Slowing Down To Speed Up

Working as a small business I sometimes find the stress of running as fast and doing as much as you can to be overwhelming. I hate running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. There can be so much to do sometimes and you can get lost in the act of doing.

I'm learning again and again, that sometimes the best way to get A LOT of work done, is to slow down and take a step back.

Let me explain. I work with paper. A lot of paper. I have different sheets of 'to do lists' for different areas I'm involved in. I currently have two sheets with my lists of things to do, two notebooks for ideas, thoughts, notes etc., a moleskine for sketching out storyboards, compositions and workflows; and a bunch of loose paper in file folders that are used for my doodles, random ideas and general stupidity. All this paper helps keep me sane.

When things get crazy busy, I pull myself back now. I put all my paper in front of me and I begin to prioritize. Could I be putting together that brochure or poster? Yes. Could I be compositing that commercial or promo? Yes. Could I be creating a photobook of pictures for potential clients? Yes. Could I be editing my site, rewording and adding content for services to offer? Yes. And on and on it could go.

I used to jump from one thing to the next, never fully finishing anything until the last possible minute. Now, I sit back. I look at what's most important, what needs my full attention at that moment and I go for it.

I slow down to speed up.

What do you do for your own workflow?

Cheers, Matthew A. Hawkins