Form Ever Follows Function

My tardiness in writing a well-thought out newsletter was delayed due to book* & presentation projects earlier this month.

I've been leading an Art Deco skyscrapers walking tour,  primarily along LaSalle Street in Chicago,  since I 'certified' in late spring. Art Deco is about ornamentation, these magnificent 1930s skyscrapers got me thinking about structure and the use of ornament (decoration).

Below is a quote excerpt from Holabird & Roche, architects of Chicago Board of Trade (1930):

"the exterior is an expression of the function(s) of the building..."

I think they were tapping into Louis H. Sullivan's "form ever follows function." For the CBOT, many would agree, the ornamentation is not merely decoration; it accentuating the overall design of the commodities exchange–all relating to agriculture (wheat, corn, lumber).

Why the architecture metaphor?
Frankly, there are numerous metaphors beyond architecture.
Each project, even an image for your Instagram feed requires structure and planning. We must invest the time into purpose or function, before any discussion of ornamentation. Then the mechanics of structure structure and flow of the publication will designed. Every writer I know begins with an outline or structure. Yes, even graphic designers begin with function and structure.

No amount of stock images, cheeky infographics or trendy color swatches will hide the lack of thought given to crafting a strong message and story structure; including any call-to-actions.

Working with photographic material presents a different opportunity to create a theme or visual structure for a collection. (see previous post)

I can't tell you how many times, I've been asked to work on pitch deck/publication and the first conversation is about the aesthetics versus purpose, theme, content and audience.

Let's not design from the outside inward. Sticky notes, index cards or whiteboards are simple, yet effective tools to breakdown your storyboard, eliminating the non-essential, shifting sections to improve the flow, etc.

More about structure or storyboarding:

• Storyboarding Four Pattern of Organization

• Lessons from the Art of Storyboarding

• Unique Storyboard Method: Receipt Tape

Break out your coloring pencils to ignite your inner creative juices–coloring is the new meditation. Patterns of the Ancient World and Renaissance Patterns were developed for convenience of travel. The 6x9" size is ideal to toss in your shoulder bag and fits nicely on hard surface like your tablet. AND, I included blank pages for your own drawings or doodles. Available via Amazon.

Joann

Create Your Own Great Photo Book

Create Your Own Great Photo Books

• Have you ever wanted to create your own photo books?
• How do you start?
• What are techniques to make it look professional?
• How do I get it printed?

Download Free eBook 

Just released a few days ago to select list of followers, now available for you.

An introduction to self-publishing techniques to create your own amazing book using your photographs or illustrations.

Discover techniques to create and publish of your own photo book, plus an introduction to self-publishing options (print and digital formats). Ideal for photographers, illustrators, architects, chefs, historians and many more.

Topics covered:

• Image Sequencing & Storyboarding
• Page Layout and Structure
• Cover Design
• Image Preparation
• Overview: Shutterfly, Lulu and Blurb

Start Creating Your Own Photo Book

* eBook format is 21-page PDF, compatible on desktop and mobile devices.
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Pitch Decks Publications Pumpkins Oh My

The trade show and fall meeting schedules are as abundant as the pumpkins in the patch.

• When was the last time you stepped back to REALLY look at your current presentation and supporting collateral?
• Are these key marketing tools outdated? 
• Lacking the solid connection to your current messaging?
• Has your visual branding evolved?

Pumpkin Chunkin' Round 1 

Slapping your logo on a stock template your assistant may have download for mere dollars is NOT the best path to creating brand awareness. The CEO of a point-of-sale technology and services company contacted me after viewing my pitch decks on Slideshare.net. He shared with me the current state of his presentation, frustrated that it lacked any connection to his company. The content needed to be tweaked and a template created for an upcoming sales webinar in a few days. Digging deep into the company's website and other supporting material, I created initial composite designs for the client's approval and went to work importing the content. The CEO would edit accordingly. The custom template included images, color palette and fonts which complimented the current branding. Also suggested that the CEO consider a customer-centric design for each of the three major market segments served. 

Pumpkin Chunkin' Round 2 

Another client was invited to present his company to a high-profile industry event, the catch NO POWERPOINT. The CEO of this technology services company, in the oil & gas industry, was confident in his ability to make the presentation without the slides, but wanted a "leave behind" (aka fact sheet) to highlight the investment appeals. We extracted key slides from the existing pitch deck, tweaked copy, updated data and designed an attract single page sell sheet. This high impact piece will serve as an extension of the speech...simple and elegant.

Whether it's an upcoming online webinar or in-person presentation, take a hard look at your materials and ask yourself how these will serve your goals. I offer a Free Consultation to review your pitch deck and assess how we can align it with your task-at-hand.

Structure & Clarity Rocket Your Presentation

My faith in a well-structured presentation has been restored when a client recently asked:

“Does the flow of the presentation cover all the key points for an investor pitch?”

Referencing my “Universal Pitch Deck–The Ultimate 12-Slide Structure for Any Presentation” it was easy diagnose the client’s presentation:

1. Overview/Intro
2. The Problem
3. The Solution
4. Opportunity & Market
5. Technology
6. Competitive Advantage (USP)
7. Competitive Landscape
8. Market Strategy
9. Financial Roadmap
10. Management Team
11. Current Status
12. Summary

The Competitive Advantage is the pinnacle of the presentation, we lead the audience to crescendo. You’ve got their attention, now guide them to the closing (the ASK).

Interestingly, this presentation replaced text heavy and clip-art slided with well-designed illustrations for the Solution, Opportunity & Market and Technology.

45 Slides in 30 Minutes?

Today, I received a 45-slide deck for review and recommendation. This well-designed draft is currently suited for a tradeshow or business conference not an investor and analyst audience.

The core message is hidden behind complex Photoshop’d backgrounds and overuse of ‘expert’ quotes and illegible charts.

The first step will be the “big picture” view via the Slide Sorter and begin to pull irrelevant slides, shift and combine slides into an articulate story structure focused on the core message for the intended audience.

Structure and clarity should be your creative strategy to stay focused on core message. I firmly believe that your audience will be more responsive. I was just discussing with my client (same PPT) the value he places on ample Q&A time to dig deeper into content and audience engagement.

Celebrate and be safe, happy 4h of July.

Six Keys for a Successful Presentation or Dye Your River Green

What's more "Chicago" than a bright green river and a parade, all on the same day! As St. Patty's Day is just a few day away, Chicagoans will be in celebration mode all weekend. I forgot to check the city's event calendar and scheduled myself for an architecture tour this Saturday; needless to say I'll be navigating the party-goers. 

Tapping into resources like Presentation Zen for guidance and "how to" advice to develop a remarkable presentation can be very helpful. Possibly elevating your presentation to the next level; maybe even close the deal on the spot. Leverage your presentation (and speech) for professional success and personal fulfillment with these six key elements.

Story: The Narrative Imaging. Everyone has a story to tell. All of us will listen to a story. The best storytellers are those who input their own personality, character and experiences into the material in a form of narrative. Yes, even business presentations can have a personality; it should be the company's personality.

Design: More than Decoration. Developing the design of the presentation should come after the storyboarding (outline) stage. Colors, graphics, images, fonts and charts/tables should add visual emphasis to the content. Not just mere ornamentation. The visual theme should be regarded as part of the overall messaging process.

The Big Picture. When you look through the view finder of your camera, you see the larger view. Look some more and you'll begin to focus on the details. What's important? What matters? Focus on the key message.

Empathy: Be Human. Can you add emotion to your presentation + speech? The best stories are those that grab our emotions. Look for non-verbal cues to add emphasis.

Play: Be Willing to Laugh at Yourself. This can be tricky, because telling joke can backfire. Being authentic (aka human) can build a real connection with your audience and keep them interested.

Meaning: Where's Your "Why". Where's the passion? Have you given this presentation + speech so many times that your enthusiasm is waning? Go back to the Big Picture and ask yourself "why?" (Hat tip to Simon Sinek)

Do you attend professional networking events? Or, pitch nights? How many times have you pulled out your smartphone and began checking your emails or catching up on headlines because you lost interest? 

There's a lesson for all of us. 

The core of my creative services is working with professionals to improve their presentations. I offer a free review of your existing presentation and an evaluation with recommendations. 

"Anana" Presentation Template ~ Free

Chicago's extreme cold temperatures the past few days, which BTW were preceded by several inches of snow. Where ever you are...stay warm and dry.

My family and I have been relocated to a hotel while our apartment/condo is rehabbed following a burst steam heating pipe burst in our neighbor's unit (on New Year's Day (about 3:00 a.m.!).

This month's free Powerpoint template was inspired by Anana the polar bear who resides at Lincoln Park Zoo. I live across the street the from the zoo. Anana is one of my stops whenever I'm strolling through the zoo. Anana had to be taken inside during the recent arctic blast since she doesn't have the underlying layers to keep her body protected from the extreme cold. 

I look forward to seeing Anana in the when I get to go back to my condo.

"Anana" Presentation Template ~ Free from Creative Aces

"Autumnus" Presentation Template ~ Free

Despite my location along Lake Michigan, Chicago just doesn't have a dramatic fall color show. I commented to my husband the other day that the I missed the autumn spectacular of northern Michigan. Yes, we had to rake the leaves every weekend for six to eight weeks. The sound of leaf blowers continuously. Our mighty oak in our front yard was the last to let go of its leaves around Thanksgiving. 

I don't miss the yard the work but I sure to enjoy the splendor of the fall color palette. Thus, the inspiration for this month's free Powerpoint template. The hint of color for the interior slides is just enough for an added 'punch' of color for your content.


Just a reminder, that my Powerpoint templates are wrapped around the 12-slide structure "Universal Pitch Deck." The ebook is available, here.

Tap Into Tablet For Your New Portfolio

Remember the days of toting your portfolio around to various offices? Designers typically had the large black "sail" which was cumbersome and awkward. So glad we don't have to do that anymore. 

A recent appointment with a prospect was an opportunity for potential business but it was also a chance to showcase my portfolio on the iPad. The results were surprising, yet not unexpected.

Using the iPad versus a laptop or jump/flash drive turned the meeting into an interactive experience. Launching the curated and self-published ebook from the library, popping up in vivid color... right there in the palm of my hands. Letting the client take full control of the device and advancing the pages at their own speed. I incorporated a table of contents so I could quickly go to a specific section. 

While my portfolio/ebook was stored on the iPad, the conversation led to topics outside the curated content and since I have the wifi version, this did present a challenge. 

However, the potential for you as a consultant to "tap" into the capabilities of the tablet (whether it's Apple, Android, Windows or Kindle Fire) are extraordinary. A new realm of interacting with current and potential clients.

Forrester Research has some insight on business usage of tablets (link to article): 

• Globally by 2017, tablet usage overall will reach 905 million, that's 1 in 8 people on earth.
• Company issued or bring your own device (BYOD) will become pervasive in the workplace.
• 18% of table purchases will be by enterprises.

You may have noticed tablets being used at AT&T and other retailers, doctor offices, and even restaurants. They're here and companies are beginning to learn how to incorporate into the workplace.

We have an opportunity to examine our marketing materials, presentations, proposals, websites and direct mail campaigns from a new perspective. Ask yourself, "How can I (update) repackage the marketing kit and make it available on my tablet?"

As you ponder the question and answers, push aside the idea of a flat printed page or PDF because publishing for the tablet is far more dynamic than you've imagined.

More resources:
Six iPad Magazines That Are Changing The Publishing BusinessAnnual Report as iPad App
Nordstrom Anniversary Lookbook iPad App

"Color Mosaic" Free Presentation Template (July 2013)

"Color is to the eye what music is to the ear." 
                               - Louis Comfort Tiffany

Chicago is graced with numerous installations by Louis Comfort Tiffany Design & Decorating Studio. 

Just to name a few: Marquette Building, Macy's on State St. (fka Marshall Field & Co.), Palmer House Hilton and Chicago Cultural Center. The Richard H. Driehaus Museum is hosting an exhibition this fall that will feature sixty works by Tiffany and associates, visit the Driehaus Museum website for more information.

Today, I'm celebrating being certified for the Historic North Loop Tour, in which treasures like those mentioned above are a big part of the tour give by Chicago Architecture Foundation. 

Beginning this month, I'm applying my design to the Universal Pitch Deck format. Remember this my "ultimate 12-slide structure for any presentation" which I wasn't implementing on previous templates. Thus the master designer was the inspiration for this month's {free} presentation template. Download via the SlideShare link below.

"Color Mosaic" Free Presentation Template (July 2013) from Creative Aces

How to Use Right-facing Pages to Your Advantage

This year’s Printers Row Lit Fest was an opportunity to talk with several self publishing entrepreneurs or authors/artists. Bravo to all who have made this journey!

We bought books from two indie/self publishers at the Lit Fest; both books are image intensive. One photographic the other illustrative. However, one noticeable difference was the placement of (single) page images.

The book designer of the illustrative book failed to recognize that the artist’s illustrations should have been on right-facing page.

The right-facing page in ANY [printed] book or publication is the most valuable space. Our eye is naturally drawn to the right-facing page. Turn the page of a book or magazine, the physical action of turning the page reveals the right-facing page first. (Except for some cultures who’s written orientation may be different.)

Using the right-facing page to your advantage

Exhibit A: Image on left.

The illustrated book failed to create a proper title page for each section; placing the illustrations on left-facing page with no designated chapter page. The artist’s illustrations the showcase of the book.

In contrast to the coffee-table book which created a spread. Using both left and right pages to designate a new chapter.

Exhibit B: Shift the image to the right.

The noted difference between these two book designers is a designer who clearly understands foundational strategies to creating a reader-centric experience.

Exhibit C: Ideal page spread introducing a chapter or section

Spring Celebration 10% Discount New Projects

For the third year in a row, I am offering a discount on creative services. 

Ten percent off new projects (please no updates to previous projects) now through June 28, 2013.

For more information, visit: Spring Celebration

Spring is undoubtedly my favorite season. When spring arrives, there are numerous celebrations in my family including four birthdays, mother & father days, and this year another high school graduation.

• Have you been thinking about launching that ebook?
• Catch the newest trend... proposal and pitch deck.
• Is your pitch/presentation deck in need of a new look?

Reach out to me today so we can discuss your project and get started NOW.

One of my client's recently said the following about their proposal-as-pitch deck.

"A visually-elevated and professional presentation of our company to prospective clients, receiving positive feedback and {serious} interest in our services."

Tyler B.

Sr. VP Global Sales

Stock Images: A Double Edge Sword

Last week I received the following pieces of mail: a über large postcard for hearing devices and the neighborhood coupon booklet. Each of these arrived the same day. 


Take a look at the handsome couple. The same two people! My neighbors in the elevator must have thought I was nuts listening to me laugh. 

What are the chances that a designer would select the SAME couple for their layout and those unrelated pieces of direct mail would land in my mailbox on the SAME day?

I use stock photos and illustrations for my clients, I do prefer custom photography but most of the time the budget just doesn't allow me to hire a professional photographer or illustrator.  I dig deep into a search, using key words appropriate for the project/message and attempt to avoid the most popular or downloaded images.

How do you handle your image searches to avoid this situation?

Storytelling ~ It's In Our DNA

We’ve all been hearing the word “storytelling” in marketing and social media conversation quite frequently these days.  I'm baffled why this seems to be the latest fad. After all isn't storytelling in our DNA?

For those of us who have worked in marketing, public relations and advertising, we’ve been crafting and delivering those “stories” for a {very} long time.

• Key messaging
•  Investment appeals
•  Call to action
•  Crisis communication
•  Competitive analysis
•  Market overview
•  Benefits of service(s)
•  Long-term strategy
•  Case studies
•  Testimonials

I don’t claim to be a writer but I do draw upon my experience of formatting and designing “stories” for senior level management, events, non-profits, and start-ups for a variety of audiences.  Nothing new, mankind has been communicating with imagery for thousands of years.

More than 10 million Google results are listed when you search “storytelling for business." I love the lead from a prominent social media blogger, “In storytelling for business, you want your reader to take action.”  Drop the word “storytelling” and we’re back to the principles of a communications strategy.  This is where all my copywriting colleagues should be standing on top of their desks, raising their hand with a big “OH YEAH!”

Technology is Today’s Campfire

A few months ago I was in the audience listening to a Chicago Tribune photographer talk about visual storytelling in today’s über-connected environment. Assimilating technology to the time when we sat around the campfire and told stories from one generation to the next. I wonder if YouTube, Facebook or Twitter will be considered this generation’s “campfire.”

There exists, I believe, a hunger for authenticity when technology lacks warmth. As usage of mobile devices, apps and gadgets increases rapidly, stories like the unemployed college grad who made a small fortune self-publishing her books are eaten up like jelly beans on Easter morning. Or, a YouTube video going viral in a matter of hours.

I find unspoken power of marketing and communications in combining images and text to tell a story. 

Effective visuals derived from these five core principles: archetype, face, experimental, emotion and shock. 

The most widely used being archetypical and emotional imagery.

Storytelling for business has a similar structure to that of fiction. (Figure)

What story are we crafting today? I hope it’s one where I/we get to dig deep into the photo archive.

PS: I’m also diving into “visual storytelling” and how we can craft messages and allegories with imagery.  

Here’s a reference from My Modern Met, (may not be NSFW).

Design. Digitize. Distribute.

10.18.11 Update: I recently learned PDFs are, and have been since 2001, indexed by Google.

I'm interested in how businesses can distribute and share their documents & publications across various platforms, versus keeping a monthly newsletter trapped in its PDF filing cabinet or parked in an email. We're now able to publish on platforms that are accessible to our audience regardless of device.

Additional products/services will be rolled out over the next few weeks, too.   As a designer who enjoys the convergence of text + imagery, I've been concerned about quality on your monitor, smart phone or tablet; but I think that argument is mostly extinguished as technology improves every day.

Creative Aces' Digital Publishing Services is on online publishing, viewer and analytical platform powered by Issuu. The features offered at PRO level have the potential to increase readership and feedback from your own list plus Issuu's 33 Million monthly readers. As we begin to bridge the desktop-to-tablet technology, additional features of this platform include:

• Customize the viewer with logo, icons, colors, animations
• Remove the advertising sidebar on embedded and standalone publications
• Newsstand/library to display and monetize your publications
• Organize documents and distribute your content
• Bulk upload for uploading hundreds of publications
• Auto-embedding to automatically embed latest edition
• Detailed statistics and reporting
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and high Google ranking
• Active links to websites, email links and advertisers
• Add audio/video to your documents or presentation

We can get the process started with previously published documents and begin building a library of materials outside of the corporate server or a "jump drive."

Here's a just a few ideas: Investment profile or white paper, quarterly earnings presentation, sales presentation, annual report, monthly newsletter, portfolio, "look" book, etc. in which we could build a direct marketing campaign and track the results.

Joann

A Winning Combination for B2B Content Distribution

Looking for a simple, cost-effective solution to distribute your message beyond your list?
Marketing gurus call it 'silo' jumping or simply put expanding your target list. I prefer to think of it as casting a wider net since the landscape for targeting your audience now includes social media.
Social sites are now a viable solution for B2B marketing and IR/PR to reach millions -- for FREE!

SlideShare & LinkedIn = Winning Combination

View more presentations from Creative Aces

Let me explain. I'm referring to LinkedIn. (This is NOT a case study about Twitter or Facebook).
LinkedIn has become the silent giant for business professionals, if you haven't created an account I urge you to do so immediately. And, if you own your own company or work for a company -- get a company profile set up.

• 81.8 Million Monthly Visitors
• 7.1 BILLION Page Views (Monthly)
• 12 Million Professionals Worldwide
• Executives from ALL FORTUNE 500 Companies
• 75 of FORTUNE 100 Companies
• 2 Million Dedicated Company Pages
• Mobile-friendly

Add SlideShare to create a winning combo!

• 50 Million Monthly Visitors
• 90 Million Page Views (Monthly)
• Free Accounts and Pro Accounts
• Easy-to-Use, Embed & Share
• Mobile-friendly

Make sure you add the SlideShare app to your LinkedIn profile so your presentation or other content appears on your page. We should craft our marketing strategies to include content creation and curation.
References:
SlideShare Deepens Ties With LinkedIn (PC World)
Social Media Marketing By The Numbers [INFOGRAPHIC] (Mashable)

My Pet Peeves of DIY White Paper & eBook Design

Design matters. Especially when the company name and reputation are involved. A well-designed white paper has the potential to elevate the “importance” of the content. Admittedly, don’t we all place 'value' on the appearance and attention to detail in the items we buy.

By nature of my profession, I view a lot of documents as sources for inspiration, trends, information and fun. However, as the explosion of Information Marketing is taking the web by storm; I’m noticing more DIY or off-the-shelf document formatting.

Design matters, a lot!

Below are just a few peeves that distract from the readability and ultimately, the value of a white paper or e-book. (I have purposely excluded samples from this article because I don't want to embarrass anyone, including myself.)

Peeve: Frumpy, Dumpy CoversCreating a compelling “tell me more” cover is an art and skill. I typically reserve finalizing the cover until the interior is complete. If you’ve ever taken a small child grocery shopping, you’ll understand why he/she picks up certain (high priced brand) boxes off the shelves while ignoring others.

Fix-it Tip: There isn’t a quick fix tip for designing covers. In my opinion, one of the most challenging aspects of the project.

Peeve: Text That Hurts My EyesThis is one of my biggest frustrations. I give a company my email address to receive their ebook and I can’t get past the first few pages because the font and paragraph styling is best suited for a birthday card. As a reader, we tend to scan groups of words when reading and anything that creates a barrier to this process erodes the value of your content.

Fix-it Tip: Use serif typefaces for body copy. The finishing strokes or serifs on typefaces like Times New Roman and Garamond aid the eye as we move from word-to-word.

Fix-it Tip: Add extra line space. The default ‘single’ line spacing is not the best choice since it tends to make the lines of text too tight. The addition of some white space between lines guides the reader left-to-right.

Fix-it Tip: Avoid long lines of text by increasing left and/or right margins or adopting a multi-column format. Could you imaging reading an article in the New York Times that was a single column of nearly 23” wide? Eye strain!

Peeve: Lack of Visual Cadence
Documents of continuous blocks of copy without headlines, sub headlines, call-out boxes, and even bullet points are just plain boring. Let’s be perfectly honest; you’re skimming this entry right now trying to glean the best stuff. The goal is to increase readability & readership.

Fix-it Tip: Use subheads, formatted with a complementary font and color.

Fix-it Tip: Add white space between ideas or sections.

Peeve: Disordered Page Layout
Rag-tag, zip-zagging content is ugly. Ugly to look at and easy to dismiss. A call-out box here. Chart inserted there. Close file. Total waste of my time.

Fix-it Tip: Using a multi-column format can provide the containers for text and other elements to be placed efficiently and neatly.

Peeve: Blatant Disregard for DetailsRunning spell check is easy, but actually printing a hard copy and reading your own white paper is a big payoff in catching small details. Here are a couple more:

Fix-it Tip: Two spaces at the end of a sentence is very old school. Consult today’s style guides.

Fix-it Tip: Fix awkward line breaks on formal names, dates, locations and numbers by keeping on same line.

Fix-it Tip: Stop using the Return key to add unnecessary extra line spacing between paragraphs. Use paragraph styling instead to automatically format paragraphs with approx. 1 ½ lines of text between paragraphs.

Peeve: Using Every Color AvailableI was trying to read an online magazine today, but couldn’t get past the first few pages because the ‘production artist’ was using just about every color of the spectrum more suitable for a birthday card. An experienced publication designer will establish a color theme, rendering editorial content consistent; thus emphasizing images, charts and adverts.

Fix-It Tip: Stop the overuse of color by developing a limited color palette. A less is more mentality is needed.

Peeve: Ignoring StylingFormatting text as you go is inefficient and amateurish. Even MS Word has the ability to create styles for text and paragraphs.

Fix-It Tip: Select typefaces and attributes once and apply consistently throughout the document.

How Do You Conquer "Creative Frustration"?

I've been working a logo project all morning and making little progress toward anything I'd like to share with the client.

This is the second logo project in less than a week. I'm not complaining. I really like the client, we've worked together before and now he's starting up two businesses right now.  He knows my work, recommends me to other professionals, I know the market, I deliver.

I deliver. (Can't believe I wrote that phrase.)

Back to the question, how do you conquer "creative frustration"? (Or gettin' unstuck?)
Google returns 4.5+ Million results on the topic of 'frustration' -- I'm getting the feeling the this is a common but taboo topic.

The prevention of progress seems to be where I'm at with this particular project. What am I doing about it?

• Saved my work and closed the AI file. Put my hardcopy sketches away.
• Surfed my favorite news sources on the internet -- same as before, nothing new.
• Logged onto my FB stream -- nothing going on there.
• Ate lunch (which was totally unsatisfying)
• Went for a walk.

This afternoon in Chicago, a light snow is falling, temperature is ~ 25F, no sun; I took the pooch out for his afternoon stroll.

Walking seems to be one of my best re-energizing activities. I've also been experimenting with 3-5 minute meditations at my desk.

Does music help you? What genre? (I've been addicted to "Martini in the Morning" lately)
A few of my resources:

Dan Goodwin's "A Big Creative Yes"
Jonathan Mead's "Illuminated Mind"
"Anxiety Slayer" by Ananja Sivyer and Shann VanderLeek
I would live to hear your tricks, post them here.