Side project sessions
MADELEINE DORE WANTS TO HELP YOU GET SHIT DONE.
Madeleine Dore is busy. So busy that sitting down to write – and colour-code – her epic to-do list actually has to be scheduled in and of itself. As a freelance writer forever brimming with ideas, the Melbourne lass juggles editorial and commercial commitments with a string of out-of-hours side hustles. Oh, and sometimes she finds time to sneak a bit of shut-eye, too.
“I feel like Goldilocks,” Madeleine says of her ‘try a bit of this and a bit of that’ attitude, which has seen her launch interview project Extraordinary Routines and begin penning her own book. But flirting with side ventures while committing to something stable that pays the bills isn't an easy task. “It can be frustrating,” she says. “Especially when my personal creative work falls to the bottom of my list.” So, what does one do when their creative productivity feels like it’s going down the gurgler? Why, start a new endeavour, of course! Madeleine’s latest labour of love, Side Project Sessions, was born from her struggle to get the ‘professional vs. personal work’ balance just right. And while the makeshift office nook in her sharehouse was a great place to pump out her 9-to-5 tasks, Madeleine craved a space she could escape to – somewhere she could connect with other like-minded folks – when delving into her out-of-hours stuff. Since last year, the regular event series – which Madeleine describes as “peer-pressured productivity” – has encouraged creative types to up their side hustle game through focused ‘45 minutes on, 15 minutes off’ communal work sessions. Every other Sunday, punters take over a colourful co-working space in Melbourne’s north, bringing literally anything they’ve shoved to the side to complete ‘later’: half-written novels, illustrations, life admin, resignation letters, dating profiles, Phds and more. There’s no pressure to share their personal work, network or even chat to anyone while they’re at the event. “It’s simply about people having the space and making time for whatever they’ve been putting off,” Madeleine says. “And yes, there’s coffee.”
Just as diverse as the neglected projects are people’s reasons for letting them fall by the wayside. For some, it’s self-doubt and a fear of stuffing up their dream assignment; for others, it’s a lack of time, writer’s block, or plain old procrastination. Surrounded by the supportive bunch at Side Project Sessions, attendees are held accountable for getting shit done – “guilted into working on their project,” as Madeleine says. With the help of time management techniques (and some carefully timed bell rings) they can put their heads down and focus, with nothing fighting for their attention. Attendance rates have doubled since the event launched last year, with an average of 40 people turning up to each session. There’s talk of new chapters opening up interstate, and the model being licensed overseas, as well – but back home, Madeleine has expanded on the concept by taking on private clients looking for a more intimate alternative to the larger group format. In her one-on-one “accountability sessions”, Madeleine helps creatives figure out where their projects are getting stuck, and how they can push through to improve productivity. “I deep-dive into what’s been holding them back,” she says. “Together, we find solutions, set goals, establish a routine or set up habit triggers.”
Madeleine counts a novelist in need of a clean desk; a comedian seeking a pre-gig writing routine; and an artist overwhelmed by an unruly to-do list among her Side Project Session success stories. And launching the events has helped her with her own time management, too. If she ever gets a day off, though, you’ll find her hosting a potluck, indulging in a boozy brunch or – rather ironically – staring into space. “Procrastination is actually a hobby of mine!” she admits with a chuckle.