TalkBiz News: The Blog

The World is your Playground!

This is an article that appeared in the newsletter back in 2003. After all the economic chaos lately, and thinking about some of the emails I’ve been getting from folks, it seemed like a good idea to re-run it here…

Stress. Overload. Technophobia. Computer anxiety. Burn-out.

Any of those words ring a bell? Maybe a little too loudly?

While I was at Joel Christopher’s seminar recently, I had the good fortune to meet a lot of the folks who were there. Talk about nice people, speakers and paid attendees both. Three of them even sent me postcards afterward. (They were listening, Alex!)

I have to make some time this week to drop them all a line, or make some phone calls. But that’s another story…

….

One question that has come up every time I’m around a group like this seems to always come in two parts:

1. How do I learn this stuff, it’s so technical, and…

2. I barely have time to keep up with what I already have on my plate.

For help with the “Dreadful Dailies,” (those routine chores that so easily distract us and consume our days) see any decent book on time management. As for the rest, I have AN answer. I’m sure there are others that would work just as well, but I’ll bet they’re not as much fun as mine.

I was asked this a few times in San Antonio. Same answer as always:

Build a playground!

Yes. I’m serious.

….

Create a virtual sandbox. Set up a site that’s fun, for whatever definition of “fun” you personally subscribe to.

How will that help, you ask?

Read on, MacDuff.

One of the attendees, a very pleasant woman named Patti, mentioned that she was having problems with some of this stuff. I asked some questions, and suggested that she build herself a new sandbox.

She was a little surprised at the suggestion, but when I explained what I meant she warmed up to the idea fast. (I’ll let her tell you about it when she’s ready. Don’t want to spoil the surprise.)

The rules for your personal sandbox are simple:

Rule #1: Have fun.
Rule #2: No cats.
Rule #3: There is no rule #3.

….

The process is only a little more complex. You figure out what you want your site to be about, and get a domain name that relates somehow, if only distantly. (If there’s a bad pun involved, so much the better.)

Get an account at one of the “Five and Dimes,” ($5-$10 a month web hosting services), and put your domain up. I recommend Dreamhost. They give you everything you need and a bunch more, for cheap.

Decide on a theme. This is your approach to the whole thing. Are you the curmudgeonly type? The class clown? The serious older sibling?

Flip it. Turn it around. Exaggerate it. Whatever role you think would be the most fun to play. Then write up the stuff you’re going to put on the front page of the site. Note: I didn’t say “your copy.” That’s already too serious. Keep it light.

Set up a form so people can sign up to get your comments on the subject. They might be recipes, satirical rants, suggestions for turning stress-busting into a hobby… whatever it is that you want to say.

And don’t sweat it too much. If you change your mind later, you can go play on the swings.

If you want to keep it simple, start a free list for this through Yahoo or Google Groups. Tell ‘em the address for subscribing, and get on to the fun part.

Come up with one - just one - outrageously fun thing to DO that relates to your sandbox. Then do it. Live it up. Make it larger than life.

Now, write up a little story about it on your new site. Tell the story with all the funny details. Include pointers, and maybe mention what you’re going to do next time to make it even more fun and more outrageous.

Or, if your sandbox doesn’t fit with changing activities, talk about the subject with a humorous eye. Take darts, for example. (But not in the eye. That’s not humorous. Usually. “It’s all fun and games until…”)

I’ll bet you can have a lot of fun telling stories about the local archery shop that also sells darts. (”Yeah, but can you take it into a bar?”)

Don’t ask. ;)

….

Play with the wording. Ask for stories from your visitors. Put them in your however-often-you-feel-like-it “newsletter.” Watch people spread the word.

As you do this, and work on your “real” web business at the same time, you’ll start to see how you can use some of those things you’re learning about business in your sandbox, to make it more fun. And maybe to make back the $5 or $10 you spend on the thing each month.

If you do, that’s great. You’re making a profit. If you don’t, so what. The great thing about a sandbox is that the worst case scenario is that you…

…spend $10 a month and have fun.

How stressful is THAT? Huh?

….

That’s the key, after all. Above all things, keep it fun. If it stops being fun, you’re doing something wrong. Whatever it is you’re doing, don’t DO that!

Remember: No cats in the sandbox.

Do you think that, after having all this fun with your sandbox, your computer will stay a thing of dread? Do you think you just might learn something?

If you’re having fun, do you think other people might catch on and want to tag along for the ride?

Do you think that might be a Good Thing?

It’s a really rejuvenating experience. I highly recommend it. *Especially* if you’re sitting there scowling at the idea. If that’s you, you need this more than anyone!

Try it. You’ll like it.

You’ll find that you get a new perspective on Life, the Internet, and Everything.

….

If you’re considering starting an online business as an extra stream of income, but don’t have the time to go into it full-bore, or ar afraid of the learning curve, this is an even better approach for you.

Give it a try. I think you’ll find it’s quite a lot of fun.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

Paul

7 Comments

1. Stephen Spry, November 2, 2008:

   Hey Paul

   Great item - and in 2008 it’s even so much easier to do when you set up a WordPress blog!

   The “playground” can be a great place for anyone to overcome the nerves and/or inexperience they may have regarding their (in)ability to write for the web.

   Cheers
   Stephen

2. Stephen Spry, November 2, 2008:

   LOL! I finally got the bit about “No cats in the sandbox.” :)

3. strive4impact, November 2, 2008:

   That’s funny. I was just thinking about Douglas Adams yesterday. Funny that reference at the end there.

   This is GREAT advice! AND, I’m really glad to see you’ve set up a blog!

   :)

   Warmest,
   Jonathan
   http://www.CarrieAndJonathan.com
   http://www.GreenJoyment.com

4. Bill Diehl, November 2, 2008:

   After struggling with all of the internet marketing “how to”s for so long, I had finally realized that everything that I learned to do with a computer was through playing with stuff. So, “playing” with internet marketing techniques is my next step. Great wisdom remains valuable, Paul. Thanks.

5. PeterPalatnik, November 2, 2008:

   I like the idea on having my own sandbox…it kind of remind us when we were little kids and used to play with Legos…do you remember those?

   In my case it was the eighties and we had a huge advantage: our own imagination.

   I would get this box filled with different pieces and I would just start building whatever my mind came up with, not like these days were you buy a prefabricated set of “exoforce, Indiana Jones, or some other flavor of the month set” were on most* of the cases you just do as you’re told…pretty much like school isn’t it?

   Paul, I believe the best part of having fun is getting in touch with the child we have inside and just let ourselves roam free…I think this sandbox idea of yours is were it really picks its value, on not being afraid on experimenting new things and remember what is like using the right side of our brains.

   That’s where the creative economy is taking place and that’s how you’ll stand out from the rest in a noisy community, so I suggest we all get our sandbox and have some fun.

   Thanks for the playground Paul and let us know when we can visit yours. I’ll definitively let you now once mine is ready =)

   All the Best,
   Peter

   P.S. Lego has actually a category called “Creator” so not everything is lost. As long as we keep feeding our children and ourselves with that stuff, there’s still hope ;-)

6. Marshall, November 3, 2008:

   Great advice. That’s how I got started with blogging.

7. admin, November 4, 2008:

   Stephen,

   Very true. Using a blog, with the things you can add to it now, makes the sandbox so much easier.

   Jonathan,

   I try to work in a little geek humor once in a while. Only 3 people mentioned catching the Star Trek gag in the one about phishing scams…

   Bill,

   In my experience, nothing makes learning easier than being relaxed and focused. When are we most relaxed and focused? When we play.

   Reducing stress is more than just a health issue.

   The Lego analogy is appropriate, and fits with my response to Steve. You can make these things work so many different ways and do so many different things. Sometimes, putting in plug-ins feels just like playing with Legos.

   Paul

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