can get their hands on – was of course social media. Thus, my mobile-social challenge was born. I created a simple persona called Album Art Daily on Instagram and Twitter – each day (at least once, but generally more) – I jog my musical memory and curate a piece of album art that impresses me and share it with anyone interested in checking it out. All on my iPhone. Some insight about the band or the artist. A few simple hash tags. A few themes here and there. That’s all.
This little side project has already energized me to embrace simplicity in my role as a Consultant at Trellist Marketing and Technology. And it’s inspired me to think of the next small, insignificant and totally enjoyable thing I’d like to tackle.
What side projects are you working on?
Neil Dougherty 
Facebook Feel-good Factor
5 JunNowadays, Facebook is taking quite a hit in the media. After an IPO generally viewed as a failure and big business abandoning ship on Facebook’s advertising platforms, you’d be led to believe that the social media giant is destined for the grave. I say that’s total bollocks. And here’s why: because Facebook makes people feel good. And feeling good is rarely in surplus. It’s a commodity that Zucks and his crew will find a way to monetize.
So forget the skepticism and the voyeuristic nature of the Facebook engine. Focus instead on the feel-good things it can do for you. In my case, I don’t get out much because the 3 kids under 2.5 thing is quite a challenge. Recently, we tried to go to the zoo and it lasted 25 minutes. It’s that crazy. On Facebook, I can share the 1 picture I got of my 2.5 year old son at said zoo with my Grandmother. Generations removed, she’s on Facebook. And she loves pictures. Feel-good stuff for sure.
I’ve got plenty of college friends that I don’t see much, if ever. We try to plan meet ups, it doesn’t work, and that’s life. Yet Facebook gives me a glimpse of their lives I can’t get anywhere else. I’m happy when they’re happy, bummed when they’re bummed, and I’ll take a picture of their kids at a park or enjoying an ice cream over a tasteless internet meme any day.
Facebook may be this or may not be that, but I dare say that more of its users associate it with positive interactions than they do with negative interactions. And when you feel good, who knows, you may even go so far as to click on an ad. Or not.
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Tags: Facebook