Albert Einstein once famously said, ‘Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought.’ Throughout history, great minds have shared their thoughts on creativity. Yet, despite their wisdom, it’s a challenge to hit your creative chord and surprise yourself. If, like me, you’re currently struggling with a creative block, Tanner Christensen’s course, ‘Productivity for Creatives: Turning Ideas into Action,’ could be the missing puzzle piece. Read on to learn more about this course.
Table of Contents
What is Tanner Christensen's course about?
Tanner Christensen’s 1 hour, 15 minutes course on Skillshare offers you access to 9 digestible lessons, guiding you through the process of transforming an idea and making something from it. Discover the art of defining your motivation, nurturing useful habits, and charting a clear roadmap to success.
This class is designed for anyone aspiring to bring their ideas to life! The principles you will learn in this course are universally applicable to anyone, especially if you have a career with a creative background.
You will not only learn how to ignite your drive but also master the art of sustaining it, a challenge that often proves more complex than it seems.
Who is Tanner Christensen?
Tanner Christensen is a professional creative strategist, product designer, published author, developer, and entrepreneur based out of the San Francisco Bay Area, California. He is currently working as a Head of Design at Gem, a company focused on developing modern recruiting software. Notably, Tanner is the author of The Creativity Challenge, a book in which he reflects on creativity and innovation. Additionally, he has contributed to the development of some of the most highly regarded creativity apps.
Tanner is the founder of the (now defunct) blog Creative Something and has also contributed to Inc Magazine and held a significant role as a Product Designer at Lyft, where he contributed to designing software for self-driving cars. Prior to these roles, his design skills were put to use at companies like Atlassian and Facebook.
Who is the target audience for this course?
Whether you’re an aspiring artist yearning to bring your creative visions to life, a budding novelist eager to finally write that novel or an ambitious entrepreneur with dreams of launching your own venture, this class is designed with you in mind.
Within this course, you will uncover the essence of your drive and discover what ignites your passion. It’s about transforming that motivation into tangible action, ensuring you not only dream but also achieve. Be prepared to craft a tailored roadmap, one that paves the way to bring your ideas to fruition.
What lessons does Tanner Christensen teach in Productivity for Creatives?
Coming up with ideas is easy; the challenge lies in producing something from those ideas. If you are eager to get started but lack direction, Productivity for Creatives provides a head start on your journey toward achieving your goals. Without further ado, let’s explore the key takeaways from each lesson in the course.
As the first lesson only introduces the course, let’s jump to lesson 2 right away.
Lesson 2 introduces us to Tanner Christensen, his ideas, and projects, which he successfully executed while maintaining a day job. A great inspiration was his accomplishment of becoming a self-published author despite all the odds!
Tanner shares his secret to productivity – the art of infusing play into your daily grind. Whether it’s indulging in a whimsical dance or letting your imagination roam through doodles, the magic lies in doing something that keeps your creative juices flowing.
That’s not all. Stepping away from work, even for a brief respite, is where the alchemy truly happens. It’s during these moments of respite that our minds connect the dots and find the inspiration needed to recharge and complete tasks.
Lesson 3 ventures into finding your drive and how it differs from your actual goals. It is perfectly normal for the brain to be flooded with ideas. but the first step to bringing an idea to reality is to offload it onto a blank canvas (this can be a piece of paper or your phone), allowing you to sift through your thoughts, structure your ideas, and choose the most promising one to pursue. Eventually, it is your drive that becomes the compass and guides you to settle with that one idea that really means something and pursue it religiously.
Understanding the ‘what’ and ‘why’ behind your idea is the key to establishing a profound connection with your drive. Your drive acts as the driving force that empowers you to make resolute decisions and remain committed to the chosen path.
Lesson 4 talks about a significant contributor to productivity, ‘cultivating good habits.’ Our habits not only anchor us to our daily routines but also set things on autopilot, making productivity an unconscious part of our daily lives.
Lesson 5 explains that if a tool does not boost productivity or proves too difficult to use, it can actually hinder the development and maintenance of productive habits. The ideal tool is one that lets you get the job done effortlessly.
Lesson 6 focuses on your work environment, including its physical setting and the people you collaborate with on a daily basis to get the job done. Every aspect of your surroundings has a significant impact on your productivity. Therefore, the environment you choose can directly influence your ability to bring an idea to life.
Lesson 7 serves as a gentle reminder that there will be moments when the workload feels overwhelming. During such times, it is important to take things one day at a time. Set realistic goals, maintain consistency, and trust that it will come to something. Instead of striving for perfection, focus on making it work, and you shall get through it.
Lesson 8 is all about the essence of productivity – the act of creating tangible outcomes. In this journey of productivity, you will face several distractions, but your habits, work environment, and tools help you stay grounded and on track.
Did you know that it only takes 3 seconds to get distracted? To be truly productive, you must continually take action. Even when you can only accomplish a small fraction of your task, it signifies that you are steadily progressing toward your goals. A key aspect of this lesson is the need to proactively eliminate distractions from your life, and always picking up where you left off by setting regular reminders.
Moreover, Lesson 8 emphasizes that sometimes; taking a step back and giving yourself a break from a project can rejuvenate your motivation, and enable you to return with renewed enthusiasm.
Some of my favorite parts from the course
If you are considering enrolling in this course, I highly recommend taking notes. This course offers a fresh perspective on productivity and provides valuable insights into overcoming procrastination by understanding the workings of the human brain. With that said, here are some parts of the course that I found particularly enjoyable.
The science behind creativity
Creativity is a term often spoken of, yet most people do not know the true essence of it. As part of writing on creativity, Tanner has delved deep into the intricate neuroscience that underpins creativity. Some of the topics he brings up include intriguing connections between intelligence, depression, and creativity, as well as the effects of substances like caffeine or alcohol on hindering creative thinking. Therefore, if you chug on these beverages too often, you might want to cut down.
The Importance your cultivating good habits
Building a new habit can be challenging, but Tanner presents with a winning formula. When getting started with a habit, the step involves identifying whether the habit in question is beneficial or not. Once you have identified that, the next step is to stick to that habit.
Tanner took his commitment to a whole new level by creating a dedicated tool to assist in habit-building. However, you do not necessarily have to go to such lengths. Often, a simple reminder can serve as your steadfast ally in sticking to a habit.
Some effective strategies to help you cultivate and maintain good habits, explained by Tanner include:
- Set reminders at different times of the day to stay on track with your desired habit.
- Seek external accountability. Ask your friends, family, or coworkers to hold you accountable. Simple insights like where you typically invest your most time can help a great deal.
- Motivate your progress by establishing a rewarding system for achieving milestones related to your habit. This positive reinforcement can further fuel your commitment.
You don’t need fancy tools
Yes, tools matter, but they are not always necessary. While tools can be helpful, simplicity can often suffice. Don’t be swayed by the latest trends; older, simpler tools can be just as effective. When it comes to choosing tools, consider two categories: those that aid in idea generation and those that facilitate task completion.
Your environment is just as important
Creating an environment conducive to productivity is crucial throughout the creative process. During the ideation stage, choose stimulating surroundings that spark creativity and innovation. However, when it’s time to buckle down and focus on actual work, choose a quiet and cozy space.
Key elements of a productive environment include having essential tools readily available and access to necessary resources. Additionally, it’s essential to have a retreat option nearby where you can recharge and reset when needed.
Ultimately, the goal is to create an ideal environment tailored to your needs.
A remedy when you feel overwhelmed
This tip helped me beat my procrastination. When you find yourself overwhelmed while working on a project, it can be challenging to regain momentum. However, with a few simple strategies, it’s possible to overcome the feelings of procrastination and get back on track.
- Take Action: The first step is to take action, no matter how small. Break down the project into manageable tasks and start tackling them one by one. Momentum builds as you progress.
- Don’t Seek Perfection: It’s essential to remember that perfection is not the goal. Instead of fixating on perfection, focus on getting started and making progress. Embrace imperfection and iterate as you go.
- Inject Playfulness: Infusing your passion project with a sense of playfulness can make it more enjoyable and engaging. Find ways to make the work feel less like a chore and more like a fun and creative endeavor.
What I didn’t like about the course
While the course provides valuable insights, it would have been beneficial to vary the environment for each lesson, emphasizing practical tips over theory. Simply watching someone speak can become monotonous. Witnessing Tanner apply the advice in real-life scenarios would have added an engaging dimension to the course.
How much does the course cost?
Courses on Skillshare can not be bought individually – they can only be accessed by signing up for a Skillshare membership. The good news? Skillshare offers e-student.org learners a full month free trial if you use our link (if not using our link, there is normally only a 7-day free trial). As virtually all Skillshare courses will take you less than a month to complete, you can in effect take this or any other Skillshare course for free – or any number of courses that you can finish in a month.
Once your free trial is over, the cost of Skillshare is $165 per year, which averages out to $13.75 per month. This gives you full access to all 34,000+ Skillshare courses. But if you're not happy to continue, you can easily cancel any time before your free trial ends – just go to your payment settings in your account.
If you have no need for a free trial, you can instead get %30 discount on your first year by using this special link instead. With this link, your first year will be just $115.50, averaging out to $9.63 per month. Note that this offer is only valid for new accounts, so it can't be combined with the 30-day free trial.
Review conclusion: Is Tanner Christensen’s Productivity for Creatives worth it?
The answer is yes. This course offers a refreshing perspective on productivity, empowering you to cultivate positive habits and uncover any self-sabotaging patterns that may have hindered your progress in the past.
Armed with newfound insights and some effective productivity techniques, you will be inspired to take on projects with renewed determination.
Tanner Christensen’s course on Skillshare also teaches that without laying a solid foundation, even the best tricks and hacks may fall short. Taking this course is a decision you will not regret.
Here is to newfound productivity!
