Change of (Work) Scenery

SILO in Makers Quarter

Are you one of those people who power through a day with no breaks or do find yourself hitting a wall at oh, about 2 p.m. like me? 

I wake up at 7 a.m. most mornings to begin my day and crank out a good chunk of work before noon. Why? Because I know that once that early afternoon hour crawls around that my productivity level begins to dip. Why is that? Do I need a snack? A nap? Both? 

Am I not that different from a toddler and can only focus on certain activities for a few hours at a time before becoming hangry or overcome with sleepiness? 

I believe that our bodies are just not made to go on auto-pilot. They can; they just don't like it. I would rather break up my day and work extra hours if it means a big ol' break in the middle. 

There are deadlines to meet and projects to complete and that is not always an acceptable answer. I find whenever I hit this wall, a change of scenery is always necessary. Whether that's a stop for a coffee break, a trip the library or a new work space that does not include my home office, whatever it is, it always seems to help. 

There are many downfalls to being a freelancer. I know you're not supposed to say that because we are supposed to be ripe with optimism for those who want follow suit and be self-employed as well. But, the truth is that when you have freedom to essentially do what you want, you better be doing something. 

Otherwise, you find your asleep with Food Network blaring in the background and dreams of Barefoot Contessa baking you homemade brownies. (This may or may not have happened when I was suffering the sweltering heat inside my apartment and reacting to too much Tylenol Cold & Sinus)

Movement of any kind is key. Due to my endless hours on the computer, there are times when I think my legs might become fused into the seated position. That's why I do yoga, pace around my living room like a dog waiting for its owner, and yes, at times, lie down for a power nap. 

If you want to make your life different than what it is, you have to be prepared to move. This goes for both the physical and emotional sense. The fear of being stagnant keeps me constantly changing. 

The to-do list stays the same but the change of scenery makes all the difference. 

#DateWiththeDans Marketing Winner!

First question I often get asked is, "What do you do?" After I tell them, there is an immediate follow-up:"What do you write about?" 

I go into explanation about my dual writing personality. On one side, I write commentary on nearly every subject imaginable including but not limited to movies, books, travel, food and fashion. On the other side, I write for businesses in both the content and social media marketing realms.

And then whenever I get a chance, I write creatively for what will one day, hopefully in the near future, be a book.

But back to marketing. I kind of fell into SEO/SEM/social media life when I first moved to San Diego and it's amazing how much I've learned and how much I enjoy it!

Recently, the San Diego Hubspot User Group or HUG for short hosted a contest to win a #DateWiththeDans. I was one of the three winners! 

Side note: I'm not competitive, but I do like to win. 

The Dans are Dan Tyre and Dan Zarrella of Hubspot who had excellent insight and funny stories to share about their time in the sales and marketing world. I mean, Dan Tyre is an OG. Seriously, he is -- he was the 6th employee at Hubspot. Dan Zarrella gets to have the word 'scientist' in this title, so that's pretty dang cool. In short, it was a prize well worth it.

Breakfast #DateWiththeDans. Me = bad hair

My "date" consisted of a breakfast meeting, a signed copy of Dan Zarrella's newest book, and just an overall good time. They then spoke later at a co-hosted SD Hug and SEM San Diego meetup group which drew in quite the crowd at Karl Strauss Brewery. There was free pizza and a free beer - hey, hey now!

A few things I ran by the Dans is the question of sales versus marketing and why it's such a battle between teams rather than a nice coming together of those involved. Fortunately, they validated what I had thought regarding the value of marketers. Dan Tyre said that marketers take potential clients through the sales funnel nearly three-quarters of the way! 

Numbers don't lie. Sales can't even dispute that.

Have you been to this Karl Strauss location before?

Even better, they both agreed that a SEO person is not actually necessary in today's marketing world. Who IS important? WRITERS! 

Let me pause for a dance.

I half-jokingly asked Dan Tyre if he'd let me record a video of him on my phone and add that as a testimonial on my website. He said he would oblige. I have not cashed in. Yet.

San Diego has a tuned-in community of marketers who are eager to learn more and be ahead of what's to come in the age of online marketing. This Monday is Social Media Day where there will be a day long conference all about, you guessed it, social media marketing.

SEM San Diego has had powerhouses David Mihm and Wil Reynolds as recent speakers. And there are several other groups throughout the city that all have different benefits, so take a look around and see who you want to network with and how you can benefit.

Who knows maybe you, too, will win a breakfast date that involves the biggest pig in a blanket breakfast you've ever seen. 

Pig in a blanket at Great Maple

Randomness + a Recipe

Most of my blog posts are focused with a theme so to speak. Whether it's the latest book I didn't like or the best thing about the vacation I was just on, I have some kind of central topic I am discussing.

This post is not like that.

It is random (or more random than the others) because writing is calming, soothing, therapeutic. It's my favorite thing to do before bed, when I first get up and all the time in between. 

There are times when I have these genius thoughts and I think, "I should write that down!" and then when I go to write it down it is not nearly as smart as it had seemed in my mind.

Last month was a gem compared to April. Susan Miller, astrologer extraordinaire, says it was due to the eclipse, and I think she was right! April was kind of a pisser. 

Why, you wonder? Let me just say for this first year as a full-time freelancer, it is like standing on the edge of a cliff. Maybe not a long ways down cliff, but at least if I fell, my leg would break or at least I'd sprain my ankle. On one side, there is solid ground and on the other side is something unknown. 

If I reach the other side, will I fly for a second? Fall with a thud? Or, somehow come away unscathed and feeling invincible. I'm sure you can guess which I'm aiming for here in my freelance/cliff dwelling metaphor.

Fortunately, May brought some relief and the chance to meet my new baby niece, still not yet two months old, and she brought such joy that I could hardly think of anything else. My family makes me feel like home no matter where we are. Spending time with them is one of my favorite things in life.

Now we're on to June, so quickly like I was pushed through April and May to avoid the chance of too much damage. I made it through the other side and here I am in a new month with a fresh outlook and reaching out for countless opportunities. 

And just like that, being invincible doesn't seem like quite a pipe dream.

Before I leave you from this random, rambling blog post, I shall leave you with a recipe. I do this because I always seem to make the same things: spaghetti, tacos, baked chicken, repeat and I guess you might, too. We could all use new recipes now and then.

Today, I made baked salmon with pesto served with roasted Brussels sprouts and corn on the cob. Simple and delicious, not to mention inexpensive due to all items being on sale.

If you want to follow this recipe, you have to follow it precisely or it will turn out like crap. Just kidding, if you don't follow the recipe exactly, it will taste much better.

Simple Summer Lunch for When You Only Have Six Bucks

This beautiful meal is on the oldest plate I have.
I made it from a paper plate in 1987 in school.
No, I'm not making it up. It says my name.

- one package of salmon (two pieces per package) on sale at Fresh and Easy

= one container of pesto

- one package of Brussels sprouts

- one package of corn on the cob

Line a baking sheet with tinfoil. I do this so that it is easier to wash it. I do not have a dishwasher and any little thing helps. Place salmon and cut up Brussels sprouts on the foil and drizzle with olive oil (the good kind, for the love!) and salt and pepper. Butter, salt and pepper your corn on the cob, wrap in separate foil, but put on the baking sheet as well. Cook everything at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Take it out and look at it. If it looks like it could use a few more minutes, stick it back in. 

If you want to something extra delicious, mix your butter with cotija cheese and chili powder first and then lather up your corn cobs. Use the pesto as a side to the salmon or put it right on top when baking like I do.

It's cheap. It's delicious. And you don't feel like crap when you eat a few extra spoonfuls of Ben & Jerry's - Salted Caramel Core or Karamel Sutra Core, if you know what's good for you. 

Do You Have a Website? Why Yes, Yes I Do - www.courtneyhartmann.com

I thought it'd be helpful to have a website to at least have a central online presence for the times when someone asks, "Do you have a website?" 

For a long time, I just had the domain, but no site. Then, I changed the website to what I thought was a simple, chic, gray and white format. I am a writer, not a designer. I wasn't going to overwhelm with a lot of banner design and CSS business that frankly, I know nothing about.

I wanted a website that sums up who I am, what I do and how you can contact me. I don't like to be segmented into one box, as you might remember, so I didn't want a cold price list of my services and how much they cost. Each project is different.

HOWEVER, despite my modern and simplistic original web design, I had more than one person claim my website to be "too blah." Two people said this, in fact, in not so many words. After scoffing at this criticism, I did have to ask myself, do I want my creativity to be represented all in gray? I am not sophisticate extraordinaire. I am not gray and white silk pantsuit chic.

I am an adventurous explorer and I wanted to be reflected online as such. May I present the brand new: www.courtneyhartmann.com!

As a perfectionist, the website will always be a work in progress but the basics are there and most importantly, I love it. So, I'm going to have this moment.

I think it's important to realize that you can have both sides of the writing coin. Yes, you can have a perfectly professional work ethic that meets the goals your clients have in mind. 

You can also embrace your creative side that ignites everything you do whether it is writing copy for a business, networking at an event, or just jotting down some notes on a sticky pad to be referenced later and potentially turned into something great. 

No one can tell you what kind of writer you're going to be. For me, I just want to be a memorable one. A great one. The best.

I want my writing to help people achieve their goals and I want it to lead me to new stories, exotic travels, a fantastically wild life. 

Your 90-Day Trial Period Is O-V-E-R

Here's hoping...

I've officially made it through my 90-day trial period of being self-employed and I currently am still able to pay my rent. Success!

That, of course, does not come with a few bumps along the way. Being self-employed kind of feels like outpacing everyone by a few steps. One day a steady client could no longer need your services for a reason that has nothing to do with you (as just happened to me!) which causes panic to quickly take over your body and unsteady breathing to occur. Then, the next day a new client can hire you (as just happened to me, as well!) and balance is restored. You have to be ready to take the hits by always, quite simply, working your ass off.

The next thing I'm about to say is so horribly cliche, but I have to say it: 

Everything. Happens. For. A. Reason.

If you can't take a loss and look at the bigger picture of what that might mean in terms of new possibilities, then you might as well wave the white flag right now. Don't be fooled by my Instagram photos of coffee shop work days and sunshine breaks by the bay. 

It's a GRIND. 

In the past 90 days I have made more valuable work connections than I have in the past year or even the year before that. I have worked longer hours with a new set of challenges every day.

I have recently started contributing to Stilettos on the Glass Ceiling which is all about positivity, empowerment, and carries a palpable sense of forward movement. Their launch event will be in San Diego on June 5th and you can read my contributions every other week by clicking here.

I feel like I need a star chart so that for every setback there is, I can look at my star chart and remember what good has happened, too. There's simply no time for this kind of (slightly self-absorbed) reflection. During the rough times, it's more like a feeling of survival. Do what needs to be done to earn another day.

Susan Miller is the astrologer for Elle Magazine and I believe her horoscopes. I mean as much as you believe horoscopes. She has a website - www.astrologyzone.com - which I check religiously every month to see what she has forecast for me. For April, she said that "if self-employed, you will be able to find new clients." 

You wouldn't lie to me, would you, Susan Miller?!

My 90-day trial period is over and I am full fledged committed to this. This writing life...

I coulda gave up then but then again I couldn't have 'cause I've traveled all this way for something. - On Top of the World, Imagine Dragons