How To Curate Your Content and Learn New Skills Without Leaving Your House
View of Manhattan from Brooklyn during one of my evening walks on day 6 of social distancing.
As an art curator, artist, and business owner, I have to do a lot of curating. Sometimes it’s as simple as finding artwork that fits a certain style or theme for a client and sometimes it’s more difficult, like right now when I’m trying to both create a schedule for myself and be gentle with myself as I’m trying not panic during this COVID-19 pandemic. I don’t have a backyard or a roof deck or a patio or a balcony so I’m just stuck inside except for the occasional night walk or strategic run, when I try to stay six feet away from all the other people running outside in my neighborhood (I’m trying to just work out online more).
I’m also getting a steady stream of emails that include resource lists, online content, links to things to read, and alarming updates about how dire this situation really is.
Now, more than ever, it’s important to practice curation. Instead of just scrolling on Instagram, refreshing whatever news you follow, and browsing Netflix, try stepping back and making a plan before you take in more content.
A note on the situation
I am not advocating ignoring news and media — I think it is unhealthy to completely turn off content, especially right now when there may be something important that you need to hear. Make sure you have reliable resources for health updates (CDC, WHO) and for local and national updates. Don’t stop checking those, just try not to be obsessive. If you get anxious and/or need support, phone a friend or a family member. If you don’t have one, call a co-worker, or past co-worker, or the last person you talked to in person whose number you have. People care about you and you are not alone.
Ok, now for the fun stuff!
Here are a few ideas to start curating your life and content:
SELECT YOUR TOPICS
Figure Out What Really Interests You
I think one of the biggest mistakes most people make, myself included, is they just read or follow or like things that other people read or follow or like. Don’t do that! You are unique and your interests are unique. Sure, we all overlap, but you will feel more fulfilled if you are actually curious about something and not just reading or watching or listening to something because everyone else is.
Some things to try:
Sample Around. If you are really at a loss and don’t know what you are interested in, you can start by sampling what other people who inspire you are interested in. It’s important that you look at people who inspire you, not people who are popular or your best friend just because (though hopefully she inspires you).
Brainstorm. Set the timer for 5 minutes and write down as many things that interest you as you can. Don’t limit yourself.
Look At Your Past. If you keep a journal, agenda, notebook, Google Calendar, iPhone notes, post-its — look at them and see what you’ve kept notes of and what you’ve gone to. What excited you most?
Think About Your Future. If you have a goal you are working on (like starting a business or learning how to play guitar), you can use this to frame what you are interested in. You’ll still need to drill down into what interests you within this area, but you can then start sampling based on others in this field who inspire you.
Make A List
Write down everything you discovered that interests you.
Then pick 3 things to focus on for now. You can always go back to the other interests later but this is a good place to start. Be as specific or general as you’d like, but I suggest being specific as this will make things easier later.
Research
Physical Research
Normally I would include libraries, walking around, and doing in-person interviews, but since we are all stuck inside, you can do this in your home and the interviews I’ll move to virtual.
Walk around your apartment or house. Gather any book, postcard, magazine, or item that interests you or is related to the interests you’ve thought about based on your focused list.
Digital Research
I suggest setting a timer or a set number of days for this because it could take over and you’ll just research online forever.
Use the internet (like Google Search), social media, your favorite outlets (magazines, blogs, newsletters, etc), and search for things related to your interests. Don’t forget online tutorials, classes, and guides (Skillshare, YouTube, Coursera, MasterClass, etc.). Here’s my list of online classes and workshops that are free or low-cost. The key is to be deliberate about what you are looking for. You can always keep an eye out during your everyday use of digital media, but right now you’re on a search for specific things related to your list.
Keep track of everything in some kind of notes app. I use Evernote, but anything will do. Even a physical pen and paper, though it’s helpful to have something that you can search later, which is why Evernote is great, but the notes app on an iPhone or a Word Doc works too.
I’d make a note for each interest and then put all the things related to that there.
For the physical stuff, you can photograph it and make notes about it and put it in the note for that interest.
ORGANIZE YOUR RESEARCH
Pick and Choose
Go back to your lists and skim everything and make sure they look like quality content. If not, delete them, or put them on another list like ‘not sure’ for review later if you want to.
Sort and Organize
Now, go back to all your research and start combining like with like. Like, did you find a bunch of things you want to read? Put those together. Did you find a lot of online courses or workshops? Put those together.
MAINTAIN
Now that you’ve collected a bunch of awesome things to read, review, watch, or do, you can do the things!
But wait, that’s overwhelming right?
Start Small
If you’re new to this, start small. Create a habit for yourself like “I’ll review something from my list for 10 minutes every day,” set a reminder and do it.
Let Yourself Indulge
If you find yourself really into something, go deep with it! You’ve already figured out that this is something that interests you and found quality content related to the topic, so go for it. This will probably give you more interests and you can just repeat the process.
Make a Schedule
Having a structure helps when things feel out of control. Make a schedule that works for you right now and then adjust as you see what works and what doesn’t work. Like, I know getting up at 7am to work out does not work for me, so I don’t do that. I wake up later and work out at a time that I’ll actually do it. If you have kids or work from home, you probably have some structure already, so use that to build other things around it.
It’s Ok to Get Distracted
Don’t worry if you get distracted and side tracked. Often this leads us to even more interesting connections and ideas.
GIVE YOURSELF A PROJECT
One thing that happens with content intake is that we just have too much coming in and not enough going back out. Give yourself a project to help yourself process what you’re taking in. This is also the best way to get better at something — give yourself a project that is just a little out of your comfort zone and then do it.
You can start giving yourself one project. The 100 day project is a nice framework if you are just starting — like draw your breakfast for 100 days. An assigned project with a deadline is the best because you will owe something to someone else. You can always just create something. Make sure to give yourself a deadline, break it down into parts, and find an accountability partner — someone who you can check in with. You can support that partner on their project, too.
I really struggle with giving myself too many projects, so I’m trying to have one personal project, one business project, and one creative project going at once, but it’s more like two per category. I then schedule my time every month and week based on what I want to focus on to move forward on those projects.
PRACTICE!
It’s not easy to be discerning and deliberate about what we take in, but you can do it!
You’ll find the more you curate based on your interest, the more your lifestyle will change. You may realize certain activities aren’t actually nourishing for you or certain friends aren’t actually that supportive of you and your goals, that’s totally normal. I’ve gone through this and while it’s hard at times, I’m much happier knowing that I’m working towards things that make me happy and fulfilled.
TLDR:
How to learn how to do things — without leaving your house:
Search your notes
Google it
Look it up at your local library online
Look it up on Skillshare
Look it up on >>>
Search Youtube
Search Instagram/Pinterest/Tik Tok/Other Social Media
Leave your house (when you can)
How do you curate your life and content? What are you doing to learn things from home?