If you work in a corporate setting, like I do, you can get bogged down in what I call "brush." That's the day in, day out stuff we do routinely - newsletters, updating brochures, putting on employee events, flyers, etc. It can take up all your time just keeping up with the regular stuff and before you know it, the plans you had for creating a big, creative and innovative campaign are still sitting on your mental shelf - and they're dusty.
Do you have a strategy for clearing out the brush so you can get to chopping down those big trees? How do you stay focused on the big rocks in your jar - the big ideas that will really bring change to your organization (or client). Here are my top 5:
1. Set aside time in your week to do that. Calendar it. Block it off and protect it the best you can. It can be difficult to be creative on demand, I know, but if you at least make a space in your week to do it, that can help.
2. Make a list of your brush items - and your brush fires. I find that if I clear out the little things, take care of what is suddenly urgent, then I can tackle bigger things. Brush can consume you and keep you from wading through the forest to get to the path you need. Clear it away first.
3. Commit to a time frame for completing your big issues. In essence, by assigning them a place on your task list with a timeframe, you create an accountability. Make it part of your work plan.
4. Talk to your boss and let him know that you have a great idea, but need some time to work on it. If your in box keeps filling up with more brush, you may be able to negotiate with your boss to let some of that slide while you work on the bigger issues. You'll need to win her over, but if your boss buys in to your concept, you can probably get support.
5. Use your time wisely. I don't mean just be efficient in how you use your time, I mean choose the time of day when you are most creative and use that for your big idea work. For example, I am most creative early in the morning. So I try to set aside any writing or proof reading or creative work for that time of the day. By day's end, I'm less creative so I leave Email, invoices, and other less mentally taxing tasks until the end of the day.
Those are my top 5 - I'd like to hear yours!
Do you have a strategy for clearing out the brush so you can get to chopping down those big trees? How do you stay focused on the big rocks in your jar - the big ideas that will really bring change to your organization (or client). Here are my top 5:
1. Set aside time in your week to do that. Calendar it. Block it off and protect it the best you can. It can be difficult to be creative on demand, I know, but if you at least make a space in your week to do it, that can help.
2. Make a list of your brush items - and your brush fires. I find that if I clear out the little things, take care of what is suddenly urgent, then I can tackle bigger things. Brush can consume you and keep you from wading through the forest to get to the path you need. Clear it away first.
3. Commit to a time frame for completing your big issues. In essence, by assigning them a place on your task list with a timeframe, you create an accountability. Make it part of your work plan.
4. Talk to your boss and let him know that you have a great idea, but need some time to work on it. If your in box keeps filling up with more brush, you may be able to negotiate with your boss to let some of that slide while you work on the bigger issues. You'll need to win her over, but if your boss buys in to your concept, you can probably get support.
5. Use your time wisely. I don't mean just be efficient in how you use your time, I mean choose the time of day when you are most creative and use that for your big idea work. For example, I am most creative early in the morning. So I try to set aside any writing or proof reading or creative work for that time of the day. By day's end, I'm less creative so I leave Email, invoices, and other less mentally taxing tasks until the end of the day.
Those are my top 5 - I'd like to hear yours!
No comments:
Post a Comment