Whether you work for yourself or you’re scaling the corporate ladder, if you don’t master networking, progress will be hard going. But if you can strike up a relationship from a standing start, prosperity will naturally follow… Ben Kench – author of Selling for Dummies, the UK’s bestselling book on sales technique – gives a few top tips for meeting people and being remembered.

If you tell yourself, ‘oh I’m no good at this, networking is purgatory on earth,’ it’ll show on your face and in your body language. Tension repels friendship; who wants a tense new friend? No, you want a relaxed friend who feels good to be around.

Ben Kench says: “If you look around the room and see someone relaxed and visibly enjoying the network, and you think, ‘oh I could never be like that,’ then you probably never will. If you take the attitude, ‘if they can do it, so can I, they’re just a bit more experienced than me, I can learn the ropes soon enough’ – then you’re well on the way to being more comfortable talking to strangers.”

The last thing a nervous networker wants is to do walk into a room that’s already hopping with noise and energy. If you get there early, you can make the room, rather than feeling you’re having to infiltrate it.

Ben Kench: “Be an active host, even when you’re not the official host. Stand near the entrance, say hello to people when they walk in, point them in the direction of the coffee bar or the cloakroom or toilets. This sort of ‘marshalling’ establishes you as a nice helpful person, and sets you up as one of the ‘faces’ in the room. This means people will gravitate back you later on, as if they already know you.”

Practice being eagle-eyed on the delegate badges, even when it’s a moving target dangling from a lanyard; being quick on the uptake will reap rewards when you’re attempting to make friends.

BK: “Tell yourself this truth: my best friend was once a stranger. If you make an approach as a friend they’re more likely to become a friend. So by spotting the name on their badge, I can say ‘Hi Glenn, how you doing?” like I already know you, and it puts the other person at ease. Most people do like talking, they just find it hard getting started.”

Finding the ideal starting position opens up a world of possibilities, because sparks of inspiration for opening gambits come much easier if you’re stood somewhere with ready-made common ground.

BK: “If you’re stood near the coffee, or in a canapé hotspot, then you can catch someone’s eye and say something casual like, ‘really need the caffeine today, it’s so hectic in here’ or ‘these canapés are great. I would shake your hand but my fingers are all sticky’ – anything that’s a bit quirky would be good start. Provided your hands aren’t too sticky, offer a handshake with a sunny hello, good eye contact and introduce yourself by your first name…sounds basic, but it’s easy to get wrong.

“If you’re manning an exhibition stand, it’s wise not stand right in front of it. Much better to park yourself close by, and keep a watchful eye out. That way, you don’t have the perennial problem of people shuffling past avoiding eye contact, trying their utmost not to get sold to. If you stand nearby, anyone lingering in front of your stand, you can bounce over and say hello.”

Forget putting pressure on yourself to tout your wares. The best thing you can do is be interesting and interested.

BK: “When you’re off to a network, get prepared to talk to people. Have some stories. Know the latest news, both in your industry, and more generally. Keep an eye out for the lighter, funnier stories; recounting these is more likely to make an impact than waffling on about your business. Be prepared to talk about yourself, but mention your work briefly and passionately, then take the conversation elsewhere. Friends first, pitches later.

“Forget about selling: that shouldn’t be your objective. Networking isn’t a job interview. Set yourself the task of trying to learn something from everyone you meet. That’ll be much more natural than trying to find angles to big yourself up. Getting chance to play teacher makes people feel wise, which makes them good about themselves – and people who make you feel good are the ones you want to talk to again. Go into each encounter with an enquiring mind and a strict policy of actually listening, not just waiting for your turn to pitch…ask intelligent questions, ones which expand the discussion and unlock more knowledge. You want to make the person you’re talking to feel like they’re the singular person you’re interested in, in the whole venue. And for the time you’re with them, make sure that rings true.”

One of the best ways to make friends at conferences and meet ups is to make yourself useful.

BK: “Having something to give away will make you stand out. Whether it’s a physical thing, or some knowledge, like statistics or a report, or just a great piece of online content you know about and can offer to share… if you can make an offer to add a little bit of value for nothing, you’ve got an excuse to get in touch, and you’ll be received positively, and remembered as someone who isn’t grab-grab-grab, but someone who gives first and puts people and relationships first. These are the sorts of people that businesses want around, so give without expectation of reciprocation, and you might be surprised what comes back.”

Business cards is an area where many SMEs and freelancers are missing a trick, through naivety and lack of effort. Ben Kench collects thousands of peoples’ cards in a year, so he knows what it takes to come out on top of the pile.

BK: “An unusual, informative business card is a powerful ally. So many people’s cards are an abject disaster, having a good one will get you remembered. Think about it: someone goes home with a pocketful of cards, and when they shuffle through them, if yours is a bit different their mind will race back to the conversation they enjoyed with you. I’d definitely recommend putting a picture of you on there, especially for freelancers, when it’s yourself that you’re selling. Any way you card can make your card stand out – perhaps a joke or a cartoon or even a quiz – is well worth the extra creative and financial investment…a quirky business card will also keep the conversation moving through those early tentative moments, and might even make the moment that properly melts the ice.

“I’d also advise using a one-way system for business cards – and if you’re collecting a lot of them, a method of sorting them on the spot, to save precious time after the event. I keep my own cards in my jacket pocket, and the ones I receive, if I feel there’s some sort of spark of connection with the person, their card goes in one trouser pocket, if not so much, then the other. But I would still follow up both piles nonetheless, because you never know…”

Not everyone is going to be a barrel of insights and a right good giggle. If you’re a frequent flyer on the networking scene, you’re going to get stuck with the occasional droning bore.

BK: “If you’re stuck talking to someone you feel no connection to, and you don’t want to do business with, there will come a point when you need to back away gracefully. You can do this by offering to help them find someone more appropriate to talk to. Asking who they came to see – or if they know anyone else here – will send out the message it’s time to move on. If they don’t take the hint, you’ve got two options. Ask again, and walk them to their person of choice, or say “we’re here to network, and it’s rude of me to hog you – bye.”

Most people have a feeling that their life is not working out the way they want it to work, they are looking for more good fortune, well-being and better luck. What they don’t realize is that their inherent “dissatisfaction” with life is the major cause of their problematic reality.

The reason why luck does not seem to favor them is because of their constant preoccupation with “negative” thinking. The sad part is that a vicious cycle gets formed – the negative thinking causes events that are not conducive and these events further aggravate the sense of negativity.

In order to attract good luck into your life, it’s important to have a shift in the way you perceive your reality in your mind. Some pointers and insights, in this regard, are provided below.

If you want to attract more good luck and well being into your life, it’s important that you start changing your relationship with the “present” moment.

No matter what form the present moment takes, stop opposing it in your mind and allow it to be the way it is. It seems highly counter intuitive to the mind to accept a reality that it perceives as “bad”, but it’s this acceptance that opens the gateway to bring in new solutions and good luck into your existence.

You need to be really conscious for this, so that you can catch your mind drifting off into a negative pattern of thinking.

Our minds are conditioned to expect the “worst” out of any reality and it takes conscious disassociation to stop being dragged into the negative thought pattern. Whenever you see your mind complaining, worrying or getting anxious, just disassociate with it and focus your attention on your sense perceptions.

For example, when you get tensed, focus your attention on your breathing or your heart beats.

This is a powerful practice if one has the trust to follow it on a daily basis.

All you need to do is write up a page appreciating everything in your life in the present moment. Just focus on finding things to appreciate about what you already have in your life. Don’t focus on the things you are expecting in the future.

When you look at appreciating the present moment, it automatically aligns you with your life (which is always “what is” right now) and this alignment causes you to attract good luck.

You will notice things beginning to work out for you more and more as you begin practicing the habit of appreciating and expressing gratitude.

Your future is always a direct reflection of your state of being in the present. So you just focus on being appreciative of the present moment, your future will automatically be benevolent and things will always keep working out for you – in other words you will keep attracting good luck into your life.

Become conscious of all the things you believe in and try to change the negative beliefs into positive ones. If you believe deeply that you are not a lucky person, then that’s what reality with reflect back to you.

 

Become conscious of this belief pattern. For example, try to be conscious of negative self talk. Whenever you find your mind producing a thought like ‘oh, I am not lucky’ replace that thought with a counter thought. Say ‘I am lucky and I attract all good things in life’.

Another simple technique is to visualize yourself as lucky. For example, think of a situation and visualize a positive outcome. Think of yourself as attracting all the right things, meeting the right people and finding the right opportunities. Visualization can be extremely powerful in changing your negative beliefs into positive ones.

Write down a set of affirmations and read them out every day.

You can also listen to positive affirmations on channels like youtube. Examples of some good affirmations are as follows:

• I am lucky and I attract good things in life.
• Everything is perfect.
• I am worthy.
• I love myself.
• I attract luck every moment.
• I love my life.
• I always make the right decisions.
• I am always at the right place at the right time.
• Everyday I get more and more lucky.
• I have a positive vibration and hence attract positive vibes.
• Luck follows me wherever I go.
• I feel really lucky today.

Meditation can help you become a calmer person and get better control over your mind and the thoughts it generates. When you have better control, you will be able to easily identify negative thought patters and replace them with positive ones.

A simple way to meditate is to sit in a comfortable place and focus your attention on your breath or a sound for a few minutes everyday. The more you practice this kind of focus, the better you will be able to understand and control your mind.

According to research by Prof Richard Wiseman, rituals such as touching wood or carrying a good luck charm can change your vibration to positive and help you attract positive vibes. This was also seen to be the case by another study done by psychologists at the University of Cologne in Germany.

Instead, having negative superstitious beliefs can have a negative effect. For example, someone who becomes anxious upon a mirror breaking is setting up negative expectations as opposed to someone who does not believe in such things.

When we look at negative events as events that help us grow stronger, our perception towards these events change. We start learning from these events and use what we have learned to grow from within. This way a negative situation is no longer looked at as negative. This sets positive expectancy as our vibrations change to positive.

There is just one movement of energy present in the universe and this movement is one of well-being. Thinking negative thoughts, focusing on negative events, complaining and resenting what is, causes you to constantly oppose the flow of life. You can attract good luck into your life once you are in alignment with the stream of well-being.

The only way to align with life is to stop being “negative”, to ignore any thoughts of lack or resentment that the mind might throw up, and to just realize that whatever is happening is fine just the way it is because life is always moving in the direction of your well-being.

To attract good luck is about becoming a magnet of positive vibration. Look at appreciating what is, just relax and let go of your need to control reality, and let life bring you the gifts that you so richly deserve.

People are usually feeling a bit stuck and keen to try something more creative. If you’re the same and you’ve always dreamed of becoming a graphic designer, why not make this year the year you finally take the plunge? Doesn’t matter how old you are, or indeed what skills and experience you have – you can always change paths.

But before you do anything else, consider the following 10 great reasons to become a graphic designer, and see whether you should take the leap.

When you’re a graphic designer, your work will never stop evolving or improving. There will always be new challenges to overcome. New problems to solve. It’s a never-ending whirlwind of discovery and invention. You’ll make mistakes. We all do.

If you’re still not convinced, take inspiration from Paula Scher who eloquently once said: “It’s through mistakes that you actually can grow. You have to get bad in order to get good.”

In the age of automation, when we’re constantly being told that our jobs will one day be taken over by robots, you can be rest assured that graphic design will always require human thinking and creativity. It’s an essential cog in the world of work; one that is required for any brand or business.

From simple business cards and printed materials, to packaged goods, websites and advertisements – it’s unstoppable. Visual communication will live on, and it takes a designer to imagine all its possibilities.

You’ll be able to add value to any workplace, not just a design studio. Design is something that no business can live without. If an agency isn’t quite for you, perhaps you might want to venture into editorial design and work for a major publisher? Or join an internal team at one of the world’s biggest sports brands? Your career path is open to so many exciting routes.

Creativity is crucial for any business. Steve Jobs of Apple once said: “It’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough. It’s technology married with the liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields the results that make our hearts sing.”

It’s for this reason that graphic design will enhance your problem-solving skills – not just because you’re overcoming common issues for clients; but because you’re encouraged to consider the bigger picture. What will your design solve? How will it add value? How will it achieve a brand’s goals? Design will boost more skills than you realise.

Graphic designers are rarely alone; they’re often part of a creative team or working closely with the client, collaborating to come up with the best possible solution. You’re likely to get to know PR professionals, copywriters, marketers, advertisers… you’ll probably work with senior management and be expected to consult with company directors.

Your role will rely on many business relationships; the knock-on benefits of which will only boost your skills and experience – especially your ability to effectively deal with different personalities.

Hate stiff white shirts and uncomfortable blazers? Relax. Graphic designers tend to have more relaxed work attire these days. T-shirts, jeans and trainers are practically the uniform. You can’t be creative when your arms struggle to move in a formal business suit. Clients won’t mind either. It’s widely accepted that designers dress a certain way, and that’s alright with us too.

Think you’re just going to follow the herd? Design can take you to places you never thought possible. You could secure a job at a studio on the other side of the planet, or find that your employment means lots of travel to far flung places. You might even go solo and launch your own studio some day. The possibilities really are endless.

How would you feel if you spotted your work on a billboard? Or in a magazine? The sense of job satisfaction can be overwhelming. It’s your creativity up in lights, for everyone to see. Nothing beats the feeling of contributing to something that you know will inspire many people.

When you walk down the street as a graphic designer, you’ll see things in a completely new light. It’s because your job will become your life. You’ll find inspiration in everything you see and do, saving ideas for your next project. Design brings a new perspective, and encourages you to get out there and discover new things. From art galleries and architecture to clothing and accessories – your life will be full of creative wonder.

Prone to boredom? Easily distracted? Design will always leave you feeling inspired. Trends will develop and change, keeping you well and truly on your toes from one day to the next. You’ll never know what’s around the corner. And for a career choice, that has to be the most inspirational.

Though small business owners are now fortunate to have access to cost-efficient branding resources, building an effective brand still requires some marketing know-how—including how not to look like the new kid on the block (even when you are). We’ve put together some common branding mistakes to avoid when developing your business’ brand.

Too often, small business owners invest heavily in one area of the brand that they perceive to be the “most important” (like a logo)—but then shortchange the many other elements that equally contribute to the brand’s identity in the eyes of the public. Remember that your brand isn’t just about a logo or your website, but the sum of how all your “touchpoints” work in tandem. Together, these elements give your business a personality that customers can experience and recognize.

Regardless of whether you handle all of your marketing functions personally, outsource them to a third party, or spread the tasks among a team of employees and interns, your brand “voice” (communicated by way of your logo, storefront, website, staff and social media presence) should all feel like it derives from one place. Take the time to establish a set of brand guidelines that clearly address what your brand is, says, does and thinks (and what it isn’t about). Even the seemingly minute details like the salutations used to address customers on the phone and in emails, and the music they hear when placed on hold, contribute to the perceptions customers form about your brand.

If you’ve identified your mission statement and your target audience appropriately, there should be no confusion as to why your business exists, and for whom. Your logo should reflect that vision just as clearly. Choose a design that is equally appropriate and applicable to a variety of mediums and formats, whether on a horizontal billboard, a Twitter profile or a vertical print ad.

To meet that level of variety, be mindful of design elements like graphics and typefaces. You may need to remove your tagline when you encounter space constraints, so make sure your logo paints a clear picture of what your business does on its own.

Though you probably recognize phrases like “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand” (M&M’s) or “Where’s the Beef?”(Wendy’s), it’s important to remember that these are some of the best taglines in the history of branding. Experiment with succinct ways to develop a meaningful tagline (in less than eight words) if it truly benefits your brand—but don’t feel compelled to use one if it doesn’t add value.

Noting the brand elements of companies that you respect can provide you with a tangible vision of the “look and feel” that you’d like to capture in your own branding, but there’s a fine line between inspiration and imitation. If a brand has already been “done” by someone else, you’ll gain nothing from sticking too closely to their approach in your own identity development. By all means, stay in touch with what your competitors and industry leaders are doing to succeed—but don’t be so attached to their ideas that you miss the opportunity to capitalize on your own unique attributes.

Technology has made it possible for small businesses to compete on a scale once reserved only for established companies with deep pockets. Explore all of the affordable marketing avenues that you think might contribute to building brand awareness and deepening customer relationships—but recognize when you need a professional to help you put your best foot forward in a medium that you’re not accustomed to using. Most of us have encountered the flyer under the car windshield, the cringe-worthy low budget television or radio commercial, and the social media update or blog post that reads more like a personal diary than a business communication. Don’t cheapen your brand or the investment you’ve put into building it by failing to admit when you need the help of a pro.

Creativity is all about collaboration. It’s just the truth: awesome things happen when people work together. And that’s exactly why design feedback is so important. You’ve got to know the lingo and find the best ways to communicate your vision to the artistically-inclined mind of your designer.

Easier said than done? Yup. It’s pretty easy for ideas to get lost in translation…
…and that leads to frustration for both you and your designer. Oh, and your design definitely won’t end up as awesome as it should be.

So, let’s fix that.

I’ve put together the six big pitfalls—my “feedback fails”—that you’ll need to avoid so your designers can understand your vision and deliver the work you need.

The three worst words a designer can hear: “Make it pop.” It just doesn’t mean anything.

Vague design feedback doesn’t give your designer enough information to move forward. A lot of times these comments are based on gut reactions.

“I just don’t like it.” Alright, well why?

“This looks weird.” What does weird mean?

“Make it better.” Is that one thing? Or a bunch of things?

Keeping things vague adds an unnecessary level of guesswork to your design process. And contrary to popular belief, a designer cannot read your mind. Without clear direction, designers are in the dark about your vision, and your final design will suffer.

Be specific. Be very, very specific. Describe exactly what you’re looking for. Is it a color issue? Is the layout weird? Is the font a little stale?

Instead of “make it pop,” you could say, “I need the title to stand out more. Could you give me some other font or color choices?” Or if words are failing you, use very clear visual examples that illustrate your design direction. Find something that “pops” for you, and tell your designer what you like about it.

In short, figure out exactly what your gut reactions are and use clear words to collaborate with your designer to find an awesome solution together.

When a designer reads your brief, their only goal is to make your creative vision come to life. But that means you have to be reasonable. Even though it’s art, design does have rules and not everything is possible.

Certain colors and shapes just won’t work together. Sometimes you can’t fit every single thing on one page.

And a lightning bolt logo can’t look realistic, minimalist and “hidden” all at the same time. It’s an impossible request.

There’s nothing wrong with asking your designers to do a lot. That’s their job. But sometimes even design can’t solve every problem.

Ask questions and listen. Great designers will push back when your creative vision just isn’t feasible or if they think they’ve found a better solution. Ask them lots of honest questions, but trust them to know the best way to approach your project. If you don’t understand something, feel free to ask why. By working together, you’ll be able to create something that you’re both proud of.

Being confusing is just as bad as being vague.

Big descriptive words are great for kicking off a brief and providing creative inspiration. That’s when you can invite your designer to really be inventive.

When you’re in the feedback stage though, you’ll want to be super clear. At this point, your flowery words might mean one thing to you and another to your designer. Confusing feedback like this will lead to an endless chain of revisions that will result in your frustration and designer burn-out.

Just say what you mean. Try to compose your feedback in the simplest possible way. If your design needs “more testosterone,” for example, tell your designer what that actually means to you.

Is it “less pink and more blue”? Is it “sharper lines and fewer curves”? Is it “a can of Miller Lite, a pickup truck, and a smoking shotgun”?

Be specific or your designer will make a decision for you.

You already know this, but design can make some some pretty magical things happen. A great design has the power to take big ideas and reimagine them into something that’s both beautiful and easy to understand.

But it can’t do everything.

A logo can’t (and shouldn’t) tell a million stories. A poster only has so much room on it. A business card has to fit in your pocket.

Photoshop can do a whole lot, it can’t turn someone’s head around or magically change a camera angle. Maybe someday.

There’s nothing wrong with giving designers a challenge (they actually love that). But unrealistic expectations make it hard for collaboration to happen. If you expect your designer to be able to do it all, you’re going to be disappointed.

Understand your boundaries. Like we said, a design can’t do everything. Keep your requirements clear, simple, and easy to understand. Consider running your creative brief or feedback by a few other stakeholders. They’ll be able to tell you if your comments don’t make sense or are unrealistic.

Don’t say bleed when you mean trim. Don’t ask to adjust the kerning when you mean tracking. Don’t request a darker shade when you really want a lighter tint.

Designers are taking direction from you. The more precise you can be with your design feedback, the better. Knowing what you want but using the wrong words will add confusion and delay the progress of your design.

This one’s easy: know your lingo and use those terms right. If you can speak the language of your designer, you’re that much closer to getting that right design. You’ll understand them. They’ll understand you.

Alright, you know all the design jargon, so you’re just going to give your designer a list of super specific revisions. Like down-to-the-pixel specific. Right?

Yeah, don’t do that.

Feedback that’s too nitpicky and detailed can hamper the creative process, too. Remember that creativity thrives in collaboration, and this turns your project into something completely one-sided. When you get start “hand-holding” your designer, you insist that you know more than they do.

Rather than dreaming up and delivering your creative vision, your designer becomes a glorified mouse-clicker. And you end up with a final product that’s missing the passion and imagination that it deserves.

Trust your designer. They’re trained, experienced experts in taking the vision inside your head and turning into something beautiful and meaningful. Creative collaboration means communicating your ideas and asking lots of questions, not directing a designer to do exactly what you want.

Communicate clearly until you get what you need. But leave those pixel-perfect details to your designer.

Sure, you’ve got a few resolutions when it comes to your work life. But you’re not feeling especially hopeful about the next few months. You’ve never been very good at sticking to goals in the past. So why should things be different now? We’re only human, after all. And it’s easy to slip back into bad habits and a self-defeatist attitude – especially when it’s cold and dark outside, and the winter months seem to go on and on forever.

But wait. This is where 2017 could be the year that you finally realise some dreams. All it takes is a little imagination, commitment and dedication, alongside a few small steps forward and a sprinkling of positivity to make everything come true.

Are you stuck in a job you hate and long to break into something more creative? Have you had enough of your boss and fancy going solo this year? Don’t believe you can do it? Read on to discover tips and tricks, along with a few trade secrets, to ensure you achieve your career goals and enjoy your most successful year to date.

It almost sounds too simple doesn’t it. The idea of coming up with three little goals to achieve over the next 12 months. But it’s surprisingly effective. Your goals could be anything: leave full-time work at a design studio to go freelance; set up a wedding photography business on the side or finally turn that creative hobby into cash by selling your products online. Whatever you want to achieve, set yourself three little goals to help you get there.

I’m not talking unrealistic, overwhelming goals where you instantly become ‘that thing’. I’m talking small and gentle steps in the right direction. For example, someone very dear to me exclaimed how they’d love to become a wedding photographer. This was roughly about two years ago. On telling her about my annual ‘three goals’ trick, she initially didn’t believe it could be so effective. But after thinking about it, she came up with three goals – firstly to set up an online portfolio, then to do a few free weddings to build it up and finally to book her first paid wedding for the following year. She was realistic and she felt positive. By April she had not only smashed all of her goals; she had also booked eight paidweddings for the following year. Amazing.

By setting yourself three goals, you’re literally committing yourself to a task. You’re forcing yourself to say “Ok, I’m not going to become a wedding photographer overnight, so how can I at least get the ball rolling?” This is what my dear friend did. Two years later, and she’s flat out busy and wondering why it took her so long to fulfil her dream.

So, write down your three goals on paper. Hang them on your bedroom wall. Make them this year’s focus.

“Write down your three goals on paper. Hang them on your bedroom wall. Make them this year’s focus.”

Now that you’ve figured out what you’re going to do, it’s time to put your words into action. What three realistic steps can you take in 2017 to achieve your goals? Could you take a part-time course? Do you need to save up for some equipment? Is there a way of building up your portfolio before you go freelance? By having those three goals written down, you’ll start to introduce things into your life that will help you get there.

Add things to your calendar, so they become certain. Tell everyone about your goals, so they become even more real. Do everything you can to ensure that you don’t back out and give up on your goals halfway through the year. Keep telling yourself that by the end of 2017, you will be successfully on your way to whatever it is that you’re trying to become.

And then when December comes around, you’ll get the chance to think about 2018’s three goals. Goodness knows where you’ll be by then! But make sure you put your words into action, so you can be proud of what you’ve achieved so far.

With the above tip in mind, you’ll want to adopt some additional healthy lifestyle choices. You know how it goes. Avoid processed foods (what I love to call ‘brown food’) and cook real, fresh food. Make your plate colourful and full of variation. I tend to avoid cereals, pasta, rice and bread these days – opting instead for good fats, protein, fruit/vegetables and things like quinoa. I feel lighter, healthier and have no problem with my digestive system. My skin has never looked better and I’m full of energy. If you’re going to have refined carbs, go for the wild rice variety. And swap white potatoes for sweet ones.

Got a sweet tooth? Buy some little pots of natural yogurt, drizzle a little honey on top with a sprinkling of cinnamon and voila – a lovely little desert for after dinner. Or put some pipless grapes in the freezer (great for the summer months) and eat them frozen whenever you need something to nibble on.

Stop being lazy, dust off those trainers and do something. You don’t need an expensive gym membership or equipment. Walking, running or cycling are all great ways to stay in shape and feel great. Try and throw in some weight-bearing exercises as well, using your body. Push-ups, tricep dips, squats, lunges.

A final tip is to whack a pedometer on your phone and try and squeeze in 10,000 steps a day. Sounds tough but if you get off the bus one stop earlier than usual, get outside for some fresh air at lunchtime, and perhaps enjoy a stroll after dinner – the steps soon add up.

I always used to hate the idea of meditating. How on earth was someone like me going to sit still for more than a few minutes and quieten the mind? Well apparently, that’s almost impossible to achieve for even the most practiced meditators. Because the whole point of mediation is to help us understand our own mind and become aware of our own thoughts, allowing them to pass while turning negatives into positives. The thoughts won’t stop entirely, but you can learn to control them somewhat.

I do try and sit still occasionally, or lie on the floor, to meditate. But I read somewhere that meditation can also be achieved through monotonous tasks. So I take great pleasure in housework, ironing… even exercise, as they allow me to completely switch off, empty my mind and focus on one thing. Cooking has the same effect on me as well.

The benefits of meditation are obvious. We learn how to stop our minds from controlling our thoughts and actions. We reduce stress and boost wellbeing.

Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

“The benefits of meditation are obvious. We learn how to stop our minds from controlling our thoughts and actions. We reduce stress and boost wellbeing.”

Oh and whilst we’re on the subject of wellbeing – remember to stretch every single day. Take up yoga. Sure, a class would definitely help. But there are plenty of apps and online training videos to help you do stuff at home or at your desk.

I’ve never been an early bird. Getting out of bed on a cold and blustery morning is my idea of hell. But once I’m up, I’m thrilled to be awake. Because nothing beats being at work early and then being able to leave early. Every day I get to the office for roughly 7.30am and I leave around 4pm. I’m back home for 4.30pm and then have an insane amount of free time to do whatever I want with.

Last night, I went on my spinning bike for an hour whilst watching a film on my iPad. It was a beautiful meditative hour of unwinding after a super productive day. I felt happy, full of pride for getting some exercise in and by 5.30pm I still had loads of time left for other things. I cooked some fresh food for dinner with my husband. I played an hour of Fallout 4. I read two chapters of my book – Richard Yates’ Revolutionary Road, if you’re interested. I had a bath to candlelight, whilst watching something else on my iPad. And then I happily collapsed into bed at around 10pm.

Ok, I appreciate I have no children… by choice, I might add – but if you have children, it’s even better because you get more wonderful family time.

I can’t preach this enough – get up, get out there and don’t work more than your eight hours. Get home to embrace your free time and your home life.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of working long hours and forgetting to rest during evenings and weekends. I should know. I made myself ill on a few occasions, trying to set up my own business and run Creative Boom – doing too much. But overwork only leads to stress and burnout. It’s also scientifically proven that working longer than seven or eight hours a day is pointless because there comes a point when you lose all productivity and focus. The mind, as you would expect, becomes tired.

So it makes complete sense to relax and embrace your downtime – if you are to perform at your optimum best during work hours. Give yourself a chance to unwind and prepare yourself for the next stint of hard work.

If you think you should be doing something, or guilt starts to set in, remind yourself that rest and rejuvenation is part of your secret to success.

Whether you’re listening to an interesting podcast on the way to work, watching an insightful talk on your iPad while eating breakfast (nothing wrong with a few TED Talks in the morning), catching up on a few chapters of a business book during your lunch hour or engaging with an online course at home, try and find some time each and every day to learn something new and boost your skills. Anything and everything that will help towards achieving this year’s three goals.

For my dear friend, she opted for a few online training videos on photography and watched them on her smart phone on the way to work. She also saved up enough money to attend a photography course in London, but that’s another story.

Just try and avoid learning anything heavy two hours before bed. That’s the time when you should be staying away from technology and blaring screens, winding down and preparing yourself for a good night’s rest. Instead, it’s an ideal time to pick up a work of fiction and get lost in another world.

“Remind yourself that rest and rejuvenation is part of your secret to success.”

So it’s March and you’ve not even thought about your goals? Or you’ve fallen back into bad lifestyle habits. Go easy on yourself. These things happen. Just try and take some steps to get back on track and do better next time.

Nothing good will come from beating yourself up. In the wise words of Shunryu Suzuki-roshi: “You are perfect just as you are and you could use a little improvement.”

Now you’ve taken all these steps to lead a super healthy and productive life, allowing yourself to achieve all your career goals, it’s time to surround yourself with like-minded people and free yourself from anything or anyone holding you back.

That might mean moving away from a few friends who adopt unhealthier habits that encourage you back to your former ways. It might also mean changing your routine to embrace new opportunities. Whatever it entails, take steps to ensure your own little world is as positive and peaceful as possible.

“Surround yourself with like-minded people and free yourself from anything or anyone holding you back.”

A motivational speaker once told me “We often overestimate what we can achieve in a day, and underestimate what we can achieve in a year.” This is very true. But what if we do have genuinely under-productive days? Do you ever get home and think “I should have achieved more today?” If so, you’re not alone. We all have days where we step off the gas a little. For some, commonplace. Indeed, for some people, remaining focused can be a constant challenge. So how, then, do we train ourselves to remain focused, and get things done? Some of the following may seem obvious, but often it’s the little tricks we can employ that make all the difference!

It’s so obvious, it’s almost not worth mentioning. However, we are our own worst enemies. We know that pizza isn’t going to help our diet, but it just tastes so much better than the salad. Similarly, we know that having the TV on in the background, or our Facebook account open in another tab, is going to slow us down too. When something more appealing calls to us, it’s human nature to answer the call. No great achievement was ever made without great sacrifice, and it’s the little sacrifices that will help the small achievements mount up too. Identify your key distraction, and spend one day working without it. At the end of the day, take stock of how much more you achieved.

If you haven’t heard of this one, it’s well worth adopting. If you struggle to focus or, like me, you try to do too much at once, this could change everything. Multitasking is great, but it can mean you do lots of things to an average standard. Take a single task, and commit to fully focussing on that task for 20 minutes. Aim for top-quality work. After 20 minutes, allow yourself a small moment of distraction (5 minutes maximum), or to switch to another task. 20 minutes fully focussed is much more productive than 45 distracted minutes. If it helps, write yourself a sticky memo and put this somewhere obvious, to remind you to spend 20 minutes on each task, before taking that tangent!

No, not at work, at home! Our train of thought is directly impacted by the amount of sleep we get. Do you get enough shut-eye at night? Or perhaps too much? Science has proven that too much sleep can slow us down, and that a lack of sleep can make it hard to focus. Find the balance that works for you and stick to it, wherever possible. If you always arrive home from work tired and need a power nap, this is a strong sign that you didn’t get enough sleep the night before. Stay hydrated too – dehydration can be a silent assassin when it comes to our focus.

For some, hard work comes naturally. Some people apply themselves fully in all they do, and routinely put others to shame with their energy and work ethic. Ideal though it sounds, it’s important not to burn out. There is only so far a gas tank will take a car at top speed, before a pit stop is needed. And for some who are stuck in the fast lane, it’s hard to drop a gear when needed. It’s when additional pressures pile on that the cracks start to appear. Take time to pause, balance your busy moments with quiet ones, and ensure your focus is optimized. If you overwork, and under-rest, your attention span is just a ticking time-bomb. You’ll reach a point where you resent the work, and cannot focus at all.

A change is as good as a rest. Take a moment to step outside of the office. The change of scenery will allow your brain to rest, without thinking about the task that’s sat in front of you. Refresh your train of thought for a few minutes, before committing 20 minutes to your next task. If you haven’t yet found that sleep balance, and are feeling a little sleepy, the fresh air will help too!

The first sign of madness? Perhaps. But perhaps also one of the best tools in mentally keeping yourself on course. Motivational phrases like “keep going” or, “I’ve got this” don’t just work in sport. They can be effective in the office too. Just be aware who can hear you, if doing this out-loud in the workplace!

Do this in a way that allows you to plan your time. Don’t make this overcomplicated, though. For the easily distracted, creating and completing a to-do list could become just another opportunity for procrastination! Allocate yourself those 20-minute bursts of energy and productivity, and plan your breaks. With scheduled pauses, you’ll have little milestones to work towards, and motivation to give 100% for those short periods. Ticking off your to-do list will also be a handy visual reminder of just how much you’ve achieved every day!

Successful companies are always looking for new ways to compete in the marketplace. One approach, which has taken the corporate world by storm, is design thinking process.

Great design has that “wow” factor that makes products more desirable and services more appealing to users. This explains why McKinsey, Deloitte, IBM, Facebook and Capital One have recently bought design firms.

Great design is an outcome of design thinking, a methodology used by designers to solve complex problems and find desirable solutions for customers. Entire corporations have adopted design thinking to re-invent the way they innovate, including P&G, GE, IBM, Pepsi and SAP. The focus of innovation has shifted from being engineering-driven to design-driven, from product-centric to customer-centric, and marketing-focused to user-experience-focused.

Design thinking draws on logic, imagination, intuition and systemic reasoning to explore the possibilities of what could be, and to create desired outcomes that benefit the end user (the customer). A design mind-set is not problem-focused, it’s solution-focused, and action-oriented. It involves both analysis and imagination. Design thinking is linked to an improved future and seeks to build ideas up—unlike critical thinking, which breaks them down.

Human-centered innovation begins with developing an understanding of customers’ or users’ unmet or unarticulated needs.

“The most secure source of new ideas that have true competitive advantage, and hence, higher margins, is customers’ unarticulated needs,” says Jeanne Liedtka, author of Solving Problems with Design Thinking, in an article in the Batten Review. “Customer intimacy—a deep knowledge of customers and their problems—helps to uncover those needs.”

Design thinking minimizes the uncertainty and risk of innovation by engaging customers or users through a series of prototypes to learn, test and refine concepts. Design thinkers rely on customer insights gained from real-world experiments, not just historical data or market research.

You don’t have to be a designer to think like one. While learning to be a good designer takes years, you can think like a designer and design the way you lead, manage, create and innovate. Design begins with setting a strategic intention. If you are mapping out a strategy, you are designing.

Carol S. Dweck, a noted researcher on learning, says, “The growth mind-set—with its willingness to embrace mistakes—ultimately fosters greater creativity, innovation and achievement.”

Leaders need to create a culture that rewards risk taking and teamwork, instead of individual talent. Encourage experimentation and place small bets on new projects. Make it safe to fail early on because when you are leading people into the future you cannot predict outcomes.
Treat failure as an opportunity for learning.

There are many ways to think like a designer. When I work with clients to help them innovate, I integrate design thinking with whole-brain thinking. These practices work best with cross-functional groups to generate a diversity of ideas and perspectives. Here’s an outline of a 10-step process to use design thinking to solve problems

1. Discovery

Choose a strategic topic to focus on and learn about. Design thinking starts with an end goal, a desired future, and approaches to how you can make it happen. The topic should be one you find compelling and motivating. Research your topic for insights. What do you need to understand? What are the opportunities embedded in problems?

2. Observe

Observe users as they interact with your product, service or process. What do you see? Is there a disconnect between what someone says and what they do? Has she created shortcuts or workarounds?

3. Empathize

To create meaningful innovation you need to know your customers (internal as well as external) as real people not just users, and to care about their experiences. Ask open-ended questions such as, “What problems are they having? What does success mean to them? What do they stand to gain or lose?” Ask “why” questions to dig deeper.

4. Leverage stories to discover insights

What stories are your customers telling about their experiences? What are the hopes, fears and goals that motivate them? What insights can you draw from their problems and aspirations?

5. Frame and reframe

Shift your perspective to that of your end users or stakeholders and what they value. Framing the right problem is the only way to create the right solution. Make sense of research by seeing patterns, themes, and larger relationships between the pieces of information. Uncover customer insights to reframe problem areas into opportunities.

For example, in his book Cracking Creativity: The Secrets of Creative Genius, Michael Michalko describes how Toyota asked employees for ideas on how they could become more productive. They received few suggestions. They reframed the question to:
“How can you make your job easier?” and were inundated with ideas.

6. Ideate

Now that you have some deep insights about your customers, the most powerful question you can ask to spark creativity is “What if?” Brainstorm ideas for offerings that will deliver value to your customers. Build on ideas by asking “What else?” Ideating is more than writing on Post-it notes. When I work with clients, I engage them in activities involving diverse stimuli such as drawing, painting, storytelling and improvisation to create a lively idea-friendly atmosphere.

7. Decide

Display your ideas on a wall and ask, “What wows?” Vote for the best options based on criteria such as desirability, technical feasibility and business viability. The team can then choose one to three ideas to prototype and test. This will save you from draining everyone’s energy by debating every  idea.

8. Prototype

Use prototypes to explore potential solutions. Rapid prototyping allows you to test out your ideas quickly and cheaply. Prototypes can be digital, diagrammatic or three-dimensional. The value of prototypes is in the reactions you get from users.

9. Validate your idea

Invite users to test out and respond to your prototype. How do they feel about your ideas? What feedback do they have? Their responses will inform whether you move forward or kill your idea before investing additional resources.

10. Iterate

Treat your initial ideas as stepping stones to the right solution. Design is not a linear. It is an iterative process. Use feedback to improve on your ideas and keep iterating until there is nothing more to add or subtract. Design thinking is a co-creative, collaborative process that helps people become more creative and innovative. It is especially useful in solving complex problems.

When designing your professional or personal website or blog, images will invariably enter the discussion. The first question is, do you want to use images on your website at all? For most, the answer will be “yes.” Using images can quickly and efficiently express your tone, brand ethos, philosophy, and company characteristics more effectively than relying solely on text.

Stock photography and free photography websites allow you to quickly and freely find creative resources to fit your website or blog. In both cases, you need to be able to look at photography critically, and to understand how an image functions so that you can use it to help impart your message, both thematically and aesthetically. Here are some top tips to ensure the most efficient search processes.

Try to ensure that the values of the people you are communicating with – and the values of your business – are represented in your chosen image. However, be aware of what your competitors are doing; using the same approach is fine, but keep your brand’s identity streamlined. There is no standardized recipe for success when it comes to choosing imagery. What works for some brands will not work for others. Some can afford to try a more artistic, unique aesthetic; whereas others, who rely more on traditional and conservative values, may choose to stay safe with their image choices in order to maintain the status quo.

What is the subject of the image? Is it abstract, or concrete? Does it represent a person? A product? Or maybe an idea or a feeling? To answer these questions, try to look deeper into the photo; not just the photographed object itself, but how the components of the photo interact with each other. Does the image tell a story? Some pictures are quite straightforward, while others can contain hidden meanings.

Try to steer clear of over-posed or synthetic imagery. Your visitors are probably more inclined towards natural models and situations. Avoid choosing unnatural set-ups, as well as over-processed images; they are more likely to hinder your branding.

Photographers use a wide variety of techniques when composing an appealing shot. When selecting an image, ask yourself: “What did the photographer do to create emotion or meaning in the photograph?” Pay attention to the framing, an object’s dominance, the balance between the background and foreground, and the alignment of the subject. Excellent composition can help a photo captivate viewers, while poor execution of these elements might only distract them.

Isolated backgrounds, although useful for some creative purposes, tend to have a colder, more clinical aesthetic. Images with softer lighting usually create a warmer visual impression. Consider your industry and your subject. For example, those in the medical field will often choose an isolated background, as it creates an image of cleanliness and sterility associated with their profession.

Photographs are made of light (literally). A photograph is a trace of light on paper or on screen, and you’ve got to pay attention to how the light is used in the imagery. The light can be soft, light, or hard. Pay attention to where the source of the light is, and how does the photographer use it to interpret aspects of the subject. The same subject can have absolutely different meaning in the different lightscapes.

The color theory is a branch of study in itself. Does the image has the dominant color or a palette? Is there a color in this palette that first grabs your attention? Is the color selection bright, multicolored, or faded? Maybe the image is black and white. Think about all of these aspects and pay attention to how these elements combine to affect your feelings toward the imagery. Each variant has its own place in different kinds of designs, so selecting one specific style to use throughout your project is going to make a huge difference in how your final design will appear.

It’s important to consider when choosing an image whether or not you’ll want to overlay text. If so, ensure there is enough room to do so on the image when searching. Also, find out the maximum width of the images displayed on your site. It’s your graphic theme that sets this data. If you download an image of a smaller size, its display will be pixelated and its visual potential will be decreased.