As a smaller digital agency, you will often find themselves tapped for resources when times are extremely busy and good. But it’s during these times that you don’t want to burn out your most valuable assets, your talented creative web and digital marketing team.
Usually (but not always) a digital agency will have slower and busier peaks. This gives teams often glued to a scree, time to wind down and time to get the creative juices flowing again. But when slower peaks don’t happen, going full throttle with no end in sight can burn out the team and cause your company to lose that creative edge you may have once had.
The good news is that when this happens (and it will,) you can get your mojo back and creativity will flow once again.
But how do you get back to this point?
Here are some techniques to keep a positive work vibe, avoid burnout and keep creativity alive in the office, even at your busiest of times.
CELEBRATE SMALL (AND LARGE) DIGITAL AGENCY SUCCESSES
After a successful projects are completed, take time to revel in the joy of success. You worked hard and long on these projects and you deserve time to enjoy that. Share with the world what you have done.
Take a different direction, rather than jumping onto another project immediately. Talk about the project’s successes and failures as a team to help make the next project run even smoother. Have a celebratory lunch or after-work happy hour. Every single project should be looked at as a success, not just another task checked off the list.
It is time to look at your creative work and embrace the fact that it was your handiwork, your creative team that made it happen.
Don’t just celebrate the “big wins” take joy in the “small wins” which can also be a great motivating exercise for you and your team.
GIVE YOUR DIGITAL AGENCY TEAM TIME OFF
Minds need rest. When creative block happens you are either burned out or just plain tired. It’s time to put the laptop away and take a day or even a long weekend off. Forget about work all together a fresh start will get your mind back to where it was when your ideas were flowing. Take an odd morning, extra day or leave early just to give your mind a break: it works wonders. Creative Bloq a great website for artist design + inspiration also suggests 20 other great ways to get past a creative Block.
MIX IT UP
Take a break from the ordinary and do tasks you have been putting off that don’t require creativity. Update your LinkedIn profile, update your personal portfolio or do some administrative tasks you have been putting off for awhile. Give employees different tasks to do for a few days. A web developer might enjoy doing some graphic work or a writer might learn some new tips about SEO. Productivity and automation app company Zapier also has some great suggestions for getting your tasks completed and improving the productivity of your day.
BROWSE TO GET DIGITALLY INSPIRED
There is lots of creative masterpieces already out there. Spend time researching other creative agencies and find websites you love. Pinterest is a valuable resource for ideas for Infographics and blog posts. Spend a lot of time surfing the web and finding things that inspire you. Keep note of what you have found and what might work for which client. Here are some other great ways to get inspired from LifeHack.
CHANGE THE SCENERY
Working in a different atmosphere, a coffee shop, another location or even at home helps break up monotony. Being in the same office day after day, doing the same tasks can take it’s toll. Organize work days from home and choose other locations for brainstorming sessions.
GET YOUR DIGITAL AGENCY MOVING
Exercise is a great way to beat fatigue both mentally and physically. Sitting at a desk in an office all day can decrease motivation and creativity. Take a walk or an exercise class during lunch or before your work day.
HAVE FUN IN THE (HOME) OFFICE
Break up the daily office monotony by having some fun in or out of the office with your colleagues. Share some funny memes, jokes or Videos, have some laughs and give your mind a rest from the stress of feeling pressured. Being happy and not stressed will help get those creative juices flowing again.
LISTEN TO THE MUSIC
According to research, music helps get creative juices flowing. Play some mellow music in the office for all to enjoy or take turns choosing the music. If that does not work, throw on your headphones and listen to your music of choice.
LOOK AT EACH WEB PROJECT IN A NEW LIGHT
Yes, any job or task can become part of the daily grind. But look at each project differently and imagine how you are engaging an audience or helping a small business owner keep his dream going. Here are seven extra tips to help motivate you and change your mindset.
It’s not just a website or a project, it’s a vehicle for someone to get somewhere else. You are making a difference with what you do and you need to realize and embrace this. Your clients value you, rely on your professional experience and creativity to stay ahead of the competition and in some cases, just to stay in business.
STAY POSITIVE
It’s easy to get annoyed at client’s who ask for changes over and over again. But just remember your work is their masterpiece and they are going to share it with the world.
Take client requests and changes with a grain of salt, it’s part of the job and can’t be avoided. If a client is unreasonable, include colleagues or a manager into the conversation to keep things moving in a positive direction.
At the end of a project you don’t want to have a negative feeling toward your client, even if the project is finished. Negativity can cramp your style and creative juices.
We hope you find our tips helpful and inspiring. They have been put in to good practice here in our office.
HAPPY DESIGNING!
