GET UP. GET READY. RUN TO WORK. WORK, WORK, WORK. RUN BACK HOME. CRASH. REPEAT.

We are all burning out. Our shifts keep getting longer, our projects don’t seem to end. We wait for a weekend and before we realise, it’s over. Escaping this rut isn’t impossible. We took some notes out of our own lives at Lopez Design to find out what makes us tick. Scan through five tips to find out how to stay motivated about your work-life.

Stretching value systems
Organisations are built like organisms to come alive with people everyday. Employees come together pulsing through its arteries, working towards the vision of a firm, reaching towards common goals. Values define the way we think and shape the firm’s relevance. As a design firm, part of our aim is to positively influence the way society views designers. We don’t want to be seen as merely creating visual delight. Design is a fantastic influencer – it can shape the way people feel, think and act. Having a clear purpose at our studio to act beyond the project goals, propels a grander vision.

We constantly question how what we do every day adds value to the field of design. This makes our work not just exciting but adds greater meaning to what we do within our studio.

Tip 1: STRETCH – Push the values of your firm beyond its walls to resonate in exciting and meaningful ways. From your smaller space, you start to connect with a greater world.

Transformative environment & work spaces
Work spaces are generally designed to give dedicated spaces to individuals and teams. Yet, how often can you be enthused to work by remaining in the same space? Static spaces and repetitive activities tend to become mundane after a point. Creating dynamic spaces which can easily be rearranged encourage change and open up new ways of thinking. Do you need to be stuck to a chair to complete your work?

We often meet at our awesome Ikea sofa, do a huddle at someone’s desk or a stand-up meeting. A breath of fresh air at the terrace is a perfect break when the weather is good. If we want to spend some quiet time, we take refuge in our library.

Tip 2: TRANSFORM – Create diverse spaces which enable individual thinking and encourage teams to work together. Variety opens up communication channels and makes the workload easier to tackle.

Constant dialogue and up-skilling
Ideally, you want your employees to be constantly interested in their work, be responsible and take ownership. But, what can keep employees retain focus and interest? Constant dialogue around new discoveries in related fields sparks up interest, keeping an individual excited about her work and naturally attuned to delivering superior results.

In this fast paced world teams need to keep up with the latest advancements in their field, learn faster from their mistakes and acquire new skills while working. Specific team members can be officially sent out to conferences related to their specialty.  Our accountants, managers, designers and researchers are all encourage to attend workshops and conferences to be in touch with the latest development.

Tip 3: DIALOGUE – Create opportunities to continually learn and evolve. This is essential for individual growth and for the firm to keep up pace with developments.

Raise the bar
How do athletes survive? What makes them excel? They are constantly setting new targets and challenges. Setting goals and picking up challenges will push individuals and teams to constantly question and apply their evolving skills. However, these goals aren’t meant to stress out your team with unrealistic expectations. As every individual’s capacity is different, tune the assignment to suit the person’s skill-set and temperament. While setting out to achieve a higher aim, brief your team with positive and constructive energy.

Tip 4: CHALLENGE – You’ve heard the phrase “use it or lose it.’ The human mind thrives on fresh challenges and it’s imperative to always raise the bar and change channels.

A window to unwind
After a hard day of innovating and churning out umpteen files through a computer, people need to relax and cherish their accomplishments. Creating small windows for employees to celebrate and bond with each other is important. Global companies like Google (on the high end) have dedicated areas for nap-pods and break rooms with professional chefs cooking delicious food to help their employees unwind. Our littler firm Lopez Design 😉 organises dedicated creative workshops on alternate months, pop-up birthday celebrations and potluck lunches. We also unwind playing cricket in the studio! Our best-kept secret is how we take turns to make batches of summer coolers like mango delight, three layered chocolate milkshakes, lychee juice with pineapple wedges and all such lip-smacking recipes. Work life is not so hard anymore.

Tip 5: UNWIND – Fun is integral to work and makes it seem less like a chore. Small creative efforts go a long way to make your team unwind and keep a hardworking bunch of people happy.

GET UP. GET READY. EAT. RUN TO WORK. WORK, ACHIEVE, UNWIND. GO HOME. REST. REPEAT.

phew, that sounds better