Searching Beyond the Cliché “Lessons”

For the past six year in the creative business, specifically working for start-ups, I’ve been told various things from bosses and co-workers. Everyone expects you to show up on time. They hint, “be ten minutes early”, they advise you to cater to your managers in various ways and get your work done; but, there are so many ways to do all of those things. There are so many ways to “get your work done.”

In my opinion, all of these “lessons” are common sense.

Thankfully, I had some amazing managers and softball coaches who were devoted to the careers and sports they loved. They poured information into me and I soaked it up. There are three mantras I use every day that I can’t live without. Check it.

1. Write EVERYTHING Down

My very first internship in Palo Alto was worth every minute. I worked directly with one of my favorite bosses who had to explain what “being green” meant. I was so green, I didn’t even know what the term meant, embarrassing. Along with a ton of advice, she gave me one of the greatest tips ever: “Write EVERYTHING down.”

Day to day, we are asked to do so many things. Irregular tasks are given to us with absolutely no notice. People call while we are making lunch and without thinking we forget exactly what they wanted. I jot down anything anyone asks me to do throughout the day, no matter where I am, on an outlined daily planner. It doesn’t need to be pretty; it just needs to be on paper and in a place you will remember. You can go back later and re-organize it into your checklist after you’ve finished the present task. The benefits are unreal. You will increase your memory, carry through tasks ahead of schedule, implement out of the box ideas, know exactly all the tasks you completed daily and exceed your daily goals. I can’t stress enough how many benefits there are.

As we go through our week, we finish client projects or produce goods. But there are so many elements to just those two things. To make sure I’m always on time with my projects, I document everything. It comes in handy if someone missed an email, or you need to find a misplaced document; you can refer directly to your curated notes. Most importantly, at the end of every week I jot down the tasks I didn’t finish from that week. On Monday morning, I refer straight to that list and start the week calmly, knowing exactly where I left off the Friday before.

Oddly, I also document the water, coffee and wine I drink. My energy is up and my mood is happier when I’m hydrated. If I don’t document the glasses I drink, I don’t drink anything all day. It’s the worst. I get lazy and irritable; so honestly, for the people I love, I drink water.

I’ve created a one-of-a-kind Daily Checklist for you to take your business to the next level. There aren’t any frills, and you can put your own creative mark in the blank spaces. But uniquely, everything will be in one place, all the way down to your daily hydration. It’s truly awesome to feel organized by writing your thoughts, ideas, and goals down on paper is one key way to streamline your day.

2. Connect with the People You Work With

I am a true introvert. Now, this doesn’t mean I’m not personable or friendly; it just means I do my best work alone. It also means, I hermit when I’m stressed. I was told, also, early on by a manager to connect with the people you work with because you never know what you can learn. This creative business is changing constantly and we all have different experiences, different strengths and hobbies. When I was starting out, I had to set aside time to ask co-workers to lunch or ask them how their day was. I’m so much of a worker-bee, this didn’t come naturally to me. Even now, I work hard to connect with people I work with. When I’m at work, my gut process is to hustle through the day; it’s to keep conversations short and my life private. Sadly, if we kept those we worked with at a distance we would miss out on joy-filled points in the work day. If you work solo, like so many of us, social media is a great way to create work connections. Coffee dates with fellow freelancers is a must. It’s amazing what community does to the spirit.

3. Be Consistent + Be You

Growing up, I played softball. In high school, my family and I would travel all over the country almost every weekend to play in recruiting tournaments filled with a massive amount of teams, players, and personalities. Junior year was so competitive, girls got rude and uncommonly catty. It started to really kill my confidence and sense of self worth. Thankfully, I had an amazing coach that paired two mantras together, “Be Consistent + Be You.”

Show up every day and do your best. Be consistent. Show up for yourself and work hard so you know you’ve done the best you can absolutely do. Show up for those you love. Love people well, consistently. Consistently practice on your craft. Show up, even if you have a crowd of one. Today, I am not playing softball, but I aim to consistently create and write, even if I am only writing or designing for one person. Doing what you love doesn’t mean you can master it by working every now and again. It takes hard work; it takes passion; it takes consistency. Lastly, listen consistently. Learn from others daily and keep improving.

Secondly, you can only be you. No one is you, that’s your power. When I was pitching, I was never the tallest, the fastest, or the strongest. But I pitched to my strengths and that helped my team win games. Now, as a designer, I can only create designs that are mine. I love illustrative vectors and simple graphics so I’m not going to bring loud colors into my work because it worked for someone else. I’m also not going to party at late night social events with potential clients; that’s not me. Coffee dates are completely in line with my passions, so that’s what I stick to. We are so awesome as ourselves. Be you. The benefits are endless.