Show Notes
Let’s dive right into the fun! This episode is all about transforming mundane tasks into exciting challenges, because who said cleaning up your room has to feel like a chore? Timothy Keemel Bryan, our head instigator, is continuing the “Make Fun a Habit” series, inspired by Mike Brennan’s workbook that helps inject some joy into your creative routine. We’ll chat about gamification—yes, that's a fancy word for turning boring stuff into a game—so you can tackle your to-do list with a playful spirit. Whether you're studying, working, or even cleaning the cat litter (ugh, right?), we’re dishing out tips on how to keep it light and enjoyable. So grab your gaming hat, let’s level up those dull tasks, and make fun a regular part of our creative lives! Making Fun A Habit Series 30 days to add fun to your creative practice. I will be going through Mike Brennan's Make Fun A Habit workbook and help you make fun a habit. I had the pleasure of interviewing Mike on my other podcast Find A Podcast About and talking about his podcast Creative Chats. This workbook leads you through steps to rekindle the fun in your life and get you into a space where you are your most creative. This is a 30-day book and I will tackle each day as if it were a week and provide insights on how to use his ideas in your creative practice. Each chapter is broken up with a short story, questions to ponder, action items, and tips.
Assignment Questions What games did you enjoy as a kid? What games do you enjoy currently? What tasks do you find boring that you can gameify? What would that look like?
Action Items Have a game night with family and friends Talk about what aspects of games you enjoy Brainstorm how you can take those elements and apply them to work you don't enjoy
Tips Identify the goals of gamification Choose the right game elements Make the game elements meaningful Track progress and reward users Keep it fun
In this episode, we tackle the art of making fun a regular part of your creative process, inspired by Mike Brennan’s amazing book, *Make Fun a Habit*. Timothy walks us through the concept of gamification, where you can turn your least favorite tasks into engaging games. With witty remarks and light-hearted banter, he elaborates on how simple tasks like studying or cleaning can become exciting challenges, complete with points and rewards! Timothy shares personal stories about his childhood games and how these experiences shaped his current creative endeavors. By the end of our chat, you’ll be equipped with practical tips on how to introduce game elements into your daily tasks, helping you to not just survive your chores but to thrive while having a blast! This episode is a perfect blend of humor and insightful advice, making it a must-listen for anyone looking to spark their creativity and enjoy the process. Takeaways: Gamifying mundane tasks can transform your chores into fun challenges that boost creativity. Using playful competition in your daily routine can enhance productivity and make boring tasks enjoyable. Implementing game elements like point systems can motivate you to engage more deeply in your work or studies. Tracking your progress and rewarding yourself can turn tedious tasks into a rewarding game experience.
Links referenced in this episode: findapodcast about xyz tkbpodcaststudio.com findapodcast about xyz
How do I get such great guests? PodMatch I use Podmatch to get the best guests on the show. Check out PodMatch if you want to guest on other podcasts or if you have a podcast and need guests for your show. Guests from Podmatch Make Sharing your podcast easier Use Podcast Beacon for the best NFS products to share your podcast while out and about or at conferences.
Reach Out To The Podcast To reach out to me, email [email protected] I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let's st
More from Create Art Podcast
Description: Failure isn't a dead end—it's raw data. In Episode 2 of The Sustainable Shift, we unpack why creators freeze up when things don't go according to plan and how to reframe missteps as essential feedback rather than a verdict on your worth. Plus, we check in on listener submissions for the "One Project" challenge. In this episode: Why the fear of failure is the number one cause of unfinished work. Shifting your mindset from "failure as a flaw" to "failure as intelligence." How to build a resilient creative practice that survives missed marks. Real listener updates from the "One Project" challenge.
I'm moving the Rough Sketch show to once a month because life (clients, interviews, and general chaos) is loud, and I'm using that extra space to go back to poetry — the thing that actually hooked me on art. I'm Timothy Kimo Brien, your resident instigator, and this episode is me dusting off 12 steno pads, putting pen to paper, and reading a rough sketch called "Going Back" that leans on jazz, nostalgia, and the messy, beautiful return to simplicity. The poem walks through late-night weariness, a mausoleum of depression, and the small ritual of scratching thoughts down as both warning and salvation — basically me trying to send postcards to myself from places I shouldn't have left. I talk about why prompts didn't stick, how I decided no prompt was needed, and why editing in a new way helped the work breathe. Stick around for the pieces I read, give me your honest take, and take this as your friendly nudge to tame that inner critic: create more than you consume, write a poem about what you're going through, and maybe share it with me. I'll catch you next month — same chaos, more poems. Poem: Going Back 6 Sept 2026
As October arrives, nature enters a deliberate cycle of rest and preparation—yet human creators often respond with end-of-year panic and frantic hustle. In the premiere episode of The Sustainable Shift, Timothy makes the case for The Slow Season. Discover why stepping back from relentless output isn't quitting, but rather essential infrastructure for long-term, sustainable creativity. Plus, an update on the "One Project" challenge and how you can join in. In this episode: Why October is the ideal month to reject end-of-year pressure and embrace quiet focus. The danger of treating creativity like a factory floor that never closes for maintenance. How to build creative boundaries that protect your energy and prevent burnout. An invitation to commit to your "One Project" for the rest of the year.
In the final episode of Create Anyway: You’re Allowed to Make Art, we explore a powerful question that many artists avoid: What if what you’ve done is already enough? Throughout this series, we’ve talked about fear, identity, time, responsibility, and creative pressure. But at the center of all of it is a deeper tension — the belief that we are always behind, always lacking, always needing more before our work “counts.” This episode challenges that belief. If you’ve ever felt like: You’re not good enough yet You started too late You should be further along Your work doesn’t measure up
We live in a world that screams for more—more output, more hustle, and more noise. But the most enduring work isn't born from the noise; it’s born from the quiet. In this special trailer episode, Timothy introduces the upcoming season of the Create Art Podcast: The Sustainable Shift. Starting this October, we are moving away from the "more-is-better" mindset. Instead, we’re focusing on Sustainable Creativity—finding a way to create that lasts as long as you do. We’ll be exploring the necessity of Reframing Failure as valuable data, and we are launching the "One Project" challenge: a call to commit to just one creative goal, free from the pressures of monetization or public performance. If you’re ready to protect your energy, reclaim your practice, and create more than you consume, join us for the new season starting in October 2026. In this episode: The mission behind The Sustainable Shift season. Why we are moving beyond "hustle culture" to prioritize long-term, sustainable craft. An introduction to the "One Project" challenge and how you can participate.