Today, we are happy once again to have Jan’s husband, Tom Johnson, share a guest post. He is a wonderful husband, dad, accomplished entertainer, actor, singer, and musician, all around fix-it guy, remodeler, furniture builder, biker, and most of all–his grandkids adore him! You can find out more about the group he performs with here. If you missed it, his previous post was about the Birthday Breakfast Club.

There is an old Hebrew proverb that says: “two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.”

Whether you tend to be a loner, like me, or are very connected, this article is meant to inspire you to greater creativity by one simple activity:

Connect with someone who has a collaborator-spirit.

Over 35 years ago I linked up with a guy I can actually say has made me more creative and much more productive just by knowing and working with him.

Here are three reasons why:

First is that you get more done when a job is shared. It’s obvious that heavy things are easier lifted when you have help, but “think tanks” generate more ideas to accomplish tasks than a single mind. A “multitude of counselors” helps you avoid mistakes or “reinventing” the wheel.” Mistakes can be avoided by having an extra set of eyes or a second opinion. And an extra pair of hands makes the job go more quickly when you coordinate your efforts.

Second, it’s more fun. Joy is not just added to but multiplied when it is shared with someone. And the feeling of accomplishing a task, especially a complicated or heavy one, brings a sense of relief and victory. High-fives, pats on the back, shared smiles, a heartfelt compliment and a sincere “thank you” once the job is completed are things you don’t experience on your own.

Last but not least is the benefit of the learning process you get when you work together. This actually goes back to the apprentice idea of earlier generations. Good teachers always learn more than their students. When two people learn from a single experience, the learning time can be cut in half and ideas shared together will expand exponentially.

This close friend of mine is one that I can count on to help me accomplish just about any task. We have worked together so much over the years that we anticipate the next step of the process and are already in motion to get the tool, hold the board, measure the next length or laugh when something unexpected happens. Note: Now I have to admit that we don’t accomplish all of our tasks faster than if we did it alone. Sometimes we take longer breaks or get sidetracked on something trivial but that’s some of the fun part of the connection.

Take it from our comic book heroes. The ones that had great sidekicks were less frustrated and had someone to watch their back or come to their rescue. Robin Hood had his merry men, Batman was joined by Robin, Tarzan found his Jane, Inspector Clouseau (Pink Panther) was aided and often attacked by Kato.

If you’re not sure where to start, the authors of this blog, Jan and Melinda, are two that I would encourage you to e-mail, call, or contact. I’ve seen them grow together as a team to bring you so many fun, interesting, productive activities, and thought-provoking ideas. They could inspire you on the road to more fun and creativity.

Find your dynamic duo (or trio ) and watch how much fun you have and how much more you accomplish together. The key is: The more you do together, the easier it gets and the better you will become as you dream and create together.