Work Smarter with These Productivity Tips

One thing employers and clients have consistently complimented me on is my ability to produce high-quality work quickly and efficiently. I've always gravitated towards jobs where speed and accuracy were critical, so I've learned a lot along the way about working smarter. Below are my top 8 tips for working smarter and getting things done more efficiently.

1. Work on your memory

Improving your ability to recall information quickly will save you a lot of time digging through emails or notebooks and answering questions. How many times has someone asked you a question that you know the answer to or have written down somewhere and you need to go back and sift through information, search, or call people to get the answer? Being able to recall information saves a lot of time. Getting enough sleep, exercising, and living a healthy lifestyle can help. There are quite a few techniques for remembering information; this is a great article that covers quite a few of them. You can also play memory games on websites like Lumosity that are both fun and helpful in improving your memory.

2. Stay Organized

It's difficult to get anything done if you're not organized. Having an organized desk, computer, inbox, and mindset will keep everything on track.

3. Batch your work

Even the smallest tasks can end up taking quite a bit of time if you do them individually. By grouping like tasks together weekly or every few days, you'll be able to finish them much more efficiently. Take a week to jot down the types of things you do each day and then evaluate. Pick out a few things or a few types of task you do multiple times a day or week, is there a way to group them? If you check your email every 5 minutes, could you do it 3 times a day instead, or if you have a bit of administrative work on your plate each day, could you designate one day a week for that? The point is, doing similar tasks together when you're already in the mind set of that particular task makes them easier and faster to accomplish.

4. Systemize

By developing consistent systems for things that you do, you'll start to improve them and therefore become more efficient at them. If you do things slightly differently every time you'll be losing time by troubleshooting.

5. Have something going on in the background

This is one of my favorites because it helps you do twice the amount of work in the same time. Figure out areas where you can schedule things to happen behind-the-scenes or have additional work simultaneously taking place and you'll be able to accomplish two things at once. For example, in your personal life, having a load of laundry or the dishes humming along when you're doing some cleaning or having a contractor come work on the lawn while you're working on painting. In your business life, schedule social media and blog posts or autopay on some of your bills or hire an accountant to handle your finances while you focus on your business. The more you can set up to happen while you're working on something else, the more you'll be able to accomplish.

6. Prioritize

I have a system for prioritizing that works well for me. I grab a sheet of paper and draw a horizontal line about 1/3 of the way down the page. Anything above the line is something that absolutely must happen today, anything below the line is something that I'd love to get done but doesn't have a big consequence if it I don't get it done. By listing items this way, the 'must do' list feels more manageable, and if you're basing your priorities on the negative consequence associated with it, it becomes much clearer which items need to get done right away. Usually I end up cruising through the 'must do's' and get quite a few of the other items done too.

7. Stay Focused

Distractions and Interruptions waste so much time. The distraction itself eats up valuable time, but getting re-acclimated with your previous task takes time, too. Just because your phone is ringing or your inbox is dinging doesn't mean you have to address it at that moment; wait until you're done with your task and handle it then.

8. Identify what needs to be done and do it

Pretty standard productivity advice. Things pile up when you don't take action immediately, and that can lead to an overwhelming amount of work. When something needs to happen, don't think about it, just do it!

 

Do you have special tricks that help you work smarter? I'd love to hear what they are! Leave a comment below and let me know how you work efficiently.


Envelope Selection and USPS Surcharges

When it comes to choosing envelopes there are many styles, colors, shapes, and flap styles to consider. There are also US Postal Service (USPS) guidelines and surcharges for different situations.

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Different Sizes and Flaps

Selecting an envelope size is typically the first thing you do when working with a print piece that needs to be mailed. There are so many pre-made options available, it makes sense to start there, unless you're designing something truly custom. Having a handle on the mailing costs is also important. Below is an assortment of envelopes; I've highlighted the ones that cost more to send. Squares will always cost more because they fall into the category of non-machineable. This means they need to be hand sorted since they can not be fed through the machine. There are also a variety of additional situations beyond size that might result in your envelope being non-machineable, including weight, thickness, uneven thickness, rigidity, etc.

Envelopes come in a variety of flap styles. Almost all envelopes can be found with either square or rounded square flap. My favorite, Euro flap, which is a bit more elegant and perfect for invitations or holiday cards, is readily available in most sizes but can be a little tricky to locate if you also have a very specific paper type or paper color in mind.

Selecting Colors

Selecting colored envelopes is a great way to add an additional punch of personality to a mailing. The site I use to find and purchase colored envelopes is Envelope Mall. I love that they tell you the exact swatch the envelope is made from. Paper-Source is also good if you're looking for a particular color in euro flap and can't find it anywhere else. Paper-Source is a bit more expensive, and they don't tell you the swatch, but you could easily order a small quantity and check the color or if you have a Paper-Source store close by, go to the store and match it up with a Pantone chip and then tweak your design so they match up (assuming it's not a corporate color). If there is no way to match the envelope to the print piece, I like to contrast. For example, with a kraft paper envelope or something shimmery. Keep in mind that the post office prints a bar code on the bottom of envelopes, if the bar code can't be read because of the envelope color (the bar code is printed in black), they add a big white sticker to the bottom of the envelope to they can print the bar code on top. This really takes away from the effect of a beautiful envelope, so when selecting colors, make sure to consider this.

Pre-made vs. Custom

If you're printing a simple logo on an envelope (most likely the flap) you can still use a pre-made style. If you've designed something more elaborate--like printing a pattern on the inside, full color bleed on the flap, any type of foil, embossing, special die cut or a special size--you'll need to go with a custom envelope, which can be easily created by your printer but will cost a bit more.

Do you have any questions or need suggestions about envelope colors or styles? Let me know!

Running a Creative Business with Studio MOD(ish)

Caty and Darlene are the talented duo behind Studio MOD(ish), a high-end, full-service Interior Design firm located in Washington, D.C.

What is your Interior Design background and how did Studio MOD(ish) begin?

Caty Well, formally, my bachelor’s degree is in visual arts. When I was in college, I was still unsure of what career to pursue, but I knew my general direction had to be based in the arts. Several years ago, I made the decision to obtain my masters in Interior Design and enrolled at Pratt in Brooklyn. As life often happens, my husband was offered an amazing position in Washington, D.C., which brought me to the area. My education has served as an amazing foundation for my career in interiors, but obtaining actual experience in the field is what I value most.

For me, the concept of MOD(ish) began years ago. I always knew I wanted to work for myself, but it's quite intimidating to take the first leap. The motivation and inspiration finally arrived when I met Darlene at a furniture company in D.C. We loved every aspect of working together; we were productive, creative, and most of all, we straight up enjoyed each other's company. For me, it doesn't get any better than that. One day Darlene exclaimed out of the blue, "we should go into business together." Since that day we've never looked back!

Darlene I have my B.F.A. from Howard University in Interior Design, and I also spent a significant amount of my time there in the Architecture school. I’ve always loved all aspects of the design and construction industry, so in the beginning I wanted it ALL: Architecture, Interior Design, Project Management. I always knew that at some point in my life I would be a business owner, and when I met Caty the timing felt perfect! Our design sensibilities aligned flawlessly (not to mention our boisterous sense of humor) and things sort of flowed from there.

How did you transition from working together to running a business together?

Caty It first started with a lot of planning on our daily commute. On our days off we met to work on the business. Though in retrospect we were a little "green” at starting and running a business, we just had to bite the bullet and commit to our fledgling company full time. So scary but so invigorating!

Darlene As Caty said it began with LOTS AND LOTS of planning, hashing things out and brainstorming ideas. Since we already worked together we had a pretty good idea of what each other’s work ethic was like (which was super important to me; I admired Caty’s drive to get things done and done properly). We started meeting during our lunch hours, then on our days off and soon enough all we could talk about was MOD(ish).

You have such an amazing sense of style, where do you look to find inspiration?

Caty I was raised by my father, who never let me read magazines because of their negative portrayal of women, their bodies, and focus on superficial things. I truly believe that's allowed me to develop my own individual style without worry of current trends and the constraints of fitting in. (I'm grinning as I type this.) That said, the furniture and home design industry has a tendency to lag the fashion industry by a year. Whenever I feel stuck or uninspired I look to fashion to bring fresh ideas.

Darlene I draw inspiration from everywhere! I love browsing through magazines and blogs to stay educated on what the current trends are but am equally as excited by the most random things. The most important thing about a design to me is that it’s functional and it’s heavily infused with our client’s character.

What do you like best about owning your own business?

Caty The freedom to be creative and make my own decisions. The partnership when we develop our design concepts and the excitement and appreciation of our clients.

What is one business mantra that has served you well?

Caty I feel a little silly, but I don't really prescribe to a particular business mantra. Our field of work is so personal, clients invite us into their homes and lives and we have to masterfully procure what we learn about them into a design.  The most valuable thing I've learned since starting Studio MOD(ish) is to follow my gut.  I suppose that's more of a mantra for life.

Darlene I agree with Caty. When we started we assumed everyone would be honest and trustworthy, but unfortunately we’ve learned otherwise on our journey. As a business owner, you sort of have a sixth sense when it comes to your clients and colleagues, so trusting your intuition is paramount. If it doesn’t feel good, walk away from it.

How do you stay motivated?

Caty Our clients are a huge motivation, their enthusiasm is infectious.

Darlene I love the satisfaction of being able to help our clients fall head-over-heels in love with their homes. That’s our goal with every single project!

What is one lesson that you've learned the hard way?

Caty Always sign a contract before beginning a project. I will leave it at that :)

Darlene What Caty said!

What is your dream project?

Caty For me, any client that is open and receptive to our work and allows total creative freedom is a dream project for me. Sure, the decadence of an endless budget is pretty tempting, but what's more exciting is an enthusiastic and trusting client.

Darlene Gimme that million dollar project, yo! Just kidding. A client that trusts our vision and gives us space to be creative is always a dream. As a creative, having space to think and design in my bubble is important and it’s amazing when a client gets that.

What is your advice for someone just starting out?

Caty Be confident in yourself, your talents, your education, your opinions, and your decisions. Expect to make mistakes and don't dwell on it when you do, move forward and appreciate those moments for what they are; great learning opportunities.

Darlene With hard work, dedication and the willingness to continue learning anything is possible.

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