When a new week begins, I wake up extra early. I prepare for the storm by prioritizing projects and tasks for myself and my team. Setting reasonable goals, I hope for the best and I expect interruptions. As I sip on my coffee, I realize early on that wins and disappointments will equally flavor the week ahead. I will work to remain calm, and as positive as possible. I crack my knuckles, it’s time to begin. Slack notifications start to chime, rush jobs unveil and clients have edits. Sounds familiar? It should – this is normal. And for me, this is no different than last week.
I have a team of creatives that wear their inventive and productive obligations like a cape. They are creative heroes and SUPER contributors… they know what is expected from them – QUALITY. This means deadlines need to be met, processes followed, details embraced while brand guides adhered to. All of it!
The pressure is on. How can we stay creative with all of this tension? Is it even possible to stay positive through it all? YES!
I know for ME, having expectations helps. Waiting for the pressure to go away is just a fantasy and will only bring on disappointment…. so let’s not do that. Your role as a creative contributor is much too important. Try to keep the important stuff…quality, honesty, communication and process… at the top of your list. A combination like this will breed confidence, integrity, and value.
I will always do what I can to finish my tasks for the day, (which let’s face it- it means only crossing off 2 things instead of 10). It’s OK if you don’t complete that list. Aspiring to do so is great, but gracing yourself to complete only what MUST be done is what matters. Projects will keep coming, you will knock socks off on some, and on others you may have a little rework. Either way – you did it.
Try to avoid over stressing with any thoughts of failure. Understanding your capabilities and delivering quality in your work is key. Pay close attention to your strengths, make mental notes, and challenge yourself to learn what kind of projects suit you best. Communicate this with your team. You owe it to yourself to be honest as this will keep your mind positive!
To fuel that visionary patron of innovations that you are, plan ahead, position quality as a pillar, and take some brakes. Your creative engine will strive, your amazing work will be noticed, AND more importantly – you will be healthy.