Seeking Inspiration: Four Steps to Being Creative on a Deadline
It's a
battle as old as time. You've been assigned to an important project with a
tight deadline, but your inspiration's running dry. The clock is the ultimate
enemy, bringing a new bout of anxiety with every passing minute, yet you're not
sure where to begin.
How can you possibly be
creative when the pressure is mounting?
In even the most free-spirited
of offices (like those with table tennis and ice cream machines), sometimes
creativity has a deadline: It's the nature of the work.
Though it seems impossible,
working around time, budget, vision, and technology restrictions is doable.
So finish your cone and put
down the paddles, and check out these four tips to help your creativity shine
while on deadline.
1. Step away from the computer
No matter how hard you try,
staring blankly at the computer won't make writer's block disappear. So when
you're feeling drained, hit "shut down" and allow your mind to
wander.
A glowing screen can often
stifle how you process information, so it's important to not confine your
imagination. I'm a big believer in sketching things out, literally. Change up
the medium by picking up a pencil and paper. Allow yourself to doodle, letting
your wrist move freely from your elbow—doing so creates a more natural and
relaxed flow. Scribbling serves as an important foundation to creativity
because it's the first sign of an idea coming from head to hand... and we've
been able to do it since pre-school.
Stepping away from the screen
allows you to get ideas out quickly, without distraction.
Still craving some form of
structure? Try creating a mind map on a
whiteboard. Mind maps are a visual thinking tool that help structure information,
allowing you to better analyze, synthesize, and generate ideas. Like sketching,
mind-mapping allows ideas to unravel before your eyes, revealing connections
that weren't obvious before—and inspiring action.
2.
Surround yourself with complementary personalities
Whenever your motivation is
running on empty, refuel by regrouping with creative—and not-so-creative—teams.
Huddle up with folks from different disciplines—i.e., not the same kind of
thinkers. Scooby and the gang doesn't work if they all overthink like Velma.
What if everyone on Seinfeld thought like Kramer? And the Avengers fail if
they're all a Hulk.
There is strength and resolve
in the ensemble, so gather your George, Elaine, Kramer, and maybe even Puddy.
Get out of the office and hit up your local diner or go for a walk in the park:
Presenting the problem to fresh minds may introduce a solution that was
initially overlooked. And embracing a new environment may deliver some
outside-the-box ideas.
Not able to leave the office?
Spend a few minutes thinking of the end user and role-play with your team. As a
group, try putting yourself in someone else's shoes. Challenge each other to
really listen and draw from different ideas and experiences. Have each person
write down a word that best describes the intended target, and then read the
list to see commonalities. As a group, work to personify your target audience:
What do they like? What drives them?
Let's say your client is a
pizza chain looking to tap into the 20-something male consumer. Go around the
room imagining you're Jim, a target consumer, and say something about yourself
and pizza. By stretching your brain in this way, you can get a quick
understanding of whom you're going after.
These exercises can help spark
untapped creativity while challenging people to think differently and sharpen
their reactions. Ultimately, this meeting of the minds can help push positive
ideas through and bring unseen solutions to the surface. The bottom line: Will
Jim dig it?
3.
Go with what you know
Now that we know who our
intended audience is, it's time to think of how we can best reach them. This is
when you dive into what has worked in the past, whether that's a campaign,
advertisement, or solution. Instead of being overwhelmed by a time-sensitive
project, take a step back. Spend some time recalling similar instances. Whether
you organize that information in a diagram or jot it down freehand, acknowledge
the wealth of information and institutional knowledge you have before you.
Recognizing your strong
foundation and past performances may give you the confidence to work swiftly
and efficiently.
When creating a solution, focus
on the facts and cut through the BS; don't overcomplicate things. Instead of
reinventing the wheel, focus on a sweet and simple resolution that addresses
your overarching objectives.
Sometimes a tight deadline
forces simple ideas to the forefront; and as long as they're true to your
mission, don't be afraid to embrace them.
4.
Take a leap of faith
When you're racing against the
clock, it's easy to ignore your gut feelings. In these situations, think back
to the days of multiple-choice exams: At some point in your academic career, a
teacher likely advised that if you're unsure of an answer, your first instinct
is usually right. That life lesson was probably followed up with a warning not
to keep changing your answer.
The same advice holds up for
the workplace. When feeling challenged, listen to your instincts and build your
idea from there; if you keep changing course, you won't get anywhere.
In creative problem-solving,
there's not a right or wrong answer; it's an art, not a science. If a deadline
seems unsurpassable, let your instinct be your guide, supplemented by creative
collaboration and a change of scenery.
At the end of the day, remember there is no perfect formula for overcoming a creative hurdle. When you're feeling stuck, acknowledge that sometimes the best ideas are born out of stressful situations, and break out of your normal routines to tackle the challenge.
Then,
when it's all said and done, reward yourself with a slice (or two) and a
Seinfeld marathon.At the end of the day, remember there is no perfect formula for overcoming a creative hurdle. When you're feeling stuck, acknowledge that sometimes the best ideas are born out of stressful situations, and break out of your normal routines to tackle the challenge.
If you need help with your email, web site, video, or other presentation to promote your company, product, or service, please give me a call at 440-519-1500 or e-mail me at john@x2media.us.
X2 Media can help you target your content and get your message to the audience in a way that it is not only seen and heard, but remembered.
Until next month….remember, “you don’t get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression”. Always make it a good one!
From X2Media I would like to thank you for your time.
John E. Hornyak
X2Media, LLC
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