Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/827403
32 • June 2017 • S I G N & D I G I T A L G R A P H I C S side of my company, do this better or faster? Can I get them to commit to doing it for me? If there's a cost associated with someone else doing it, is it worth it?" • Establish routines and stick to them as m u ch a s p o s s i b l e . While crises will arise, you'll be much more productive if you can follow routines most of the time. If you find most days are filled with "putting out fires," after the latest crisis has sub- sided, ask yourself these three questions: 1) Why did it occur? 2) What can be changed to prevent its recurrence? and 3) If it does recur, how can I handle it better next time? • Get in the habit of setting time limits for tasks. For instance, reading and answering business email can con- sume your whole day if you let it. Instead, set a limit of one hour a day for this task and stick to it. Try this little gem… before going to bed, pack your briefcase/back- pack and pick out what you are going to wear the next day, and lay them out ahead of time. You'll be amazed at how this investment of time will free you up to think about or work on more reward- ing things much earlier. • Be sure your workspace is orga- nized. Are you wasting a lot of time looking for files on your computer? Invest the time to develop a file manage- ment system that works for you. Is your filing system slowing you down? Redo it, so it's organized to the point that you can quickly lay your hands on what you need. Get rid of clutter in your work- space. Chances are that 80 percent of what is on your desk, in your files, and in your e-mailbox is valueless minutia that you will have no future need to see or act upon. • Don't waste time waiting. From being put "on hold" to waiting for a return call after leaving a voice mail mes- sage, it's nearly impossible to avoid idle, unproductive time. But you don't need to just sit there and twiddle your thumbs. Always have something to do, such as a report you need to study, a checkbook that needs to be balanced, capturing your thoughts in a notebook, or reading this issue of Sign and Digital Graphics for its idea-packed articles. Technology makes it easy to work wherever you are; your smartphone or tablet can help you stay connected and focused. • Use the best side of your brain. Decide whether the task you've selected to work on presently will require left- or right-brain thinking. Stimulate the appropriate lobe of your gray matter with quick exercises. Good right-brain—the creative side—exercises include singing or whistling, taking a short walk outdoors to activate your senses, and drawing abstract objects or doodling. The left- brain—or logical side—can be engaged by adding a column of numbers, reciting the alphabet forward and backward, and drawing straight-line objects in a linear fashion. You can be in control and accomplish what you want to accomplish—once you've come to grips with the time man- agement myth and taken control of your investment of time. Good luck! SDG with equipment, technologies and products Register Here: THENBMSHOW.com or call 800.560.9941 Get Long Beach July 20-22, 2017