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studio bee!

As in: quilting, not spelling.

Meet me in the Studio under the skylight for a communal work party – and finally get some things finished.

why

Because following through on an intention is sometimes easier said than done.

We want to fulfill our commitments to ourselves and our responsibilities to others (even the not-so-sexy stuff). And yet…

There are distractions and interruptions. Our shifting energy. Our confusion and resistance. Our perfectionism. That quirky “unpredictable” thing the future always seems to be doing.

Add a lack of preparation and improvisation skills to that and, well, you have a lot of busyness without completion. And that’s rather dissatisfying, not to mention stressful.

Enter the Studio Bee – during which you’ll not only learn how to properly prepare to complete a chosen task, but how to roll with whatever comes up in the process and still get the thing done.

You’ll learn how to…

work with rather than against yourself
Most of us only address one or two elements in crafting the conditions in which we work, which is why so much often goes unfinished. With all six elements in place – Clarity, Time, Environment, Connection, Energy and Love – you have everything you need to work with rather than against yourself. Completion is a much more effective and efficient, not to mention pleasant, process.

Also, because you’re not DIY-ing this thing, some elements of those conditions are provided by the structure of the Bee – which means you can put less energy into container-making and more energy into actual doing.

balance the exhale with an inhale
If you’re the sort of person who tends to power through things, then collapse in a heap when you run out of steam (whether you’re done or not) – participating in a Bee will help you better understand how to pace yourself. Before, during and after the Bee you will be practicing ways to balance out-going energy with in-going energy, so you can be productive without feeling totally drained by it.

anticipate and navigate distraction
A Bee is an energized and distraction-free space that supports working on your project. It’s also space that lovingly refocuses your attention on that project should it wander – whether those distractions are external interruptions or internal moments of confusion. It’s a space that includes supports that help you to stay calm, regain perspective, feel confident and cared for, recharge your batteries, laugh – whatever you need to get back into your groove.

Whatever challenges arise during the day – and the longer we work, the more likely it is something will come up – we’ll address it right there and then so you can get on with things and know how to deal with it next time.

stick your landing
Graceful exits are as important as graceful entrances. We’ll put as much attention into how we get out of the day as how we got into it. You’ll learn how to create a bread-crumb trail to make it easy to return to anything incomplete, as well as glean the “keepers” from the day’s actions and experiments so they can be put to use in future. [ systems! ]

Of course, we’ll also practice finding satisfaction in what was done (even if there remains more to do). And we’ll close the day by celebrating with much fanfare and virtual champagne punch.

who

You! And five other talented, delightful and motivated busy bees. And of course I’ll be there too to keep things humming along.

(Each Studio Bee is limited to 6 people, so everyone has the opportunity to fully participate and get feedback.)

Coming together as a group is the secret sauce that makes a Bee so magically productive.

I think it’s because stepping out of isolation and into a communal space quiets the chatter of your Worried Hurried Mind Hamster – and it’s much easier to get things done without all that spinning and scampering interrupting you every five minutes.

The energy of the group is greater than the sum of its parts – something that always takes new participants by pleasant surprise. It makes more of a difference than you’d think. You’ll learn a lot, but this is really the best reason to join a Bee.

where

This is a virtual bee, so you can participate from any location where you have access to a telephone connection. (In fact, choosing your environment is one of the techniques you’ll have a chance to experiment with and practice.)

when

Special Easier Email Inbox Clearing Bee!
Wednesday, June 26: details and registration

9am – 2pm Pacific / 12pm – 5pm Eastern

[ see detailed schedule below ]

The Bee includes three 90-minute cycles of check-ins and work sessions, followed by a closing session at the end of the day.

That’s enough time to immerse yourself in a substantial chunk of work, yet not so long you’ll end the day an exhausted dish rag.

It’s also long enough for some interesting things to show up. Somewhere around our second or third work period, when the shine has worn off your project or to-do list and you’re starting to flag a bit, your patterns of distraction and interruption will appear. You’ll have some decisions to make – and the Bee will help you make them without giving into your usual MO.

If nothing else, having made a date with your project, you’ll stick to it. And completion is largely about showing up.

how

When you register for a Bee, you’ll receive the call details, as well as a workbook that will help you prepare for the day so you can get the most from our time together.

The workbook will cover everything from choosing your project(s) to selecting an optimal environment for the work, and taking care of your energy – physical, mental and emotional – throughout the Bee. It will also include information about how to carry forward what you learned from the Bee and apply it any time a task needs focus and completion (in other words, you will have gained an essential set of everyday skills).

On the day of the Bee, everyone will call into the conference line to say hello and share intentions for the day. I’ll answer questions and offer any help needed before diving into our chosen projects. [ c'mon in, the water's fine! ]

At the end of each work period, we’ll come back together to share and celebrate our progress, and answer any new questions that have come up before returning to our projects. (If you’re really stalled, you can stay on the line after the check-in and we’ll figure out your next steps, just the two of us.)

Of course, if everyone is rockin’ and rollin’ we’ll keep our check-in brief so you don’t lose your flow. Or so you can take something more of a break. Because it’s a long day. (Taking time out to eat or close your eyes or walk around the block is both perfectly fine and expected.)

At the close of the Bee, we’ll come together a final time to review the day and celebrate all that was completed before I send everyone off for some much-needed and well-deserved R&R.

schedule

[ the following times are Pacific - find out when they are in your time zone ]

9-9:30am – Welcome!
9:30-10:30am – Work Period 1
10:30-11am – Breather Check-In
11am-noon – Work Period 2
noon-12:30pm – Crossroads Check-in
12:30-1:30pm – Work Period 3
1:30-2pm – Review & Celebration

• • • • •

You can bring any sort of project to the Bee. If it’s on your to-do list, it’s probably suitable.

  • the hardest thing: whatever brings up resistance when you try to do it on your own
  • the most urgent thing: give yourself the relief of finishing what can’t be put off any longer
  • the oldest thing: get out of the past and into the present
  • the most annoying thing: even if it’s not high-priority, you’ll feel better
  • the kitchen drawer thing: since it doesn’t fit anywhere else, make a Bee the time and place

Work on your Do-Over. Catch up on some maintenance. Or do the ordinary things. Move through your normal, everyday activities and see how doing them within a more intentional support structure changes them for the better.

You could bring one big thing or a collection of smaller things to a Bee. Your work can be creative or administrative, professional or domestic. Again the workbook will help you choose what will be the most beneficial use of your time and energy.

And while you may not come away from a Bee having done exactly what you planned, I guarantee you will have finished something – and that you’ll feel great about it and yourself.

What would completion of what needs finishing in your life change for you? What would it make possible?

Making that possibility a reality is worth investing in a day at the Studio.

Please join me under the skylight by clicking one or more of the busy bees below.

Again, each Studio Bee is limited to 6 people – so if participating in a work party rocks your socks, I suggest you reserve your spot sooner rather than later.

tuition: $87

Special Easier Email Inbox Clearing Bee!
Wednesday, June 26: details and registration

- additional 2013 dates coming soon!

Clicking a busy bee will take you to my shopping cart. If you would like to participate in more than one Bee, click the “continue shopping” button to return to this page to add another session. When you’re ready, click the green “check-out” button and enter your contact info on the following page, then click the green “submit order” button. That will take you to PayPal – but you don’t need a PayPal account to make your purchase. Look for the “Don’t have a PayPal account?” link in the lower right of that page if you prefer to pay with your debit or credit card. Once you complete your payment, click the link provided to return to Third Hand Works.

In addition to your receipts, you will receive an email confirmation from me with details about how to prepare for your Bee. (This should arrive shortly after your purchase – and might end up hiding itself in your junk/spam folder, so check there if that message doesn’t seem to have arrived in a timely fashion.)

Refunds & Cancellations: Tuition is not refundable, so please take a few moments to confirm you have the capacity – financially and within your calendar – to make this commitment before registering. If something comes up which will prevent you from attending as planned, you may attend a Bee on an alternate date or put your tuition toward an another course.

This is both a fish and a fishing lesson.

[ if I may be allowed to mix my metaphors ] Yes, you will get something done. It will make an immediate and positive difference. But a Bee is about more than that. It’s about learning how to consistently and reliably create the best possible conditions for you and your work so you can finish things over and over again with relative ease. Please join us.

Questions? Please ask: hello [at] thirdhandworks [dot] com