I got a question recently about how I use my Behance action book and my first response (in my head) was "how don't I use my Behance action book?"
Since last fall I have used it for alllllll my business thoughts that are not complicated enough to warrant a spreadsheet (like income and expenses or my to-do list for the Blog Design Love 2.0 eCourse).
I thought sharing a few pages would make for a fun post and then I got carried away and took photos of the whole book. This is literally a spread-for-spread breakdown with photos of most of the pages. Feel free to skip this post unless you're like me and find how other people keep track of their work load fascinating.
1 : quilt eCourse brainstorm
2 : master list of photos to take for the quilt eCourse & ideas for quilt eCourse #2 (not yet finalized or realized)
3 : list of projects to create for the blog before 2013 ended & thermometer style chart of my financial goal for 2013 (drawn in September) and a break down of where that money will actually come from
4 : sketch of new office layout & office reorganization measurements/cost breakdown
5 : MAKE29 project ideas (wrote this much later on the backside of another paper) & 2014 financial goal with ideas for where the money will actually come from
6 : stamp inventory & fall Queen Bee Market to-do list
7 : stamp inventory after the QBM & backyard plans and measurements
8 : grid I created to track a media campaign I worked on & list of various projects to complete before the end of 2013
9 : initial brainstorming for MAKE29 (called edition29 originally) (two pages)
10 : "edition29" list of things to do before 2013 ended & 2014 photo calendar ideas and to do list
11 : talking points for an in-person workshop I taught (written upside down) & ideas for a temporary freelance gig
12 : sketch with measurements for the tree skirt I never completed & list of items on my 2nd shop my closet instagram sale
13 : list of photos I needed to take for my Play! workshop handout & conference call notes about the Play! workshop
14 : conference call notes about the Your Story Retreat & my voiceover speech for the MAKE29 trailer (written in Sharpie over another page)
15 : November and December blog editorial calendar & brainstorm of personal goals for 2014
16 : notes for an ebook concept that isn't finished yet & conference call notes about the ebook
17 : intital planning for my Use Your Stash eCourse plus notes about the December Duos class (two pages)
18 : MAKE29 project notes & notes from a conference call about the Studio Calico creative team
19 : grid to keep track of freelance gig progress & talking points for my Play! presentation
20 : MAKE29 project notes & notes from a conference call about joining a media network
21 : stamp order tracking (you might be like "ELISE, YOU TRACKED STAMPS BY HAND?" and I'd be like, "I know, it's embarassing.") & new website notes
22 : more stamp order tracking & MAKE29 video trailer breakdown of shots to capture
23 : more stamp order tracking & to do list for the Use Your Stash eCourse
24 : to do list for the website upgrades & QBM spring prep
25 : pricing and inventory projections for QBM & more changes to make to my website
26 : listings for my first FOUND instagram sale (two pages)
27 : A BLANK PAGE! & notes from the podcast webinar I attended
28 : ideas for podcast episodes & Blog Design Love 2.0 brainstorming
29 : another page of ideas for podcast episodes & a legit breakdown of what I needed to do for the use your stash class (I generally mess around with to-do lists to feel like I am on the right track and then when the deadline approaches and I get super serious and fancy)
30 : listings for my second FOUND instagram sale (two pages)
31 : MAKE29 project notes & a calendar breakdown of podcast episodes from April - July that once had many more post-it notes until Ellerie "helped" me get organized
32 : random free-form journaling from the Your Story Retreat (written upside down) & official QBM pricing plan with calculated possible income breakdown
33 : notes for a video I recorded for a BPC class & MAKE29 project notes
34 : (brief) notes from a conference call about a possible brand partnership & a blank page
Looking back through this book as a very interesting excercise for me. When I look at the pages, this is what I see : Brainstorm. Calculate. Communicate. Mock-up. Plan. Re-calculate. Break-down. Follow-through. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
This is how I run my business. This is how I execute. This is how I make money doing what I love. I am obsessed with the nitty-gritty. I love to put my head down and work. I like to make stuff but I equally like to plan how I'm going to sell that stuff. I have found that success comes when you can balance the two.
I am about 2/3 through the book and just keep turning the pages. I always have a few different projects in the works (and therefore a few different revenue streams) and it's been awesome to keep track of everything in one place. I'm a huge fan of this book and will for sure have a second one ready and waiting when I fill in that final page.
please note : I am not affiliated with Behance or the Ghostly Store in anyway and yes, I totally think you could keep amazing notes in a normal spiral bound notebook. I just love that this one has the orange column to break down porjects and a grid section to fill up however I need. I'm always working to improve on my brainstorm and organization skills and so far this book is helping me do that.
Since writing this post, I created Get To Work Book! It's a day planner + goal setting workbook that is designed to help you take your big goals turn them into something real. Learn more and shop the brand here.
Other posts you might enjoy:
- on motivation
- how I tackle huge projects.
- time spent consuming vs. creating.
- how I keep my daily tasks organized.
- why I set goals
- the difference between goals and to-do list items.
- tips for success with long-term projects
- more thoughts on "balance."
- creative books I always return to.
