As I came back to work this morning after a two-week vacation, I faced a mountain of things to do. Where to start? Maybe I could manage to do more than one task at a time. You know, answer email or scan Facebook while listening to an online class, or straighten the studio while making a phone call, or quickly check the calendar to see if an appointment is scheduled while in a phone conversation. Quite the picture, isn’t it?

Yes, I am talking about multitasking and it does not work! According to Harvard Business Review blogger Paul Atchley, studies show that multi-taskers are less efficient, perhaps by as much as 40%, than they think. He says that it takes an average of 15 minutes – and I have read numbers as high as 40 minutes – to reorient oneself to the main task. Wow – 15 minutes! Can you imagine how much time you waste on a daily basis trying to get back to the task at hand?

Many people dispute the fact that multi-tasking doesn’t work, citing their own experiences. Not true, as research shows again and again.

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Labor Day in the United States was earlier this week. While many school districts around the country opened their doors in August, September always seems like back-to-school month to me. Since I run a business these days, I think of it as back-to-business month. You have four months to really rev up to meet those goals you set early this year.

While it is back to business for many of us, it has been a changing business landscape over the summer in the sewing, quilting and crafts fields. Here is a roundup of what has happened and my thoughts. It’s likely you already know about some of the changes.

1. In July, Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine announced that it was folding with its October/November 2016 issue. QNM, owned by F+W Media, was started in September 1969 by Bonnie Lehman at her kitchen table. That first issue cost 35 cents, and the magazine went on to be a leader in the industry. I don’t think the industry would be where it is today without her foresight and willingness to help it grow. I was a long-time subscriber and still have a stash of issues. Magazine publishing is a hard business. I focused on magazine publishing getting my masters’s and was in it for 20 years. Magazines thrive based on a variety of factors, including advertising and circulation. Advertising is what pays the bills for most magazines and in today’s environment the competition for the advertising dollar is steep. It’s not just from other print magazines. Ad dollars are spent on the Internet. Advertisers see where the buyers/readers are and go there. Today, so much is available on the Internet. What can stop other magazines from the same future as QNM? Support your favorite magazines. Tell the advertisers in them that you found them in the magazine. Current QNM subscribers will receive Quilting Arts magazine until the subscriptions expire.

2. In July, American Quilter’s Society announced that it will stop publishing books in 2017. AQS was formed in 1984 by Meredith and Bill Schroeder, who were collectors and publishers of books for collectors. The business went on to sponsor quilt shows, host a television show, and publish magazines. If you look at the quilt and sewing industry, you will find lots of competition for the crafter. I have always been amazed at the numbers of quilt and sewing books published each month, so it does not surprise me to see a shake-up in this area. Again, consumers are looking for how-to craft information, and, in addition to finding it in competing books,

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Have you been watching the Olympics? I always enjoy the competition and the personal stories. I found myself staying up late watching several of the events live. I continue to be inspired by watching people who are the best at what they do. Here are some of the business lessons I saw.

1. Set really big goals. I have watched Katie Ledecky’s pursuit of her Olympic goals for the past few years. She grew up and went to high school in my county, so she is covered by our local news. Her coach, Bruce Gemmell, worked with Katie to look at the bigger picture, developing a vision for the future. Gemmell brought his corporate speak to his swim coach career and talked about setting BFHG — Big Fat Hairy Goals.

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This week I am in Dallas on business and am fitting in a visit with one of my cousins. This required an airline flight from Baltimore. Of course, on the flight I heard the safety warnings, including the following:

“If cabin pressure should change, panels above your seat will open revealing oxygen masks; reach up and pull a mask towards you. … The plastic bag will not fully inflate, although oxygen is flowing. Secure your own mask first before helping others.”

When I first heard this years ago, my initial thought was that it seemed selfish. Shouldn’t you take care of those who can’t take care of themselves?

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I am sure many of you have purchased from Zappos? They have great customer service, free shipping, 365-day return policy, someone to answer your questions 24/7/365. Plus all those shoes! What is not to like?

Have you looked at the service you offer your customers? Shoes aside, how does it stack up to Zappos?

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Promotion is key for creative entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses. Part of that is getting press coverage, whether that is through traditional offline methods or social media.

The news release, also known as the press release, is one of your most valuable tools for gaining publicity and growing your business. You gain name recognition and become the “expert” in your field.

Reporters do not dig up all the stories you read in the paper, see and hear on television or view on social media outlets. Many of these stories originated with

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With the change in seasons, I am in a spring cleaning mode. I have gone through some of the clothes in the closet. I have begun to go through the clutter (because that is what it is) in the basement and garage.

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Have you ever thought about what your why is? You know, why you do what you do? Why you are in the business you are? Why art or creativity chose you? And why you chose to make it important enough that it is your business?

Frederick Nietzsche said, “He who has a why can endure any how.”  I believe that when you know your why, it helps you figure out meaningful goals that lead to creating a meaningful life. It acts as an anchor when you need to find the courage to keep going or even just to take the next step. It helps you stay motivated and can lead to a life you can only imagine. It even helps you get out of bed in the morning.

That sounds good, but how do you really find your why? Your why may just come to you easily or it may take lots of thought. (I was in the lots of thought category.) It may also change over time as your life circumstances change.

For years I never really gave it much thought. I was working to add income to our family coffers. When I first started my business, it was actually at my accountant’s suggestion. He saw I loved quilting and thought I could turn it into a business on the side. That was great, and I never really gave it much more thought. As the years went by, the business grew and changed. I earned a graduate degree in journalism and thought how wonderful it would be to combine the quilting and journalism together, which I did. Again, not really giving it a huge amount of thought as to why beyond I enjoyed it.

The past couple of years, I decided to actually put real thought into the process. I can now articulate what I do and why. I believe it is so important to start to do the work of our why that we spend time working on this individually at the Creative Arts Business Summit. And knowing this absolutely makes a difference. Once you figure our your “big why,” you complete your tasks, reach your goals, make a difference in the lives of those you serve, and live your own life with so much more ease.

Here are some ideas to get you started figuring out your why along with some good resources.

1. If you are having a hard time answering yourself why. Complete the sentence: “I am doing this because ….”  or “I’m doing this so that….”

1. Take a look at your top passions and try to see what they have in common. That can lead you to your why.

1. What are your innate strengths? What are things you are naturally good at? Sometimes you dismiss these thinking everyone is good at this thing. And how do these connect with your passions?

1. What gets you out of bed in the morning. What is it that drives you to take inspired action?

1. What was your youthful joy? Ask people who knew you as a child what they remember about your strengths and passions.

1. Remember that the why is the driving force behind our actions. We need strong, or Big, Whys to keep going.

1. Our Big Why can change over time. It is a good exercise to revisit yours occasionally.

Some resources to check out:

How Great Leaders Inspire Action,  a TEDx talk by Simon Sinek.

The Element and Finding Your Element by Ken Robinson, PhD, with Lou Aronica

What is your why? I know you have one and I would love to hear what it is. Please share it below or on our ICAP Facebook or Google+ pages?

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Morna McEver is the founder and CEO of the International Association of Creative Arts Professionals where creative arts entrepreneurs craft business success. Her weekly e-zine offers tips, techniques and inspiration to help you craft business success from your creative arts passion. You can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://www.creativeartsprofessional.com.

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A couple of weeks ago, I started back at my yoga class. I have been practicing off and on for more than 10 years. I got a little sidetracked over the last year. When an email from Heather, the local yoga teacher, showed up in my in-box, I jumped on the chance to get back into my regular practice on a serious level.  I knew it would be a gift to myself, one that I really needed.

I love my yoga class and practice for a variety of reasons. We are a small group of women largely my age. We have fun in class — last week could have been called laughter yoga. (I love when the chickens peek in the window.) It is a low-key, no-stress zone. Plus the studio is on the street next to mine — no excuses for how long it takes to get there.

How did I fare in class? Well, my body just loved being back for a longer period of time, and I found that in the days after I felt more limber and alive. During class, one woman shared how the pose she had disliked a year ago had become her favorite with practice. We all like some poses better than ever — I still dislike pigeon pose and look for an alternative. One pose that we often do is triangle pose, shown in the photo above. I like revolved triangle pose because it is easy for me to get into an open position, though my hand does not always get to the floor. Not so for everyone, and we use blocks as props to help be more open. We had a further discussion on triangle pose and I shared that when I learned the pose, I was told to visualize my body between two panes of glass. Someone else shared her tip. Heather talked about how different people are able to hold poses for longer periods of time or in more revolved postures. It is about working with your body and doing what you can.

So what does this have to do with your creative arts business? Here are the lessons I took from the class.

1. We all have different skills and abilities. Focus on what you can do at the present time and build on that.

1. Don’t compare yourself to others. It’s not about being as good as, or better than, someone else. In the end, your only real competition is yourself.

1. We can all get to the end result via different means.

1. You can only start in one place, where you are now, and grow from there.

What is stopping you from starting where you are?  I am very interested to hear about it. Why not share what those hinderances are to you in the comment section below or on our ICAP Facebook or Google+ pages.

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just use it in its entirety and be sure to include the blurb below:

Morna McEver is the founder and CEO of the International Association of Creative Arts Professionals where creative arts entrepreneurs craft business success. Her weekly e-zine offers tips, techniques and inspiration to help you craft business success from your creative arts passion. You can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://www.creativeartsprofessional.com.

WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLE LIKE THIS?

See the ICAP blog at http://www.creativeartsprofessionals.com/weblog/

It is December! The one time of year when you have a once-a-year opportunity to make some last-minute decisions that can dramatically affect your 2015 taxes. Within limits, you can increase or decrease your 2015 taxable profit from your business. Come January 1st, it is too late.

Here is an annual list of “Seven Strategies” from Bell Springs, publisher of Small Time Operator, Write It Off! Deduct It!, and 475 Tax Deductions for Business, that can save you a bundle on your 2015 taxes:

Strategy #1. Pay all of your bills, including January’s monthly bills, in December and get a tax write-off in December. Expenses are deducted the year paid (cash basis taxpayers; some exceptions). However, if you do not need an extra deduction this year, if your profit and taxes are going to be very low for 2015, hold off paying bills until January. You will get the deduction next year when it will help you save on next year’s taxes.

Strategy #2. Buy office equipment—a new computer, copier, office furniture—before December 31st, and write off the entire cost this year. This is as long as total purchases for the year are less than the first-year write off maximum of $25,000. Or if you do not need an extra deduction this year, delay major purchases until 2016 and get the deduction next year.

Strategy #3. Stock up on, and pay for, business and computer supplies, stationery and other consumables, and write off the entire expense in the current year.

Strategy #4. Pay your 2016 service contracts, Internet fees or similar recurring charges by December 31, and write off the entire amount in 2015.

Strategy #5. Make and pay for needed repairs to your office and equipment in December and get a full deduction this year.

Strategy #6. Wait until January to bill your customers for December’s work. Income is taxed the year received (cash basis taxpayers).

Strategy #7. Hire your children to work in your business over the holidays. If they are under 18, you can pay each of them up to $6,200 a year, write the wage off as a business expense, and the children owe no income or payroll taxes. There are many limits and requirements to this law, but it can be a significant tax savings for you, and a fun opportunity for your kids.

These are just a few of the bigger and better known year-end tax strategies. For more strategies, deductions, and tax-saving tips, treat yourself to a copy of Bell Springs’ best-selling guidebooks Small Time Operator, Write It Off! Deduct It!, and 475 Tax Deductions for Business. We think you will find these guidebooks to be a most worthwhile investment. Learn more about them on our web site www.BellSprings.com.

The above was taken from Bell Springs annual update and used with permission. I have been a long-time fan of all these books and use them every year. Let me know how time blocking works for you. I would love to know, just leave a comment below or go over to the ICAP Facebook or Google+ pages and leave a comment there.

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just use it in its entirety and be sure to include the blurb below:

Morna McEver is the founder and CEO of the International Association of Creative Arts Professionals where creative arts entrepreneurs craft business success. Her weekly e-zine offers tips, techniques and inspiration to help you craft business success from your creative arts passion. You can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://www.creativeartsprofessional.com.

WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLE LIKE THIS?

See the ICAP blog at http://www.creativeartsprofessionals.com/weblog/