Happy Tuesday, friends! As you already know, this week we’re chatting about all things behind the scenes over here at CCS, and I wanted to expand upon one of my blog posts last week, where I discussed how to get out of a work rut. The biggest theme in that post was switching it up; whether that’s who you’re interacting with or where you’re getting your work done.
I’ve brought on two new team members in the past few months. Amy, our Creative Director, is in Savannah, GA so all of our work has taken place remotely, but Izzy, our Marketing Coordinator is in Charlotte – just a couple short hours away from me in Sanford. That means that we’ve been able to meet up to work together, and it’s been so refreshing being able to do so!
Right now we’re on a biweekly schedule, where one week Izzy will drive to me in Raleigh, and the next, I’ll drive to her in Charlotte! This has been a great way to brainstorm, plan out upcoming launches at CCS, and discuss new and exciting business-related things! In a time where so much of the world is operating online, it’s been wonderful to have real, human connections and experiences within my business. Especially because all of my work, regardless of client or location takes place virtually, having the option to come together to work collectively on one shared brand vision is such an amazing stepping stone in my business.
Obviously, this is not an option for everyone in a mostly-remote setting, and it just so happens that Izzy is in Charlotte. Many of the other candidates I interviewed for the position were not located in North Carolina, and had I gone with someone else we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet biweekly! That said, I want to provide some additional suggestions for sparking creativity in the workplace.
#1 – Meet with your employees / contractors!
- This has multiple meanings, so let me expand. If you are not within a driving distance of anyone involved in your business, ask yourself if it’s feasible to plan something out in advance for a unified purpose – ie, a team photoshoot, traveling to a fully-serviced client, etc. If that is just totally not an option, make it a point to virtually meet with your team at least once a week, even if it’s just a short check-in! My team meets every Monday morning, and usually more than half of the Zoom is just the three of us catching up, discussing what we did over the weekend, etc. It’s a great way to stay connected and plugged into your team and how they’re doing.
#2 – Work at a coworking space
- Last week when I met with Izzy in Charlotte, we met at a coffee shop that shares a building with a coworking space that has conference rooms, offices, podcast recording studios, etc. It was such a productive environment (even on the coffee shop side!) and it made me realize how great it would be to work in a place like that especially if you are working completely remotely. It’s an opportunity to work around, and/or network with other business-driven individuals in your area, and you never know what opportunities could come from that! It also totally diminishes the feel of being stuck in your home all day, every day. It replaces the feeling of going into an office, except for the fact that you dictate when you go and when you leave!
#3 – Brain Dumps
- If I’m feeling stressed about work that I have to do independently (AKA something that I wouldn’t be collaborating or brainstorming with Amy or Izzy) I like to do a big brain dump. I take every single idea or thought or thing that I’m stressing about and write it all on a piece of paper. This helps in multiple ways – it shows me that the things I’m mentally stressing about are much easier to tackle when they’re just items on a list, and it also helps me prioritize what can and should be done first. Then, if there’s something that I need my team’s opinion for, I’m more prepared and can be straightforward with my request.
#4 – Speak to Your Community
- Don’t have a team? Don’t worry! Your audience is your team (or community.) Get on Instagram and throw up some polls about ideas, new ventures, series, posts, etc. and get the opinion from those on the receiving end – what do they want to see? What do they want to learn or hear from you about? This can help re-ignite creativity or a passion for your work when you actually know what your audience is looking forward to.
