In the creative industry, one of the most valuable resources is inspiration. Getting inspired can make or break a big project and can completely change a team’s mindset.
Here at Printing Solutions, we are constantly finding new ways to not only inspire each other, but ourselves as well. Here are the top 11 things that inspire our team.
1. Motivational Quotes
A huge source of inspiration is our team’s Quote of the Day. It can be funny, serious, wise, or made up. Each morning a different team member takes turn coming up with this quote, so we get to draw from each other for inspiration. It’s a great way to wrap up a meeting as well as get the creative juices flowing.
2. Get the Blood Flowing
Another way we like to get inspired is to play a game of Ping-Pong or basketball. Studies have shown that exercise really does help with creativity and concentration, so we like to shake things up and get our blood flowing when we feel uninspired.
Fresh air also helps! Our Graphic Designer Chris Danner is a big hiker and loves to go on walks during the day. He’s a big fan of animal life and the good ol’ outdoors, and draws his inspiration from Mother Nature.
3. Teamwork
The best thing about working with such an awesome team is that everyone has such different talents and abilities that others can lean on. A lot of the time, our designers will approach a whole different department and get their inspiration from an outside perspective. We love this approached when it comes to logo creation or branding for a client. Sometimes, it takes a new pair of eyes to inspire something.
4. Crank the Tunes
Our Project Manager Autumn Iversen draws inspiration from the music she listens to. She is our country music fan, and she is very good at focusing and cranking things out through the day. We have to push her to get away and take breaks!
5. Make a List
For us, motivation to work hard comes from the team as a whole. Everyone has a daily task list, and we all write one task that we will push ourselves to do on the whiteboard in our office. Then as a team, we strive to make sure everyone succeeds in that task. Yes, there are days when someone may fall short, but the best teams ensure that their members can succeed the next day.
6. Feed Your Mind Body
Our Creative Director Justin Ketchum is a big fan of lunch. Having a great meal is one of the most important things in a day for anyone, because when your body works well, so does your mind. Some foods have even been shown to boost creativity and inspiration! Justin loves to take the time to enjoy some really great food throughout the day, which helps him refocus and think more creatively.
7. Think Outside the Box
Sometimes all we need to be inspired is some time away from work. Sitting and having lunch as a team, playing a quick game of Pictionary, or even relaxing our eyes and lounging on our giant bean-bag chairs is a good way to reset our minds and help us think differently.
When you free your mind and get away from the grind, you tend to have a lot of creative inspiration from the things around the office. And one of the greatest signs in our office is placed in one of the most perfect location to help us remember this:
8. Loved Ones
For many of us, our families and loved ones are what inspire us. This is certainly true for our Senior Project Manager Matthew McConkey. When he is not grinding away at the day, he finds comfort and inspiration in the home videos his wife sends him of their young son, Ethan. We can tell when Matthew gets a cute picture or quick video because we can hear him laughing from across the office.
9. Friendly Competition
Kristyn Dingman, our Marketing Director, is a big fan of stepping away from her computer and visiting with her co-workers. She loves to take a small snack and get a couple of her teammates to battle each other at the Ping-Pong table. She gets a great entertaining show that takes her mind off of the day … and they get a boost of exercise to help them as well!
10. Our Awesome Clients
Nothing inspires and motivates us more than the wonderful clients we work with. Our clients really are some amazing people with awesome drive and motivation of their own. So when we get to show a client the end product, their faces and reactions are all we need to keep going and pushing ourselves.
Need a little creative inspiration for your business? Our team at Printing Solutions is here to help. Give us a call at 480-596-6300 to get started.