Tag: self-improvement | Page 15

Reflections: Perfection

Thursday, December 12th, 2013|

Are you a perfectionist? There are certainly areas of my life where I would like to be perfect, but I’m comfortable knowing that I cannot achieve it in everything all the time. The quest for perfection can be motivating or it can stop us from ever feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Not everything requires perfection all the time and taking a moment to establish whether what you are working on needs that level of attention or whether the cost of trying is just too high can make the difference between a good day and a miserable one.

Ask yourself:

Is perfection possible? Be realistic about what can be done. You might have to rely on others for work product or be required to follow suggestions with which you don’t agree. Assess the situation pragmatically.
Is perfection desirable? If you are an artist in any medium, perfection is not really your goal, making art is. In my artistic life, I take the imperfections in stride. After all, if I needed perfect every time, I could make a recording and just play it, but that is nothing like the excitement of live performance.
Is perfection worth the cost? Sure you might achieve perfection, if only you didn’t have to sleep or eat, but that is a high price to pay, especially at the holidays when you want to spend time with friends and family. And while you might achieve technical perfection, you might lose on creativity if you don’t keep your energy reserves full.
Is efficient and function more important than perfect? We’ve seen it in the Affordable Care Act website situation–what is needed is a site that works and works well. And quickly. Perfect could get in the way of what is truly needful under some circumstances.
Can I let go of perfection? If you are a perfectionist, you may have the most trouble with this one. Being able to walk away–even temporarily–when something has reached a good stopping place is a discipline worth fostering.

I’m grateful not to be a perfectionist. Except, of course, in music…and grammar…and spelling. Let me know if I missed anything!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Staying Productive During the Holidays

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013|

If you’re like everyone I know, this is your busiest time of the year. Not only are we all doing our year-end assessments and strategy sessions for 2014, we are spending time outside of work preparing for celebrations, houseguests and gift-giving.

You might feel like you have something filling up every waking moment already, but unless you are functioning at a high level all the time, there is still room for you to get more done quicker and maybe even reduce your stress. After all, there’s almost nothing as relaxing as checking that last item off your to-do list.

We recently read an article on Amex Open Forum by Michael Beck of Skyline Group International about the 4 elements of what he calls “personal energy” and they sound pretty on point. Mr. Beck tells us that to be productive, we must keep all 4 energy reserves topped up:

Physical Energy–You cannot function at your peak without a healthy body. Eat small, nutritious meals often and make sure you are getting enough sleep, whatever amount that is for you.

Emotional Energy–Focus on the positives. Make a list of what went great yesterday or what you are grateful for before you start your day. Practice positive self-talk. Not only will you be able to maintain your equilibrium, but you can have a positive influence on the stressed out people around you.

Mental Energy—Take breaks. We cannot emphasize this enough. High productivity is impossible to maintain over many hours in a row. Take a 15 or 20 minute break every 90 minutes. Walk around the block, read a book, listen to some music, even close your eyes for a catnap. Your next 90 minutes will be just as productive as the last.

Inspirational Energy–Whether you get your best ideas when you draw or run or sing or read, carve out time to do the things that inspire you. You’re not wasting time–you’re saving it by getting your ideas lined up for when you get down to work.

This time of year can be overwhelming, but it’s amazing what we can get done in just a few weeks. What if we were this productive all year round?

We would love to hear your suggestions for staying productive throughout this busy time of year!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Imagine: 50 Years of Giving

Tuesday, November 26th, 2013|

Our Founder Jamie Douraghy gave this short interview for Entrepreneurs Organization about entrepreneurship and giving back and we wanted to share it with you this Thanksgiving week.

Transcript follows.

Jamie Douraghy:

The reason I got involved because I was asked to be the Philanthropy Chair. And of course the big theme of this whole conference was the ability to give back. Imagine the compounded return if people started giving in their 20’s and 30’s, as opposed to waiting until the later years of their lives to suddenly–the light to go on. Imagine 50 years of giving.

It’s about creating something from nothing, creating it from an idea. And I shouldn’t say “nothing.” Creating something from something. And taking it to the next level. That’s what entrepreneurs do.

We knew that each person up on that stage was giving. The fact that they came from whatever they were doing, to take time away, I mean, based on one of the most successful young entrepreneurs right now. I’m sure he has a lot on his plate, but he gave of his time. So every single person on that stage gave. Unconditionally. And that was a huge message to everyone in that room. No matter who you are, where you are, just give.

For me, the central goal for EO Alchemy was to bring people initially from the Western Region together, to celebrate entrepreneurship. We haven’t had a conference in the west before–that’s had all around the world. Somehow the West Region wasn’t able to pull it together up to this point. What I would like to see for EO Alchemy in the future is to have a conference in every single city that we have a chapter in. So we have 15 chapters in the west. I would love to see 15 Alchemies, year over year. Have it in Hawaii, have it in Boise, Idaho, have it in Phoenix, Arizona. Every year to celebrate entrepreneurism. It’s not about the location, it’s about the people coming together to celebrate entrepreneurism. So I would really like to see Alchemy in all 15 of our chapters and, hopefully, more chapters as they grow.

For Jamie and for Artisan Creative, giving back is essential to entrepreneurship. We are thankful for the opportunities we have to give back this year and every year. Just imagine what we could do together in the future!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wendy Stackhouse, Consultant for Artisan Creative

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Being Your Own Mentor

Tuesday, November 19th, 2013|

At Artisan Creative, we are big fans of mentorship. Artisan Founder Jamie Douraghy is passionate about mentoring and being mentored. There are times, however, when we find ourselves without a mentor for a situation we are trying to navigate. Can you be your own mentor?

Yes!

We went back and took a look at our interview with Jamie to see if any of his advice applies to being your own mentor:

- Mentors help you learn from their mistakes. Make sure you don’t miss any opportunities to learn from your own.

Believe in yourself. Use positive language in your self-talk, just like the positive language you would get from a great mentor. You are capable of more than you think.

Some other ways to mentor yourself:

Consciously seek inspiration–Read, go to cultural events, practice activities that inspire you and bring you joy. Inspire yourself.

Explore career options–Your skills and passions may lead you in a different direction than you think. Let them.

Set goals and hold yourself accountable–Develop a system for checking on your own progress. Software that works as a tickler or scheduled email reminders work for us.

Seek out professional development opportunities—Learn new things and meet new people. You don’t always need an introduction. Who knows, you might find a real-life mentor!

There are insights and encouragement that can only get from another person with different experience and a unique point-of-view, but even if you find yourself between mentors, you don’t have to give up all of the advantages a mentor brings to your professional life. Give yourself a present this holiday season–be your own mentor!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Messy Desk? Congratulations!

Thursday, October 24th, 2013|

I have a confession to make. Clutter does not bother me. Which is a good thing, considering I share my workspace with 2 teenagers, 2 dogs, a cat and a spouse. Luckily, dogs take naps, teens go to school and my spouse goes to work elsewhere, but they do leave behind enough clutter to drive anyone else crazy.

A recent study we read about in Pacific Standard Magazine discovered that I may not have to clean the house before I finish this post:

“‘Disorderly environments seem to inspire breaking free of tradition, which can produce fresh insights,” a team of researchers led by the University of Minnesota’s Kathleen Vohs writes in the journal Psychological Science. “Orderly environments, in contrast, encourage convention and playing it safe.’”

The study used the challenge of having to find something innovative to do with ping-pong balls while working in a neat room or a messy room. The messy room subjects and the neat room subjects came up with the same number of ideas, but the messy room folks’ ideas were more innovative.

You might have noticed that we like these kinds of studies: what makes people more creative or helps them get past creative blocks. Of course, we are all different and have our individual preferences. If you need a tidy space before your ideas can flow, plan time to tidy up before you sit down to work on that project so the clutter doesn’t get in the way. But if you’re okay with a little chaos in your workspace, you might come up with better ideas.

The bottom line is know yourself. Your process is yours–own it. And try to be tolerant of colleagues and co-workers who have different preferences. The person in the cubicle next to you might need all those post-it notes on the walls to help her to think outside the cube.

Wendy Stackhouse, Consultant for Artisan Creative

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Forge! 2013 by The Skool

Tuesday, October 22nd, 2013|

At Artisan Creative, we love to get involved with local events and network, especially when they’re targeted at women in business, so when we were invited to be on a panel of speakers at Forge! 2013, we jumped at the chance to attend.

Held at WeWork in Hollywood, Forge! is a conference aiming to coach budding female entrepreneurs in business, tech, creative and life skills and how they can apply them to their lives. The 2-day event saw demonstrations, pitches and talks from CEOs, Brand Strategists, Product Developers, and our very own President, Katty Douraghy.

Katty spoke about the importance of taking care of yourself when you run a business, how you can implement a process into your schedule, and what works for her. Whether you run an agency or you work full-time, setting dedicated time aside to work out or do something for yourself can be difficult. Here are some Artisan-approved tips that can work for you:

- “Finding the passion and something that moves you is vital to success.” What do you enjoy doing? Katty found her passion in Zumba. See what’s local to you and try something new.

- If you have a hectic schedule and a jam-packed diary, book a meeting with yourself. You’ll never be double-booked!

- If you’re stuck behind a desk all day, try taking a walk or going for a hike and enjoy the outdoors. A great suggestion from Forge! was Walk Beverly Hills. Instead of having a meeting at the office, they propose you take walking meetings instead.

Smoothies! Attendees were treated to a great demonstration by Whole Foods. Combining ingredients such as kale, coconut water, bananas and almond milk will not only save you time, but give you the much needed energy to get you through the day.

The Skool is a really great resource for people in the digital industry and for people who want to learn more about digital projects, sales and running their own business. Not only did we have the chance to meet some incredibly talented people and learn a lot, it was great fun, too. Check out their upcoming events and if you have your own tips for staying healthy, we’d love to hear them.

Laura Pell, Talent Acquisition

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6 Tips for Better Employee Engagement

Thursday, October 17th, 2013|

I once had a boss who was the most enthusiastic person you’ll ever meet. She was always high energy, always excited, always fully present, and working hard. During an important and urgent project she could be heard asking everyone, “Isn’t this fun!?

All the time.

Her enthusiasm was definitely infectious and did inspire her team–mostly volunteers–to heights of creativity that none of us could have imagined. We built the Roman Colosseum out of cardboard boxes!

Of course, there were times, however, when you really wanted to answer, “Not so much.” We got tired and sometimes what she wanted us to do seemed truly impossible.

She was trying to keep us engaged and most of the time it worked. Here are some of our tips for keeping your team engaged even when they are approaching their burnout point:

Stay in the trenches–All the verbal encouragement in the world falls on deaf ears if you go back in your office and close the door. Leaders are willing to do everything their team is doing and more. Participate.
Listen to suggestions–That fantastic team you have assembled is a font of great ideas. Be flexible and let them make some of the decisions about the project. They will be more invested in its success than if they are just following directions.
Don’t hear whining–You’ll hear it or hear about it, but making a big deal about it won’t help. Block it out. It will pass, especially if you empower your team to implement their own ideas.
Keep calm and carry on–As the team leader, your attitude affects everyone else’s. Make sure you have a good one while you power through the project to completion.
Plan rewards–Your team will cheer those cupcakes or lattes, especially if their energy has passed its peak. Let them have a little party and they will continue on with goodwill.
Say “Thank You!”–Even if your project is in your team’s job descriptions, they will appreciate feeling appreciated. Gratitude is always in order.

Any team–or leader–can hit the wall, but you don’t have to fall apart when it happens. Be aware of the dynamics of your team, pay attention to nonverbal cues and the next time you say, “Isn’t this fun?” they just might say, “Yeah!”

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Time: More Than Money

Tuesday, October 15th, 2013|

The old saying goes, “Time is money.” Benjamin Franklin was supposed to have made up this aphorism. The provenance is not clear, but the sentiment has lasted centuries. Is it true?

Let’s look at what time really is.

An Investment–When we put time into learning new things so that we can grow in skill and ability, we make an investment in our future. It could be personal growth or even satisfaction in increased competence. Time is capital.

Productivity–Time spent working could be thought of as money, but that work is also support of relationships with co-workers and clients, creativity and innovation. A client or a company pays you for that time, but money is not all it represents.

Experience–Especially when you are on a job search, how much time you spent in different roles becomes a commodity of its own. You made a salary or were paid an hourly rate, but the time spent performing the tasks and completing the projects in your previous jobs made you the professional you are today and provides the stories you will tell at your next interview.

A Finite Resource–There is a point in our working lives when we realize that we have a limited amount of time left for work, for family, for learning, for growth. We start to think about how we want to spend that resource. Money could run out, but time is sure to.

For me, it comes down to this: Time is time. And it is more valuable than money will ever be. When I invest my time in a client, I am making a choice not just to use their resources, but also my own. When I learn something new, I am investing in my future. When I decide to spend years with a company, I am hoping that those years will lead to more challenging roles. And when I spend time giving back, I know that time has more value to the organizations I volunteer with because their resources can go to the cause which is our shared passion.

Time is more than money. Time is the most valuable, most precious thing we have. How will you spend yours?

Wendy Stackhouse for Artisan Creative

P.S. If you would like to get a glimpse of where I spent 30+ hours giving back last week, check out jbhsvma.com!

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Laura’s Report from Website Weekend

Tuesday, October 8th, 2013|

Tucked away in the center of China Town you will find Kleverdog Coworking, a shared office space for LA’s creative industry. This weekend it was home to Website Weekend LA, who were hosting their very first event – a hackathon dedicated to creating websites for non-profit organizations around LA. Always one to give back to the community, Artisan Creative sponsored the weekend and went to see the volunteers in action.

Speaking with one of the non-profits, Jonathan Skurnik, we talked about the importance of needing a website re-designed to increase coverage for such an important topic. “The Youth and Gender Media Project contains five films shown in communities around America aiming to improve inclusivity and train teachers, parents and students about how schools can be more tolerant towards students who are bullied.” Jonathan needed help with getting the message out there, so Website Weekend volunteers worked closely with him and presented ideas to build him the site that he needs to get that message across.

At Artisan, it’s vital to us that we give back to the community in some way. We’re active within the non-profit space, LA’s creative industry, and as individuals; we try to do what we can. So how do you decide whether you want to give back and why is it so important?

Skills: Not only do you get to help out with local organizations, it’s also a great place to acquire new skills and build upon existing ones. If you’re a designer, a developer or say, a project manager, there’s no better place to learn from new people and have new experiences when you’re choosing to help out.

Career Advancement: Impress future employees by showcasing volunteer work. If you’re applying for jobs in a competitive market, there’s no better way to stand out than by having additional work experience. It’s also a great way to change career paths – if you’re struggling to get into a particular industry, try volunteering in order to get some relevant experience beforehand.

Networking: Volunteering is a great place to meet new people from all industries. Take the time to get to know people you’re working with – not only will you make great friends; you’ll also make some great connections.

Rewarding: The impact that volunteering has on your community is a positive and worthwhile cause. Find a cause that utilizes your existing skills and is also fun for you; see how rewarding you find it.

Website Weekend was founded by Natalie MacLees who is involved with multiple UX and tech meet-ups around the city. Thanks to Natalie, non-profit organizations that previously had no online presence can now have a whole team dedicated to building, designing, and then teaching how to update and navigate their new site.

Laura Pell, Talent Acquisition for Artisan Creative

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Reflections: On Kindness

Thursday, October 3rd, 2013|

I started thinking this week about ways we can help our friends and colleagues when they are experiencing a period of unemployment. I came across an article with a list of things not to say to a friend who is unemployed and it had a lot of good points. We can certainly help with introductions and roleplaying practice for interview answers. What else can we do? Kindness goes a long way:

Buy a meal–Your friend probably has some anxiety about his finances. Don’t just invite him to have lunch, treat him to it. He’s probably not going out very often and could definitely use a break.
Help her ask for help–You could wait for your friend to tell you specifically what she would like from you, but she might not ever get there. Most of us don’t like asking for help. Be proactive and help her figure out what she needs most.
Listen–We all like to say encouraging things to our friends, but some of those words of encouragement can be difficult to hear when you feel like you’re not accomplishing anything. Encourage your friend to talk about his experience and how his search is going without telling him how surprised you are that he is still out of work.
Assume she’s doing the obvious–Of course, she is looking at online job boards and following up on the leads you have provided. Let her know when you come across a more targeted source or meet someone new in her industry, though.
Let him worry–This one is hard and I broke this rule myself just last week saying, “You didn’t like that job anyway; maybe it’s all for the best.” Even if that’s true, saying so may invalidate your friend’s feelings. Your friend will worry whether they express it to you or not. Be a safe place for him to say so and move on.

We all want to help our friends when they are anxious or in trouble and with today’s unemployment rate, a job search can take a while. Scott Adams said, “There’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” Sometimes the smallest thing makes a huge difference.

Wendy Stackhouse for Artisan Creative

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