Tom Sawyer (Whitewashing the Fence) by Norman Rockwell, 1936

In last week’s Craft Social twitter chat, we got together with guest expert Kim Werker (@kpwerker) to discuss how you can set the stage for productivity as a maker AND/OR craft business owner. We touched on everything from organizing your work area to avoid distractions to organizing a spreadsheet to track expenses.

Below, we’ve compiled a few key responses for each chat question. You can also download the full chat transcript here: November 2012 Transcript: Setting the Stage for Productivity and Creativity

Before we move on to the chat, don’t forget to mark your calendars for the next Craft Social!

December 2012 Craft Social
Topic: Holiday 911: Spreading Out Creative Work & Avoiding the Last Minute Rush

• Date: Tuesday, November 27th, 2012
• Time: 2-3pm EST
• Sponsor: DecoArt will be giving away a set of their Ink Effects product during the chat.

How to join:
Join the conversation using TweetChat, or look for the #CraftSocial hashtag on Twitter.

November 2012 Craft Social highlights:

• How do you define productivity in relation to making/your craft business?how do you prioritize your tasks, set you goals?
• How do you capture ideas/create a to-do list? Online tools? Old fashioned paper and pencil?
• What type of environment lends itself best to your work flow /productivity?
• Does the way you organize your space make a difference in productivity? For example – do you lay out all supplies at once?
• How do you separate your production time from your creative time?
• Productivity is more than producing work. What non-craft tasks do you need to complete in your crafty life/biz?
• What’s your top time management tip?

Download the full chat transcript: November 2012 Transcript: Setting the Stage for Productivity and Creativity

Additional Resources

• http://www.scoutiegirl.com/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique
• Grow Your Handmade Business: How to Envision, Develop, and Sustain a Successful Creative Business by Kari Chapin
• Handmade to Sell: Hello Craft’s Guide to Owning, Running, and Growing Your Crafty Biz
• Craft, Inc. Revised Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Turning Your Creative Hobby into a Successful Business
• Crafty Superstar: Make Crafts on the Side, Earn Extra Cash, and Basically Have It All
• To-do Lists and similar productivity apps:
  • Toodledo: http://www.toodledo.com/
  • The Hit List: http://www.potionfactory.com/thehitlist/
  • Catch: http://www.catch.com
  • Things: http://culturedcode.com/things/
• Project Management Software:
  • Agilezen.com
  • ProjectFork
• K is for Keep it Simple (4 min vid): http://t.co/lGLIcxfX
• Lifehacker: Best Goal Tracking Tool: Pen and Paper
• WordPress editorial calendar. Especially great for collaborative blogs! http://t.co/WHBAwjnP
• Julia Cameron’s Weekly Artist Date: http://juliacameronlive.com/category/artists-date-suggestion/
• CraftSocial January 2012 (Get It Organized)
• How I Stay Productive and Get Massive Amounts of S*** Done
• Followup blog post by guest expert, Kim Werker: Craft Social: Setting the Stage for Productivity, a Follow-up

Learn More

• About Craft Social
• Want to Be a Sponsor?