How to work smart

**tim@taskwise** · 10-Dec-10, 03:07 PM

Imagine shadowing a successful CEO for a day and learning his or her secrets. What would you discover that you could use in your own business? When I began working in the software industry I and had much to learn, I spent hours digesting the best information I could find in articles, blogs, links and webinars.

CEOs and entrepreneurs of all stripes share their secrets about how they produce work that is much admired. Over the years, I have learned how to work in a manner that is personally satisfying and often praised. I've achieved a way of working attuned to my own endeavours but everyone has a unique approach to work.

A holiday weekend away from work is an opportune time to reflect on the way you work. Begin by looking at aspects of your job that diminish your energy and creative spark. As you investigate further, the thrill at finding a better way to do things is innately motivating.

Structure - in the physical sense (a schedule and work space) and the intangible sense (creativity and motivation) provides the discipline to do your best work.

A daily routine, a congenial work space, and the tools and routines that fuel one's creativity and motivation are the keys to a successful workday.

Daily Routines

Central to any creative workday is structure. If you want to dance with your muse, hey, you have to know where you put your dancing shoes. This was the hardest part for me. Reading Twyla Tharp's book, The Creative Habit, helped.

According to Tharp, you can't be creative if you work without structure. Daily routines are essential. I always start the day by watching an International news channel. At 7:30 a.m., my computer chimes and I'm open for business. At the top of my calendar is a list of the things I must do today. I also decide what pleasure to give myself when I complete the list. A part of me will mutiny if I don't give work and fun equal measure.

I complete a five-hour work session, break for lunch then come back to tidy up loose ends before closing up for the day. Three or four times a week, I go to my local gym. My body rebels from long hours in front of a computer. The Sport Club membership is an integral part of my weekly routine.

The Work Space

My office space is open, filled with natural light, uncluttered and divided into zones. I plan projects at the desk by a large window. The city skyline sparkles outside the window and clouds scuttle across a blue sky. Somehow the view helps when I'm strategizing a way to manage a tricky project.

Creativity

It's impossible to ignore the inner voice who reminded me I've been hard at work since 7:30 a.m. and is about to take my head off. If I push myself, the work is usually crappy. Recharging my creative battery enters the schedule.

This is serious business and requires a bit of experimenting. Creative time-outs, a concept I picked up from Artist's Way at Work, requires you to engage with someone's creative output. You have to observe how you respond to various media to find what refuels your own creativity. I listen to audiobooks. If the author sweeps me away to a totally different world, so much the better.

Lately, the word work has a positive ring to it. I owe it to finding a way to work that suits my lifestyle and supports my daily creative effort. Leave comments about what works for you.

**murdock** · 11-Dec-10, 07:21 AM

now we are starting to talk my bussiness langauge...the way i understand it.

i believe this is the way to go about bussiness...instead of focusing on the money all the time...rather figue out a way to make your body and mind get you motivated so you can focus on making money...because wthout that you dont have anything.

when your mind is so cluttered with bussiness plans...and how you are going to pay the bills at the end of the month...you cannot focus on what is important and why it is important.

10 years of learning
10 years of yearning
and now as i go into 10 years of earning i hope to focus more on enjoying my life...getting my body into shape which will help focus my mind.

i have noticed that most successful people i have dealt with in bussiness are some way or another linked to sport...be it golf...running clubs...canoe clubs...it could be the fact that they are out socialising with the public in turn getting people to buy their products or use their services...

but in saying that...i believe healthy body...healthy mind.

i have managed to become a fat slob again which in turn has changed my customers attitude torwards me and my bussiness...which also brings along the negative attitude and all this because of my laziness and unhealthy living...so i am considering going into my next 10 years focusing more on healthy living and exercise...and i talk from experience....a couple of years ago i went on a big healthy living misssion and it improved my bussiness and my life in general.

the other thing i will be focusing on in the years ahead is getting out and socialising more...joining clubs and enjoying the good things in life like cycling...walking...canoeing...who knows i might even make it my goal to do the argus and comrades...what is important is the heading in the right direction...i will also be planiing on spending more time getting invoved with the church where i go to bible study...i have only attended the church on 2 occassions on a sunday...but as we go into 2012 i will start putting more effort into helping other people...

by the way...my understanding is going to church is merly for fellowship with people who share the same beliefs...it doesnt make you a better christian...you personal connection with God is what is important...not who sees you sitting in the front row on sunday morning...i think some people can tunderstand why i dont miss a bible study but they never see me in church...small steps.

**adrianh** · 11-Dec-10, 08:05 AM

Central to any creative workday is structure. If you want to dance with your muse, hey, you have to know where you put your dancing shoes. This was the hardest part for me. Reading Twyla Tharp's book, The Creative Habit, helped.

According to Tharp, you can't be creative if you work without structure.

I don't agree with this. I think that many creative people are totally unstructured. My brother, a self made millionarre, has a BCOM LLB CA & MBA yet his hobby room is a total mess. He is one of the most creative people that I know. His boss is a billionarre and his house is even worse. My sister is an Actuary and her house is no better. Lateral thinking requires unrelated ideas to be brought together in obscure ways (kinda difficult to do when you are living a sterile life).

What works for some can't be turned into a general rule.

**Justloadit** · 11-Dec-10, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by adrianh

I don't agree with this. I think that many creative people are totally unstructured. My brother, a self made millionarre, has a BCOM LLB CA & MBA yet his hobby room is a total mess. He is one of the most creative people that I know. His boss is a billionarre and his house is even worse. My sister is an Actuary and her house is no better. Lateral thinking requires unrelated ideas to be brought together in obscure ways (kinda difficult to do when you are living a sterile life).

What works for some can't be turned into a general rule.

The reason for this is because of the number of ideas that are being rallied at the same time or worked/experimenting on, and tidiness is a waste of valuable creative time.

**Cathy Duncan** · 13-Dec-10, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Justloadit

The reason for this is because of the number of ideas that are being rallied at the same time or worked/experimenting on, and tidiness is a waste of valuable creative time.

You've uttered words of my mouth. I agree with your post cent percent and am also of the same point of view.

**tim@taskwise** · 13-Dec-10, 12:44 PM

Thanks very much for the feedback. I have a number of very successful yet very untidy friends and collegues and I must admit that some of them relish the chaos of a desk that looks as if a bomb went off on it. Personally it doesn't work for me. I like to know where everything is at all times especially when these items relate to my business activities. I also believe that my clients expect when they come into my office that they are entering into an organised environment.

**adrianh** · 13-Dec-10, 04:14 PM

As hard as I try I just can't keep things tidy. I have 100's of things going on simulaneously and I find it immensely difficult to seperate things into compartments. My mind operates like millions of spider webs connected together. (My desk(s) look like my mind operates)

**Justloadit** · 13-Dec-10, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by tim@taskwise

Personally it doesn't work for me. I like to know where everything is at all times especially when these items relate to my business activities. I also believe that my clients expect when they come into my office that they are entering into an organized environment.

Although a bomb has gone off in my office, I know where each fragment is, it is called organized chaos

No one dares to clean my desk, as it will disorganize my stuff.

To me a very clean and tidy office shows me that the person who works in it has nothing to do, (no disrespect to you). So as you see an untidy place as disorganized I see a tidy place as some one who has no work, and why does he have no work?

Like they say different strokes for different folks.

I just can not keep a tidy office/workshop, as I can not start and complete a single job, not because I am distracted, but rather because I have to wait for raw materials to arrive, so basically the uncompleted jobs are usually waiting for parts to complete. So it is really many jobs in progress at different stages of completion.

**Cathy Duncan** · 14-Dec-10, 07:27 AM

Originally Posted by Justloadit

Although a bomb has gone off in my office, I know where each fragment is, it is called organized chaos

No one dares to clean my desk, as it will disorganize my stuff.

To me a very clean and tidy office shows me that the person who works in it has nothing to do, (no disrespect to you). So as you see an untidy place as disorganized I see a tidy place as some one who has no work, and why does he have no work?

Like they say different strokes for different folks.

I just can not keep a tidy office/workshop, as I can not start and complete a single job, not because I am distracted, but rather because I have to wait for raw materials to arrive, so basically the uncompleted jobs are usually waiting for parts to complete. So it is really many jobs in progress at different stages of completion.

Well, in my opinion, it vary from person to person and office to office plus business to business.

**Dave A** · 14-Dec-10, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by adrianh

I don't agree with this. I think that many creative people are totally unstructured. My brother, a self made millionarre, has a BCOM LLB CA & MBA yet his hobby room is a total mess. He is one of the most creative people that I know. His boss is a billionarre and his house is even worse. My sister is an Actuary and her house is no better. Lateral thinking requires unrelated ideas to be brought together in obscure ways (kinda difficult to do when you are living a sterile life).

I've got a question or two on this.

Do they clear a space when they start something new or do they just start creating on top of all the mess?

And

How much lack of structure do they tolerate in the organisation around them when it comes to implementing the results of their brainstorm?