As any successful creative agency knows, there are 2 equal, but distinctly different agendas to making the magic happen: being creative, and then doing something with those ideas. In other words, execution.
And not just getting anything done – it’s about getting the right things done, in the right order. At Inviso, we pride ourselves on not just the quality of our work but also on the fact that we turn things around at a good clip, prioritizing our work to deliver for all our clients in an expeditious fashion.
That takes organization. As a team, we use Asana, which is a super tool for helping people collaborate and stay on top of projects. Beyond that, we wanted to explore how individual team members stay organized. Here’s what an internal survey revealed:
We’re all in for digital tools.
Particularly when it comes to keeping track of tasks – they’re our #1 option.
Paper and pencil have their place.
However, when it comes to basic note taking, most of us still prefer the tried-and-true approach of simply writing things down.
Taking notes is important!
When we asked how people stay organized, it’s clear we are a team that likes their notes. And lists, lots of lists…
It also comes down to having a routine.
Most of us have a set routine when it comes to taking time to collect our thoughts, although there are a few who prefer to “go with the flow” – not unexpected with a creative bunch!
We’re too busy to maintain a super tidy workspace.
Overall, the team’s responses seem to indicate that they feel tidiness is a bit overrated, as the question, “How tidy is your workplace?” got mixed results.
At least we’re more organized online.
Half of us say we’re organized when it comes to our laptop, search tabs, and online files (although it’s perhaps an aspirational goal for the other half).
Finally, we asked the team for their favorite suggestions on staying organized – take a look:
- Make your list the night before, block time in the morning and then do the 2-3 hardest/most important things on the list first thing before you get distracted and while you’re still fresh.
- Focus on one task at a time. For example, sometimes I mute Teams notifications if I have to get something done.
- Stay organized effortlessly by embracing systems and tools that feel easy and comfortable for you, turning routine into a habit.
- We tend to forget as we grow older (and lack B12), so keep taking notes and plan your workday.
- Note to self: Investigate B12!
- Make “completed” action something fun and satisfying – there’s nothing better than turning all tasks green 🙂
- Use colorful pens and highlighters! It helps my notes look pretty and visually appealing and keeps me organized on what I’ve already done.
Whether you’re a pencil and paper person, or an avid OneNote user, we hope there’s a helpful tip, or encouragement that you’re not the only person with a less than tidy desk. At the end of the day, it’s the results that matter!