Author Archives: Samantha Pollock

About Samantha Pollock

I'm Samantha Pollock and I create, empower and inspire.

Brain Dumps: You Should Add Them to Your Routine

My Introduction to Brain Dumps

My introduction to brain dumps was actually in the form of “morning pages”. I began doing my morning pages as part of my practices when reading The Artist’s Way. Later, I heard Tim Ferris mention using brain dumps as a way to have a more productive day on his podcast. I hadn’t been prioritizing my morning pages anymore. I had become fidgety with anxiety. Anything more than five minutes of still meditation (guided or otherwise) felt nearly impossible, but the idea of sitting for ten or fifteen minutes and writing seemed less daunting. I gave it a try. I sat for a few minutes with my Self Care Everyday journal and wrote. They weren’t complete sentences, it wasn’t a story or poem, it wasn’t even cohesive thoughts. It was freeing because there was no right or wrong, no expectation, just release.

Who Should Do Brain Dumps

Short list: everyone. Longer list:

  • Anyone who is creating a better life in any way
  • Anyone who is making decisions
  • Anyone who knows what it is like to have to hold many thoughts in their mind at the same time
  • Anyone who feels anxious, overwhelmed, or like their mind is overflowing with information
  • Someone who is working to determine their emotional triggers and needs to keep record of the people, places, and things that impact their feelings
  • Parents
  • Children
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Therapists
  • People in therapy
  • Employees
  • Creatives
  • You
  • Me

How Do You Brain Dump?

First, let me make something clear: You don’t have to be a writer, artist, or creative person to do brain dumps. Second, there is no “wrong way”. Now, clear at least five minutes from your busy schedule. I prefer doing brain dumps in the morning and before bed, but you can take this practice throughout the day. Just grab your preferred medium (pencil, pen, paint, marker). I prefer to use my Release and Reset Clarity Journal: Use Brain Dumps to Declutter the Mind journal because at the end of each seven days, there are lined pages for me to evaluate my recurring thoughts and reset by making proactive decisions for the coming week. No paper? Use a sticky note, paper cup, napkin-whatever you can find. 

Take three deep breaths (because, science). Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Go! 

Write.

Scribble.

Doodle.

Do whatever gets the thoughts out of your mind. Your sentences don’t have to be complete. Your words don’t have to be spelled correctly. Your lines don’t have to be straight, perfectly curved or even meet. 

When you’re finished, you can keep it, throw it away, or burn your thoughts (be safe, please). Take another three deep breaths (still science). Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.

Add brain dumps to your routine for a few days. Come back and let me know how it benefits you.

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10 Tools that I use as a Multi-hyphenate

mul·ti-hy·phen·ate nounINFORMAL

  1. a person, especially a celebrity, with several professions or skills.

Like so many others, I am a multi-hyphenate. I have my career with a financial software company where I support other professionals; my business and online store, Quest Creative Company, where I design apparel and products intended to motivate, inspire, and empower; this blog, where I share life lessons and tools in the form of blog posts and poetry; and soon, I’ll be releasing my first book on Amazon. I’m not the most organized, my focus has been on having comfortable workspaces, tools, and programs for creating so that I actually have something to organize. Below I’ve listed my top ten tools that I use to help get everything done.

Workspace Tools

  1. Microsoft Surface

I use a Microsoft Surface for work. I loved the slim, lightweight design. My previous laptop was extremely bulky and slow so when it was time to purchase a new laptop, the Surface seemed like the best option. I wasn’t ready for the Macbook price tag and the Microsoft Surface had great reviews. The great battery life and slim design have made it the perfect tool for working from anywhere.

  1. Monitors

My Microsoft Surface has a great design, battery life, and it’s lightweight so it is perfect for working from anywhere. When I’m working on a project that requires intense focus or multiple applications, I prefer to work in my office with my two additional monitors. The monitors are a must-have when I am locked in on a project because I can transition between apps seamlessly.

  1. Laptop stand

When I’m in my office working at my desk, I put my laptop on a laptop stand so that I can utilize all three monitors. I use a USB connected mouse and keyboard set. When I’m not in my office, the laptop stand allows me to work from a standing position to give me a break from sitting or being stuck in my office. I get a lot of inspiration in my kitchen. I often work standing at the counter, drinking coffee or tea from Chicly Brewed Tea Company (https://chiclybrewed.com/). If you are looking for a portable laptop stand option, a freelance friend of mine swears by this one.

  1. Lap desk

For those late nights when I want to have a relaxed workspace, I use my lap desk. When it comes to writing, I’m old school and prefer writing initial drafts by hand. My lap desk gives me a solid surface to work from.

Productivity Tools

  1. Asana.com

Asana is a work management platform designed to help you organize, track, and manage work. I use the free version for tracking ideas and keeping notes on progress of ongoing projects. For projects that include a team, I’m able to break projects into tasks and assign responsibility using the “Boards”. Having the option to use the desktop or app version of Asana makes it easily accessible and increases my chances of using it to stay organized on projects.

  1. Google Calendar and Drive

Since I have several calendars and Gmail accounts, I’m able to subscribe to all of the calendars and see all items at once across devices. I also use Google Drive for keeping up with documents, spreadsheets and other items within each project/email. Asana has an integration with Google Calendar and Drive that allows me to attach documents to the projects that I have created within Asana. I use this for attaching outlines and concept ideas to different projects that I’m working on or that are in the brainstorming phase. Google Docs is also extremely helpful when I am editing. 

  1. Canva.com

I can’t remember when I learned about Canva but about a year ago, I switched to Canva Pro and it has been a game changer. I use Canva for cover art, logo and book designs, and social media post creation and scheduling. I have also used Canva for my apparel designs. If you are trying to keep your creative business budget friendly, Canva is a great resource.

Tools for Stress Management

  1. Release and Reset Brain Dump Journal

This is the first journal that I published. It is a guided journal designed to give you a space to brain dump. You use the journal twice daily to release the thoughts of the day, but can use it as many times as you see fit, as long as there is space. I use the journal to brain dump as soon as I wake up and right before bed. It gives me a place to release my thoughts and concerns, as well as organize my thoughts. I’ve learned that a lot of my stress and anxiety comes from having too much on my mind. I have a therapist, friends and family, but sometimes, I don’t want to share what’s on my mind. This journal has been the solution that I needed. At the end of the week, I evaluate my main stressors and decide what changes I want to make to have a better week. I’m then able to go forward with organized thoughts and a plan of action.

  1. Keurig

For YEARS I have been saying that I would never get a Keurig because I can just use a coffee maker. Plus, I mostly drink tea. I buckled and purchased a Keurig about two months ago and I am so glad that I did. As I’ve said, I’m not the most organized so there are workdays where I’m running late for work…and I work from home. On those days, I don’t have time to make coffee. I need something quick. My Keurig has been the answer. I pop in a K-cup and press the button and voila, liquid joy is flowing into my cup. Coffee has become a source of joy that I look forward to on especially busy days. When I am feeling like I have too much to do and I’m stressed about getting it done, coffee is the answer. Amazon has been having sales on Keurigs off and on for the last few months so grab yours during their next sale.

  1. Headphones

Have you heard of getting into a “flow state” or “the zone”? Studies have shown that you can program your mind to get into a productive, focused, state of flow by listening to certain music or creating rituals. My ritual is putting on my headphones. I usually listen to music through bluetooth speakers so when I put my earbuds in or headphones on, my brain knows that it is time to work. Currently, I’m using Skullcandy Ink’d earbuds, SESH wireless, and RIFF on ear headphones. I love Skullcandy’s but I’m actually in the market for noise canceling earbuds or headphones. Which headphones or earbuds do you use?

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s the top ten must haves in my workspace, productivity and stress management. What tools do you use in these areas? As I am increasing my skills and the usage of my skills, I know that I will have to become more organized. Other than Asana and Google, I don’t currently have any tools that I use for optimizing organization but I would like to. Do you have any tips, tricks, or tools that you use to stay organized?

Stretch and Rest

When was the last time that you stretched? I’m not talking about yoga or a refreshing, deep yawn after a good night’s sleep. I’m asking about your mind, body, spirit, heart, all of you. When was the last time that you stretched? We can get caught up in regular life – work, school, family – so much so that we forget to reach outside of our norm. Conversations about burnout have made me wonder if some of the burnout that we are experiencing is a result of not doing enough, as opposed to doing too much. Hear me out.

What happens when you get settled into any routine? You get bored. Whether it’s physical or mental, boredom creeps in and manifests in many different ways. In the gym, progress begins to slow or completely plateau. In relationships, the spark dissipates and distractions creep in. At work, the job begins to feel like a trap. As a result of the boredom, you may feel depressed, anxious, and/or unfulfilled by something that once brought you joy. Instead of excitement, all you feel is dread or exhaustion, not just with that routine, relationship, or job, but with life as a whole. I feel that it may be boredom-induced burnout and instead of quitting or giving up, it may be time for a stretch.

Change up the routine! If you stop noticing results in your workout routine, consult a trainer or nutritionist for guidance on what changes need to be made to get back on track. In relationships, try something new for date night. Schedule it so that it doesn’t get forgotten, add in conversation cards if it’s been a while since you spoke about something other than work or kids. Place the focus back on the people involved in the relationship instead of the distractions that may have crept in. At work, decide what you want to achieve in that role. Is it time to expand into a different role? Is there a skill that you would like to add to your resume to make you more marketable? Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself.

On the other end of things, let’s talk about rest. I believe that boredom can lead to burnout but so can lack of rest. When was the last time that you disconnected from everything? When was the last time that you walked instead of your usual run? Had a non-business dinner date instead of a business meeting? Danced slowly through the house while sipping your favorite drink, listening to your favorite sounds? Have you been so focused on challenging yourself that you haven’t taken the time to rest and replenish?

This is the other side of burnout. You’ve pushed so hard for so long that everything in you is begging you to slow down and rest for a bit. Burnout isn’t sudden, it drops hints. Those workouts where you struggle to do your most basic moves or sustain an avoidable injury, could be caused by you overworking yourself. The brain fog during meetings, increase in lack of patience for people closest to you, and restless nights of sleep are all signs that burnout could be approaching and it is time to rest. 

Don’t mistake resting with quitting. Resting welcomes recovery of the mind, body and spirit so that you can proceed on your mission after the rest period has ended. I encourage including times for rest twice daily  – once in the morning before starting the day and once in the evening before bed. Rest doesn’t have to be laying around or doing nothing, rest is an act of replenishment. For you, that may be a morning walk, meditation/prayer, dancing with coffee before waking the kids or going to work. It may mean turning off all screens an hour before bed, being intentional about spending time with those you care for most, or reading. Including small acts into daily routines may help eliminate burnout as it allows you to find a flow in your life rather than fighting against time.

Now, what do you think about the combination of both lack of stretching and lack of resting? Not doing enough challenging activity and then not resting enough to replenish the energy spent. Let me know your experiences with burnout. How do you stretch? How do you rest? Essentially, how are you taking care of yourself in these burnout filled streets?

If Words Were a Hug

I would be lying if I said that this is how I expected my life to be. I’m grateful, but truthfully, most days I’m frustrated with myself. I can be so hard on myself, as if I could see the future when I was making decisions. I’m further along than many, but I’m far behind where I want to be. I’m in an endless cycle of burnout and exhaustion on this “journey” to figure out what actually matters to me. Healing isn’t always pretty. It’s not just hot baths, flights and flowers; some nights, it’s crying in the mirror and saying all the things that you want to hear from someone else, until you feel safe and loved. This is the result of one of those nights.

“
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.”
I’m sitting in front of the mirror. The room is illuminated by the dancing flicker of the flame from my chakra candles.
Green for my heart. Orange for my Sacral.
Nobody exists but me.
Nobody is coming to “save me”.
Tears fall, but I keep talking because I need to hear it to feel it.
“
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
I forgive you.
I forgive you for the times you didn’t listen to your intuition.
I forgive you for putting the pleasure, joy, and well being of others ahead of your own.
I believe in you.
Today. Tomorrow. Every day.
Clear the noise and know that I am proud of you.”

As a smile spreads freely across my face and the salt of my tears touches my taste buds, I am reminded that all is well.

Let this be a reminder to you:
All is well. Though you may not feel it now, you are whole. You are loved. You are valued. Every day.

Contagious: Why Things Catch On

QUICK SUMMARY

There are many reasons that things catch on and go viral. Contagious: Why Things Catch On takes a practical dive into 6 key elements that make things interesting enough to share.

THE 6 ELEMENTS – STEPPS

  • SOCIAL CURRENCY
    • People crave societal approval. They want to be liked, but they also want to feel special and like they know something that others don’t
    • Word of mouth is a form of currency
    • Remarkability, exclusivity, and scarcity boost word of mouth by making people feel like insiders
  • TRIGGERS
    • Environmental reminders that keep you top of mind
    • Examples of triggers: Peanut butter makes you think of jelly; ketchup makes you think of mustard
    • Associating your brand with a specific trigger brings your brand to the top of consumer minds more often
    • Good triggers are those that are seen frequently, happen near where your desired outcome takes place, and are strongly associated with your product (not extremely broad/general)
  • EMOTION
    • “When we care, we share”
    • People share things that are interesting and/or useful
    • You want the emotion to trigger action (examples of emotions that result in action: rage, awe, excitement) so that your brand is shared
  • PUBLIC
    • It needs to be seen for social currency and triggering purposes
    • People do what they see others do because of social proof and herd mentality
    • Behavior is public, but thoughts are private so you need people’s actions to support your brand, idea, or desired outcome, not just their thoughts
  • PRACTICAL VALUE
    • People pass along practical, useful information
    • We measure value in relative terms meaning that we compare things to our reference points and expectations. If we expect a bill to be $400, but it is actually $100, we will be excited because it costs less than we expected; however, if it was $600, we would be upset because it costs more than we expected.
    • When setting prices or creating promotions, consider the consumer’s expectations and use the Rule of 100
  • STORIES
    • Narratives carry information
    • People dispute reviews on a website, but they are less likely to dispute a person’s story
    • Make your brand, product, or idea an integral part of the story to make sure that it doesn’t get left out of the retellings

The STEPPS don’t have to all be used at the same time to make something go viral, but the more that can be included, the better. This book was concise with limited redundancies making it a great resource for anyone interested in making their content reach larger numbers of people. I don’t usually read books more than once, but this book will stay on my bookshelf as a reference tool.

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