Tag: time management | Page 6

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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Just Busy Enough

Thursday, September 26th, 2013|

“How is everything?” friends and colleagues ask. If your answer is–like mine is often–” I’m super busy!” we hope it is for the right reasons. Perhaps we should be aiming for “Just busy enough, thanks!”

Lots of projects

It’s nice to be wanted and appreciated for your skills and innovative ideas. Having a lot of projects to choose from is a great reason to be busy, as long as all of those projects are ones you want to do for clients who are professional and trustworthy. Choose your clients wisely.

Balancing work and life

When you’re working, you’re working hard and working efficiently, but you are also spending time on your hobbies, doing things that you are passionate about, and with friends and family. Busy during working hours is definitely the right kind of busy–as long as working hours aren’t 24/7.

Focus

Goal-oriented, once you have started a project, you work at it until it’s finished and then take a break. You probably experience a high degree of job satisfaction because you can check things off your list and relax when you’re done. And then you have time to relax, reflect and recharge.

There are times when we all get too busy, though, and it seems like a never-ending cycle. How can you get out of that loop?

Set a schedule–Separate working hours and personal hours and stick to your plan. You will soon teach yourself to work more efficiently within those limitations.

Be honest with yourself and your clients about how much you can take on—More work is great for the pocketbook, but if you are reaching your effective limit, negotiate for a start date a couple of weeks away. If your client really wants you, they can probably wait a reasonable time.

Turn off your notifications–Often overwhelming levels of busyness are a factor of how many times we are interrupted. We all need to remember we don’t need to check our email every 3 minutes or even answer the phone right away. Get to the end of that block of time and then check and see if anything was urgent.

“Just busy enough” is much better than not busy enough, but if you hear yourself complaining about how busy you are, it might be time to evaluate the reasons why. I really am “super busy” but it’s all with projects and clients I am passionate about, as well as volunteer responsibilities. I take regularly scheduled breaks and never work on Saturdays, no matter what. And I carry my hobby with me so I can relax when I find I finished something earlier than I expected. Just busy enough, thanks!

What do you do to make sure you are just busy enough? Give us your tips in the comments!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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For Creativity: Sound or Silence

Tuesday, September 10th, 2013|

A constant flow of creative energy is a goal devoutly to be wished. We don’t always manage to be as creative–or as productive–as we would like, but a small change to our working environment might make a big difference.

Ambient Sound and Creativity

A recent study showed that about 70 decibels of noise literally triggers the part of your brain responsible for creativity. 50 decibels was found to be too soft and 85 decibels too loud. Here is a chart of common sounds and how many decibels they are.

The noise level in that coffeeshop you like is about right, but so is your livingroom TV or radio, a vacuum cleaner or the white noise you hear riding in a car going 25mph.

If you don’t want to go to the coffeeshop, but want the non-caffeine-related benefits, you can even have the noise of a coffeeshop at home via this app!

Silence and Creativity

At the other end of the spectrum is a more difficult thing to find: silence. Many creativity experts feel that silence is the only true route to creative thinking.

Many creatives of the past had an opinion: Thomas Merton – “In silence you will discover the Great Artist from whom you emerged; you will sense the pulse of creative energy through your being so that you slowly grow to recognize that creating is your birth-right;” Shaksespeare called silence “the perfectest herald of joy.”

If you live in a city, a day of silence can be hard to come by and you, like our coffeeshop denizen above, may need to go somewhere other than your everyday workspace to find it.

If you find yourself stuck or struggling to be creative, why not try the unfamiliar? Whether you turn on that coffeeshop app or some music or even go out for some ambient noise, it could make all the difference in what you accomplish.

Or if your typical day is full of sound and fury, try turning everything off for a while. Go outside and let the only sound you hear be the grass growing. Either way, a change in your environment might mean a change in your mood and your energy and may very well-knit up the raveled sleeve of care into a lovely finished project.

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Labor Day or Thinking Day

Friday, August 30th, 2013|

As so many of the people around me are starting a new school year, the importance of having a clean start, with clear goals and benchmarks comes to mind. I, like the students around me, love an empty notebook, new pens, and a three-day weekend to take a breath before making a proper beginning.

Most articles we read about time management concentrate on being more productive–getting more done in the shortest possible time. And I’m a big fan of what I call “ninja” multitasking–finding ways to do things faster and more accurately, both to benefit myself (more free time) and my clients (better work), brings me great satisfaction.

I recently came across an article on LinkedIn by eBay CEO John Donahoe called “To Beat the Chaos, Take a Thinking Day” and it really struck home. Donahoe takes a day of uninterrupted time every three months to focus on what’s important, to “recalibrate and adjust my goals, my priorities, and my calendar.” Sounds like a good idea.

There are inevitably times when we feel constantly behind, every day filled up with urgent projects and deadlines, so full that working hours run into family time. Add volunteer responsibilities, and it’s not hard to feel overwhelmed.

So on the upcoming long weekend, I will be taking a look at my routine (again), deciding what to carve time out for this fall and what to let go. And I will set some new goals for my new year. I never could adjust to not starting over in September anyway.

We would love to hear about your goals for the new school year, whatever they may be. Tell us about them in the comments!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Reflections: Being Inspiring

Thursday, August 15th, 2013|

As creatives, we know that inspiration sometimes strikes when we need it and sometimes it stays away. There are days when we can’t write down our ideas as fast as they come to us and days when we sit staring at the screen, the sketchbook, the canvas, wondering if we will ever have another original thought.

Whether it is getting out into nature, listening to music, exercising, or practicing a hobby for a while, most of us have techniques we use to refresh our well of creativity. But today’s topic is being inspiring, not being inspired. So let’s turn it around a bit. When a co-worker or a collaborator is in need of some inspiration, try some of these techniques to help them out of a rut:

Ask questions–Explaining what the challenge is may help your colleague find a way around it. Take the opportunity to brainstorm about it together.
Use positive language–Friends need someone to listen when they need to vent, but the language we use about a creative block can help it to break up or build it into a seemingly impregnable wall. Help your friend make a list of what’s good about the project so far and stop judging herself for not having solved everything yet.
Be enthusiastic–Genuine delight is contagious. Be generous with it.
Try your strategies on them–Take your struggling friend for a walk outside. Share an inspiring playlist or inspirational quote. Send them a link to an amazing photo or painting.

Help a friend experiencing a creative block and you can be the difference between a good day and a bad one. Pablo Picasso said: “Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working.” Be the inspiration; don’t just wait for it to hit.

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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It’s Not What You Start, It’s What You Finish

Thursday, August 8th, 2013|

Multitasking seems like a fact of life. Especially for entrepreneurs and freelancers, who are constantly both working on projects and building their businesses, it’s impossible to focus on one thing from beginning to end without interruption.

We don’t have to let the necessity for keeping all those plates in the air affect our productivity in a negative way. Here are our tips for effective time management and reaching that satisfying moment when you cross something off your to-do list:

Block out your time–If you know a certain two-hour span is reserved for a specific project, you can put everything else aside. Don’t check emails, put the phone on silent, be fully present for your project. If you set a timer for the end of your time block, you don’t even have to think about how long you’ve been working. Work until the bell rings. And then take a break–you deserve it!
Don’t take on too much work–We’ve all had those times when a favorite client calls with a rush job right when we are totally booked up. We want to do it but we really ought to wait a week or two so that we can give it our full concentration. Be honest and don’t get yourself overwhelmed. All of your projects will suffer and you might lose more than that one client in the end. There are ways to say “not right now, sorry” that will keep your favorites around.
Delegate–You probably know some freelancers in your field who could pick up the ball and take over some parts of your project if you need them to. Don’t hesitate to ask them for help in a tight spot. Only ask people whose work you can fully endorse. It would be even better to have someone already in your network for backup before the need arises.
Do sweat the small stuff–Correcting mistakes definitely takes longer than doing things right the first time. Don’t miss the trees for the forest. Pay attention.

It can be a challenge to focus on one thing long enough to get it done, but we’ve all had those days

where we feel like we finished nothing and have no sense of accomplishment. Good time management make you better able to finish a few things instead of starting a lot and not finishing any.

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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3 Secrets to Vacation and Sick Days When You Freelance

Tuesday, July 2nd, 2013|

When I came down with the flu last month, I had to take a day off from working for my freelance clients. I can’t think of the last time that happened. A sick day.

Now that summer is here, the temptation to take some vacation time looms as large as the thermometer in the corner of my computer screen.

What about time off for freelancers?

Full-time employees understand how important it is to have time for yourself and your family outside of work. They get weekends, holidays as well as paid vacation and sick days. But when a day off means losing a day’s pay, is it still worth it?

Absolutely!

Although sick days are not ideal when you just have the sniffles, the time you take to heal will most likely be shorter if you rest and let yourself recuperate. If you do work a day or two while you’re under the weather, you could find yourself worse and have to take more time off than you ever intended.

Vacation days or even just long weekends are also times to recharge, revive your creativity, engage in your hobbies and get some exercise. All of those activities can also increase your productivity better than if you would have kept your nose to the grindstone.

What are the secrets of taking time off?

Transparency–If you are too sick to work, communicate that to your clients. They will understand. It happens, and they should understand. If there is someone else who can cover for you or deal with emergencies, let them know as well.
Plan ahead—As soon as you know the dates when you will be taking personal time off, let your clients know. Also identify whether you will be contactable during this time, checking in, or doing any work while you are away. This is even more important if you are going completely “off the grid” or maybe somewhere you might not be reachable.
Don’t feel guilty—You’re probably saying to yourself, “I never feel guilty about taking time off!” But it usually hits when the smaller paycheck lands in the mailbox. Try to remember the benefits of your time off are worth more than money if you use that time thoughtfully.

I will be away for a couple of weeks soon, part of that time totally disconnected. I plan to enjoy my time off thoroughly. Let us know what you have planned for this summer in the comments!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Procrastination for Productivity

Thursday, May 16th, 2013|

Procrastinating has a bad reputation. “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” But if you are a chronic procrastinator who still produces successful work, you may be doing it right after all.

Putting things off until the last minute can certainly lead to high levels of stress and less attention to detail. However, some forms of procrastination can lead to high levels of efficiency:

Do you…

Take breaks when you lose concentration? When your mind reaches a point where it is easily distracted from the project at hand, let it. Step away for a little while, close the laptop, take a walk, read a chapter. When you get back to work, you will be energized for the next step.
Think before you type? They say that Mozart composed all of his music in his mind and then just wrote it all down. You may not be a musical genius, but some of your creative work is going on in your head before you hit the keyboard. If you find that by the time you sit down to create you have made a lot of the decisions, you weren’t really procrastinating.
Look for inspiration? We are surrounded by information and inspiration. If we are open to it, ideas will come to us while we are doing other activities. Keeping track of those ideas is part of the creative process, even if they come to us during a run or a movie.
Take a second pass? Some people spend a lot of time trying to get their first draft as close to final copy as possible; others grind out a rough idea and refine it later. Taking time to let that rough draft percolate and coming back to it with a more detached point of view can lead to a better result in the end.

I was supposed to write this blog post on Sunday. But it was Mother’s Day, so I wrote it on Monday. Yes, I procrastinated, but I had a lovely day. Did it work out?

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Job Posting Red Flags

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013|

If you’re like most job seekers, you spend hours searching for, identifying, and applying to jobs that seem like a great fit for your skills and experience. Most of the time your resume and cover letter disappear into the “resume black hole” with no response or feedback. Sometimes when you do hear back and go through a round of interviews, the job or company really is too good to be true! In both cases – you’ve wasted valuable job-seeking time.

If only there were a way to know which job postings had the best potential for success?

While our recruiters know of no guaranteed solution, they can suggest a few red flags to be aware of when reviewing job postings:

- Details about the position, requirements, or salary are lacking. This usually indicates that there is not an actual position. Rather, the company is using the posting as a way of collecting resumes for future positions. It’s not always a bad thing to respond to these kinds of posts – especially if you are a freelancer. However, if you’re searching on a deadline – you’re better off applying for something more targeted.

- The job description doesn’t match the title or the job pairs two skillsets not normally found together. When companies are asking for unrealistic or hard to find skills, it usually means they either don’t value those specific skills in the business (and therefore don’t understand what’s required for certain positions) or their budgets are too tight to allow for more than one position (and this person will be called upon to wear many hats within the business). Candidates should consider the effects of work environment and ability for growth in organizations like these.

- The job is older than 30 days or is constantly reposted. This can indicate the job is not a high priority for the company (and they are in no rush to fill it), there is a high turnover at the company (requiring them to refill the job often) or the job has already been filled (and not removed from the company website). None of these reasons is good news for a prospective candidate.

The job description asks for sensitive information. Before you provide your Social Security Number or Bank Information, be sure you are considering a legitimate company and providing the information through a secure talent management solution. You have enough to worry about when searching for a new job. Don’t add identity theft to the list!

While one or two of these red flags don’t necessarily mean something is wrong with the job, the more you see in one job, the less likely you are to find a successful match.

Jess Bedford, for Artisan Creative

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Managing Time Wasting Managers

Thursday, March 7th, 2013|

You’re humming along, checking things off your to-do list, confident that you will accomplish all of your goals for the day, and then—screech! Your productive day comes to a halt.

Your manager has interrupted you. And your flow.

Hopefully, your manager has an important idea to discuss, practical suggestions to make or new solution to recommend. By stopping to review them together, you could ultimately make your day even more productive.

However, some managers just don’t know when to leave you alone to finish your work. They often find a few different ways of stopping you in your tracks. The key is knowing how your manager could try to derail you and, more importantly, how to manage the situation so you can maintain your workflow, productivity, and a successful relationship.

Email—Some managers have to send an email about everything that crosses their minds. Although you cannot ignore their missives forever, you can wait until a designated time (either after your current project or when you’re ready for a break) to respond to several of these comments together.
At the door—Other managers will check in on you too often. Greet her with a smile, tell her how it’s going. Ask her if you can have a little while to finish and you will come to her office, and then be sure to stop by later.
Offering encouragement—We all like some cheering on at times, but when it is just an interruption, encouragement can be, well, discouraging. “Isn’t this fun?!” can definitely get on your nerves after a while. Answer with enthusiasm and put your manager at his ease. After all, he’s really just trying to make sure you’re okay.
Stop doing that and do this—Managers who are always in emergency mode can make it hard to complete a project – since their priorities seem to change every few minutes. Talk to her about how long the current task will take and when you can start the next one. Stay calm and breathe. Maintain your cool and don’t join in the panic.

Everyone does these things occasionally. And sometimes we do need to be interrupted for important reasons. But if your manager exhibits one of these behaviors often, it is a good idea to have a plan in place so that you can still achieve what you set out to achieve during your workday.

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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