Introducing: The Futur's Finds

We may be stuck a home for a little while, but that doesn't mean we can't use this time to learn something new, find new sources of inspiration, or get some face time with The Futur team.

So, we created The Futur's Finds: a list of content, ideas, and more to help freshen up your week. For this very first edition, we’ve scoured every nook and cranny of the Internet to assemble this list just for you.

We hope you dig in, challenge yourself, and discover something new.

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This week’s assignment

Challenge yourself to design a poster or two this week! Head to Blank Poster to get briefed on the word of the week and submit your poster design. Share your poster on social and be sure to tag #IsolateAndCreate if you participate!

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‍Pick up a new skill

• Designing a custom website from scratch has never been easier thanks to Ran Segall’s Flux Academy. Check out the two courses: The $10k Website Process and the Webflow Masterclass to get started. Save 25% on the Webflow Masterclass with the code FRIENDS-OF-FUTUR.‍
• Take a college course without the hefty tuition. Free Code Camp put together this list of 450 Ivy League courses you can take online for free.
• If you design logos or identity systems, check out The Logo Package. This tool is used to export every possible iteration of your logo. And through the entire month of April, you can save 25% when you use the code home at checkout.

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Webinars of the week

We've got three webinars lined up next week with Mr. Ben Burns, Greg, and Matthew. Get all the details to register here:

Show Your Work: Creating Case Studies That Convert
Tuesday, April 7 at 1:00 PM PST
Find out how you can land more projects by improving your portfolio with Mr. Ben Burns.
Click here to register

‍Color Q&A
Wednesday, April 8 at 6:00 PM PST
Get all of your questions on color, building palettes, and color theory answered by Greg Gunn.
Click here to register

Communicating With Your Client & Managing Your Team
Thursday, April 9 at 4:00 PM PST
Join Matthew Encina to learn how to stop going back and forth with your team and run your projects smoothly.
Click here to register

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Boost your productivity

• Find out how the world’s top CEOs stay productive all week long.
• This one productivity technique is the simplest, yet most underrated. See for yourself.

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Listen while you work

Music we’re loving:

• For fans of jazz, Night of Ballads and Blues by McCoy Tyner sets the right tone for a stress-free work day.
• For fans of electronic music, step into Medasin’s colorful, calming world with his newest album, RIPPLS.
• This Focus Flow playlist from Spotify has 100+ songs of chill, instrumental hip-hop beats to help you stay on task.

Podcasts we recommend:

• This episode from The New York Times gives us an honest look at what living with someone with coronavirus is really like.
• And if you want to help your kids understand the situation surrounding the pandemic, listen to this episode from the NYT.
• Get in a good laugh when you listen to this conversation with comedians Conan O’Brian and Bill Hader.

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Book of the week

• The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy - Small habits matter, and this book will show you how impactful they can be over time.

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Meals to try this week

No need to order more groceries. These recipes contain ingredients you might already have on hand:

• Breakfast - Curry Avocado Egg Toast
• Lunch - Easy Black Bean Soup
• Dinner - Quick Pantry Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes
• Bonus - Give Dalgona Coffee a whirl. It's the frothy coffee drink that has the whole Internet buzzing over its extreme aesthetic and drool-worthy appeal.

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What to watch

For your entertainment:

• I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson on Netflix has us spitting out our water laughing. These sketches are downright hilarious, raunchy, and sure to lift your spirits.
• Tiger King on Netflix has exploded in popularity in the US, and for good reason. Step into Joe Exotic’s roadside Oklahoma zoo to experience this “stranger-than-fiction” world for yourself.
• It Is the People | A Pacific Crest Trail Film follows Elina Osborne as she hikes all 2,650 miles from the border of Mexico to Canada. This YouTube docu-series is a raw and breathtaking look at the incredible lengths humans can go.

Or, if you want to learn something:

• Manoush Zomorodi’s 2017 TED talk, How Boredom Can Lead to Your Most Brilliant Ideas, gives us a fresh dose of inspiration to turn our boredom from nothing into something.

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Off-screen activities

Move your body:

• Download the Down Dog app to get a variety of workouts including yoga, barre, and HIIT. You can customize everything from the pace, voiceover, intensity, or focusing on a target area. Plus, it's free till May 1st!
• Sign up for a Nike membership for free here to get the premium version of the Nike Training Club for free. Get access to world-class trainers, 185+ workouts for cardio, strength, and endurance, nutrition guidance, and more.

Brain teasers:

• Sudoku hasn’t gone out of style. Take part in the Sudoku challenge and play against a partner. The first person to finish 3 puzzles wins!
• Got a 1,000 piece puzzle laying around your house somewhere? Try to finish assembling it before the end of the week.

Tidy up:

• Marie Kondo can’t come to you, so if you’ve been putting off organizing your pantry, closet, or garage, now’s the perfect time to do it.

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And finally, a quote to keep in mind throughout the week

"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop."
— Confucius

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