Daniela Negrette, Author at Creative Circle

During my seven years living in New York City, I experienced constant stimulation. That’s a lot of why a young person moves to New York, right? For the energy, the opportunity, the excitement. If you’re bored in New York, you’re doing it wrong. As a vibrant 20-something, I thrived off the fast pace and limitless possibilities, but as time went on, I found myself feeling something different. Something less than excited.

I was tired.

Some of the constant visual cues vying for my precious brain space were the advertisements plastered on every wall, on the billboards across the skyline, and, most inescapably, throughout the subway stations and trains. Don’t have something to distract you on the train? You’ll find plenty of companies clamoring for your attention, sometimes with clever copy, sometimes not. But there will always be… something.

Except for this one day. I scrambled into a subway car, and despite my rush, felt a sense of ease. The train car was miraculously void of humans, but it wasn’t just that. It took a few minutes, but I eventually realized there was nary an advertisement in sight. Just a lot of blank spaces for my eyes to rest upon. I could breathe easy with all that space. There was nothing yelling for my attention.

***

In design, negative space (also known as white space) gives breathing room in between bits of information. It’s like a gentle hand that guides you towards what’s important, helping you understand the communication being thrown at you. It’s a user’s best friend, which makes it a designer’s great pal, too.

This concept applies to many mediums, but let’s focus on digital design for now. What do ample amounts of white space do? As UX Planet notes, “if everything yells for a viewer’s attention, nothing is heard.”

Studies show, it improves legibility by creating space between characters, words, etc.
White space has been proven to improve comprehension by 20%.
It supports visual hierarchy, allowing you to direct the user to the right places.
White space clarifies the relationships between objects.

White space accomplishes this in a variety of ways. Active white space directs the user. Think margins and layout. Meanwhile, passive white space, like the gaps between lines and characters, deals with aesthetics and comfort. Active white space works on directing you towards those elements of visual hierarchy, while passive white space improves legibility and comprehension.

There’s also macro and micro space. Micro space refers to the space inside objects, like buttons, where you can have more spaciousness within the button to call attention to the potential call to action. Macro has to do with the outside space between these objects.

Besides layout design, white or negative space also can be used to create imaginative logos that say more with less.

***

Most importantly, negative space gives the eyes and the brain room to breathe and rest. We’ve talked about the importance of rest for creativity and productivity before, but let’s, for a moment, consider it for its own sake.

Many cultures place so much value on extracting something, anything, out of every precious moment. We want net positives, profits, consumption. We want to rise at any expense. If we look around at the world around us, we notice more and more clearly every year that this isn’t sustainable. That we need more breaks. More moments to pause. More SPACE.

Even the word variation on white space, “negative” space, has a certain connotation. Negative means loss, less, not enough. What a horror. But what if the connotation wasn’t so bad? What if we could have a more neutral approach to the absence of “something”?

Sometimes, negative space is the most important part of a piece because it plays with our subconscious. It influences the way we think and process and feel in a way we don’t pinpoint in the moment — unless, of course, we are very diligently practicing mindfulness around it. It’s an extremely powerful tool once we know how to use it.

So what about in our daily lives? How can we use that white or negative space to recognize what’s important, create more understanding, and end up in the right place?

Again, I don’t love talking about these moments of rest in the context of productivity. I much prefer rest, space, and play for their own sake. Because they are worthwhile and important on their own for a fulfilling life. But for those who won’t bat an eye at something unless there’s a productivity gain, I’ve got you covered, too. Giving yourself more space/rest/play time prevents burnout, makes you more creative, and helps you actually accomplish the things you set out to do by eliminating “time scarcity.” Another way to put this is to create “blank canvas” moments where your thoughts have space to breathe, organize, and flow. Like meditation, a nap, or a more playful activity.

This white paper by Jackrabbit explores the intersection of design and neurosciences, confirming that “design needs to be salient and lack surrounding chaos.” We love design that is “simple but striking,” proving that when our brains gain freedom from visual clutter, we can more easily digest the information that’s actually being conveyed. Seems simple enough, right?

While white space on the page — and throughout your week — can offer extremely necessary breathing room and direction, it can also stir up any anxiety, agitation, or discomfort that lies stirring beneath the surface. Or perhaps the absence of distraction allows us to notice a quiet buzzing that has been there all along.

Ultimately, our relationship to negative space and its connotations says a lot about us and our state of mind. This vital unsung hero really does run the show, even if we’re not consciously registering it.

About the author.

Alessandra is the mentor, educator, and writer behind Boneseed, a private practice devoted to deep self-inquiry through a range of physical, energetic, and mental modalities. She has over 500 hours of yoga, mentorship, and facilitation training and can be found slinging knowledge on her website, newsletter, and @bone.seed.

Employer Alert: What to Do When an Employee Quits

“I quit” may be the phrase of the year. At the time of this writing, it has been ricocheting at organizations across the country. Forbes calls this job exodus the “Great Resignation.” Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “More people quit their jobs in April 2021 than in any single month in nearly a century. After a challenging and disorienting year, many people are looking for a change.” In terms of numbers, more than 700,000 workers in professional and business services left. And in the hospitality and retail sector, for every 100 workers, about five of them left their job.

Although this exodus en masse is highly disruptive, the Forbes piece says that “a certain amount of turnover works for companies and their employees.” At any time, one, several, or more employees are bound to leave. If it hasn’t happened already, it will. “For leaders, there are two ways to respond,” this post suggests. “You can become bitter and defensive — many will undoubtedly follow this path — or you can celebrate people holistically, knowing they are better off when they pursue their passions.”

The first option, which amounts to “outrage,” is, in Forbes’ words, “old-fashioned.” Instead of viewing the situation sourly, reframe the perspective. Be upbeat. There’s a chance now to hire another person who presents a great fit. Gain from the experience and take the high road.

How should an employer do this?

Be open and receptive to the news. It’s a fait accompli, so accept the resignation calmly. As Yoh advises: “In the end, if you already lost them, there is no need to make a scene out of it. They will probably respect you less if you do that, and losing their respect is not something you want at this point.” Hear what the employee has to say. A friendly, yet measured approach will bolster the departing person’s cooperation. Information from this meeting should help with moving forward.

Speak up and emphasize the positive. Make the discussion with the departing employee pleasant and productive. It doesn’t have to be uptight or devoid of emotion. Cite the person’s strong points and accomplishments. Congratulate. Express your regrets for losing this person and keep the door open to return. Agree to provide references, if asked to do so now or in the future. Then set guidelines. Ask for a formal resignation letter with key dates, if it has not been submitted. Set goals and expectations for the exit process with milestones and touchpoints.

Start your engines. Time is of the essence. You have a lot to do in the days between the employee resigning and walking out the door permanently. Ask the person to put everything he or she does in order before leaving, e.g., meticulous notes about activities, immediate needs that will have to be met in the person’s absence, where critical things are, names and numbers of importance. Ask the said employee to create a binder for this. Contact HR pronto to discuss the plan going forward.

Get the word out. Announce the employee’s departure in official communications. People in the department and those at the organization who come in business contact with that person should hear about it in a timely manner through proper channels. Hold a brief team meeting about this, including potential plans, handoffs, sendoffs, and critical issues to maintain the flow of work. Keep messaging consistent and to the point. Act swiftly before rumors set in. External stakeholders are part of this too; they need to know about this through formal channels.

Celebrate and have a good time. This line from a Kool and the Gang tune is apropos. Plan a send-off for the departing employee. It doesn’t have to be elaborate; small and simple, if done right, accomplishes the purpose. And that is to provide a warm farewell as well as show those on the team this is a fine place to work with a caring culture. Say a few words in the context of the communications that have circulated. Invite participants to do the same and give the floor to the departing employee to say goodbye. This creates a favorable impression all around.

Tip: Keep a safety plan in place. If you don’t have one already, create a what-if operational backup. This document covers the ramifications of an employee quitting and changes that may have to take place. Basically: How do you pick up the slack? Enumerate the ways. Develop this guide according to job descriptions or whatever way makes most sense. Update it periodically. Include all members of the team (that means you, too). It serves as a template for all sudden departures, no matter how/why they occur, to guard against being blindsided.

For more information from the employer angle, see: Your Best Employees Will Quit. Here’s What to Do About It and Want a Good Measure of a Company? It’s How They Treat Employees Who Quit.

For employers, even though valuable resources may be departing, be sure to offer good tidings. Things change in the workplace. Mutual respect should not.

About the author.
You name it, she covers it. That’s the can-do attitude Sherry M. Adler brings to the craft of writing. A polished marketing and communications professional, she has a passion for learning and the world at large. She uses it plus the power of words to inform and energize stakeholders of all kinds. And to show how all of this can make a difference, she calls her business WriteResults NY, LLC.

Quality Quitting: The Right Way to Leave a Job

Hooray! After plenty of researching, soul-searching, and interviewing. you’ve finally received a great offer and accepted a new job. Off you go… hey, not so fast. You still have a script to follow to sign out the right way. Be thoughtful and kind. It will pay off in the end and throughout your career.

What specifically needs to be done and how? Take suggestions from a trusted source. The Wall Street Journal knows a few things about business, including “How to Quit a Job and Leave on Good Terms.” This post advises to part “on the best terms possible.” Why all the fuss? First, there’s the basic respect you should show others, especially coworkers, even if you’ve had your differences. Plus, there’s the “you-never-know” principle. Your manager, supervisor, and colleagues may serve as vital references and contacts at some juncture. Your paths may cross on other jobs and in other venues. You may end up serving on industry committees together. It’s a small world: keep that in mind.

The Journal condenses all of this into two words: “resign gracefully.” How?

Allot the proper amount of lead time. Provide a safety net for your team by not bolting out the door. Hopefully, you factored this time into your new job start date; if not, do so. This approach is the subject of “How to Give Two Weeks’ Notice Without Burning Bridges.” Although the amount of time you assign to this interval may vary, offering the standard two weeks cuts your present employer some slack; after all, there will be a gap when you vacate your post. They will have to figure out how to proceed; it’s no small matter.
Write your resignation and deliver and discuss it face-to-face. On “Sex and the City,” a boyfriend of Carrie Bradshaw breaks up with her by leaving a message on a Post-it. Don’t replicate that model. Make a timely appointment to get on your supervisor’s calendar so you can tender your resignation face-to-face. Make it official and include your departure date. See “How to Write a Resignation Letter (With Samples and Tips)” from Indeed. Keep the proceedings civil and cordial. If you are asked, offer constructive criticism rather than casting aspersions. It’s conceivable you may receive a counteroffer to stay. Be prepared for this—it may be worthwhile.
Cooperate completely. You likely will receive a number of asks from your boss and others, e.g., update your job description, document procedures, detail descriptions of interactions with clients and open issues, work with team members to hand over responsibilities, inform/train them, explain what requires intervention and when. Be agreeable and accurate. Another: attend the exit interview that Human Resources will schedule. Go with a smile on your face and act professionally. You want to thank all for your time at the firm. Ideally, you want to hear that you would be welcome back should you wish to return at some point.
Don’t leave without it. For your own records, list your functions and accomplishments. Much likely went into your revised resume and updated job description, but not all. Capture this now rather than rely on memory. Focus on your employee benefits, e.g., health and financial. How long will your medical insurance last? How do you get COBRA, if needed? What about vacation/time off days—how many, how will you get paid for them? Discuss these details at your exit interview or send questions beforehand. Copy personal email messages; connect with IT about your computer equipment and how to safeguard your privacy.
Apprise others and depart with dignity. Your supervisor or HR may wish to send out an official notice about your parting to various stakeholders. Let them know what details you’re comfortable disclosing at your meetings. And advise them you intend to do the same; in fact, come equipped with a draft or several of them for review. Use business etiquette in these interactions and communications. Provide your colleagues with your personal contact information, and ensure you have the same from them. Stay in touch with some at least once or twice a year to keep these relationships alive.

Recap: You’re on your way out, so execute your own exit strategy. Give advance and appropriate notice. Resign in writing and submit in person. Thank all for the opportunity of working at the company. Demonstrate that in the way you tie up loose ends, leave instructions, provide contact information, and express willingness to respond to job-related inquiries. Work with HR on summing up your situation, communicating your departure, and receiving information about your insurance, 401(k), pension, and portable benefits. Ask coworkers for contact information and stay in touch. Do NOT take anything that belongs to the organization, including intellectual property, or violate agreements.

Uh Oh! What if You Started a Job and It’s Not Working Out?

This happens too! You’re unhappy. Keep a level head. What you’re feeling may be a function of newness. Making a job change is not easy. It’s a transition. Factor this into your thoughts and give yourself some time to work this through.

If, after considered judgment, all signs point to leaving, you still need to put a plan in place. You may only be on the new job for a short time, but it behooves you to act respectfully and focus on your responsibilities.

Try to stay as long as possible. This gives you time to acclimate. It also enables you to begin job hunting while you still are employed. Note: it’s advisable to hold on for a year or ideally two. That way, you benefit from the experience and can use it as a resume line item. That said, if you can no longer tolerate your new job, leave. However, plan this move rather than fly out the door. See “How Long Should I Stay at a Job Before Quitting?”

Similar to the steps outlined in The Great Resignation Part I, understand the root cause of the problem(s) on the new job. The answer will assist you in searching for a better fit. Once you have a plan in place and are making progress, speak with your boss. Air your views. Come prepared with potential solutions. Ask questions—does he/she have suggestions? Are there other roles available that may suit you and the company? Research this beforehand and list possibilities. Get feedback and consider all options.

If all fails, tender a resignation letter. Follow the steps and tone outlined above in principle. Understand that the business invested in you; let the powers that be know you appreciate it. We all make mistakes; the idea is to learn from them.

Put in whatever time and effort you need to make a worthwhile job change. When you receive and accept an offer, go through the prescribed process with decorum. Things change in the workplace. Quality quitting should not. Mutual respect is the hallmark of this model.

The pandemic disruption of work has been a learning experience, and the lessons keep coming.

Many companies had planned for employees to return to the office in tandem with the beginning of a new school year, but things are getting upended — again. Amazon recently delayed its office return by four months; corporate staff is now looking at a January 2022 return. This news comes on the heels of similar postponements at Apple, Uber, Lyft, Google, and the video game juggernaut Roblox as the highly transmissible Delta variant drives a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The sudden, pandemic-induced experiment in remote work dramatically changed the way that most knowledge workers work. For many, WFH allowed for less time commuting and more freedom while working, which led to increased productivity and happiness. But others struggled and missed the cleanly delineated separation of office life from home.

Whatever your personal preferences, our collective remote work experiment has laid bare the holes in some long-held ways of evaluating performance. The “derrieres in office chairs” metric was once seen as a key indicator of office performance — workers who spent more time in the office were generally seen as being more productive and dedicated. But as it turns out, arriving early and staying past dark doesn’t necessarily correlate with productivity. And as we look at the options being weighed by companies large and small: 100% remote? Hybrid? 100% in-office? Combination thereof? — it’s clear that we need to move away from rewarding physical presence and instead focus on the work itself.

Research shows that many folks thrive when they have autonomy over their work lives and environment (here’s looking at you, thermostat tug-of-war) and increased flexibility in managing their schedules. Excising stressful commutes has enabled focus and efficiency and allowed for more energy to be used where it counts — making the work magic happen.

“Delta is probably the final nail in the coffin of the five-day return to the office,” shared Nick Bloom, a Stanford University economics professor who has studied work-from-home trends, in a recent Bloomberg article on the topic. “The five-day return was still an option after the initial pandemic in summer 2020, but became increasingly unlikely when this stretched into 2021 and we all got used to working from home.”

And employees, it seems, are willing to pay a price to avoid a return to the old status quo. This is particularly true for older workers, who have accelerated their retirement plans, causing an exodus that may well be permanent for many. From data released in late March 2021, the labor force participation rate — the proportion of Americans 55 and older working or seeking work — has dropped from 40.3% in February 2020 to 38.3% in February 2021. That’s a sizable loss of 1.45 million from the workforce.

Some of this is undoubtedly due to the outsize health risk COVID-19 poses to older folks. Still, for others, the pandemic may have unwittingly provided a looking glass into what really matters to them. Plus, they may have realized that the money they were making for doing unpleasant jobs wasn’t enough, an epiphany with far-reaching implications.

By now, you’ve likely heard the term the “Great Resignation,” coined by Professor Anthony Klotz at Texas A&M. He says there’s been an accumulation of resignations stemming from realizations about work/life balance and new passion projects that are morphing into possible entrepreneurial enterprises. Many workers would rather vacate their jobs than slide back into the “old normal” of a 9-to-5 office slog that no longer fits.

All of this has led to a tight labor market that is making hiring top talent tough. We spoke to Caroline Coons, a senior account executive at Creative Circle in the D.C. area, about how she is helping companies navigate choppy hiring waters, thorny questions about WFH, and flexibility.

Increasingly, Coons has been recommending freelance as an interim solution for full-time roles that are increasingly difficult to fill. She shared that “with so many resignations, especially at agencies, there’s additional pressure on the folks left behind, who are taking on extra work, but then getting burned out and quitting themselves. Current teams are being forgotten and taken for granted as companies are scrambling to fill open roles.” Coons emphasized that “smart companies are reinvesting in their current employees, with some even extending retention bonuses as an added incentive.”

Leaning into listening may offer the best way forward. If you are crafting a work plan, experts advise talking to your teams — and listening. If most of your workers want to primarily work from home (as was the case in this LinkedIn survey), then heed what you are hearing. Otherwise, your valued staff may be joining the exodus.

Strive to cultivate a mindset that anticipates the crucial role of trial and error. Accept that it may take time to learn how to navigate the ever-shifting new normal as the mercurial winds of microbiology continue to buffet us in unpredictable ways.

About the author.

An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina Margit Edelyi writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.

You Detest Your Job. Now What?

It happens — you can’t stand your job and want a new one. Examine this statement, because a number of things are important here. You need to know what is prompting this situation. If you don’t uncover the root of what ails you, there’s a chance you may end up in a similar situation again.

Here’s a quick guide to decision-making and action items:

Identify and evaluate what’s motivating you to leave. What is the problem(s)? Does it have to do with your job itself, e.g., responsibilities of your role, promotion potential and possibilities, compensation, or performance reviews? Is it the organization, e.g., company policies, culture, benefits, work-life balance, products or services, work environment, or leadership? Or is it interpersonal? Have you attempted to tackle these matters?

Of course, nothing needs to be wrong with your current job for you to leave. Perhaps it’s simply time to try something new. Regardless, think carefully about the pros and cons of resigning. Evaluate everything and, if the conclusions support leaving, then pursue dual paths. Meaning: (1) continue to work hard at your present job as you (2) eye new opportunities. Don’t jump.

Strategize and build your infrastructure to find a job. Moving on is a process. It requires planning and constructing a bridge to the future. What are you looking for? Crystallize the answer to this question. Research different angles, job titles, responsibilities, companies, and industries. Update your resume, and consider developing several versions for the different types of jobs you are pursuing. Post a LinkedIn profile or revise the one you have. Check out recruiting firms, such as Creative Circle, and register with them. Do all of this quietly, yet decisively and efficiently.

Network and pave the way. Find groups and attend meetings to make connections with a range of people. Speak with your contacts, ask questions, and, more than anything, listen. Gather and share information. As you do, refrain from talking badly about your colleagues and company. Set up job alerts that go directly to your personal email on LinkedIn, Indeed, and other sites. And on that note, ensure your personal email address is business appropriate; if not, create a separate one for job hunting. Use your time outside work to do all of this.
On your mark, get set, go! If the time is right and all signs point to starting anew somewhere else, swing into action. With your grasp of the situation and puzzle pieces in place, apply, apply, apply. Compose your talking points. Hone your interviewing skills. Research the how-tos of these critical components online; enlist mentors, friends, and family to help. Write templates for cover letters and interview thank you notes, and personalize them before sending. It may take a while to land the right offer, or not long at all. Be prepared to wait it out. Repeat: Don’t be hasty.

If you want an excellent place to showcase your best work and promote yourself as a creative, say hello to social media.

Social media has the power and reach to create community, provide a kick of inspiration, and can help artists visualize their work from a more macro perspective. And your online presence could help you sell more work, win freelance clients, gain new creative collaborators — and help you build a robust and professional reputation. Perhaps most significantly, mastering the art of social media can help your relationships with your followers and turn them into your tribe.

There are many social media platform options — along with a fast-growing number of creative apps that specifically cater to creators, making it easier than ever to get your work in front of the right audience.

Some key social media benefits for artists include:

Building a global following
Connecting with fans in real-time
Networking with other artists
Growing a relationship with followers
A measure of freedom from the gallery system for visual artists

But beware that social media can also be a source of frustration and isolation. However, when used wisely, it can strengthen your art practice and help your work be seen by those that would not otherwise have access. Here we share some ways to approach social media that will move you and your career forward.

So, what is the best social media platform to sell and promote art?

Here’s a revelation: there is no such thing as a “best” social media network for all artists. The best social network for you is the platform where your target audience hangs out. If your people are on Instagram — then Instagram is the best social platform for you. If your fans are on Facebook, that’s the right network for you to promote your work.

Your time is limited. Get the most out of it by researching where your audience is before you develop a social media strategy. Figure out which platforms are the right ones for you to invest in instead of spreading yourself thin by creating accounts on many social media platforms. Look at the current networks you’re on — where do you get the most interaction? Pay attention to that. Measure twice, cut once: Take the time to discover where your audience is hanging out.

These are some of the most popular social media networks to look into for artists and creatives:

Promote your work where your audience lives and focus on a handful of platforms at most to start, because publishing a post and forgetting about it won’t help you grow your audience — you need to be in the field interacting with folks if you want to build engagement. And remember — the only constant is change, and that goes triple for the world of tech. Today’s platform may not be the best one for you tomorrow (hello, MySpace!).

While the world of social media options has gotten broader — many visual artists do indeed favor Instagram (it’s still the most popular visuals-based social platform) — so we are including some additional insights germane to that platform. Here are some tips to help make your efforts go the extra mile.

Optimize your social media profiles.

Marketing gurus recommend that you optimize your profiles such that they look the same across your network. Your account name should be the same (or very similar) on each platform. Make sure to include all important links (like to your portfolio site).

And concerning Instagram, make the most of your 150-character bio. It tells potential followers who you are, what you care about, and is the only place where you can post a live link to your work. Some artists put a standard link to their site, while others change it regularly to reflect recent posts or happenings. Another tack is to take advantage of link-in-bio tools, like Shop Grid, which allows you to turn a single link into a catalog of links.

Link to your social media platforms from elsewhere.

Make it easy for folks to find your social media platforms. Add the icons to your website footer to link to your social accounts, add to your email signature, and cross-reference your various social networks in the bio section across all the platforms you use.

Post consistently.

People will start to see you as an expert in your field of art if you consistently post text and visual content on your various social media platforms. And also, the algorithms favor consistency; Instagram’s algorithmic timeline weights consistency as a key element to having your posts seen. And if your posts are shared regularly — and pick up good engagement — the algorithm will reward you by showing your posts near the top of your follower’s feeds.

Artists and brands that get into a regular flow with their Instagram posts tend to see the best results. According to a Tailwind study, profiles that post daily gain Instagram followers more quickly than those that post less frequently.

But heed the maxim that quality is more important than quantity, something that is true across all social media platforms. Just because you post more often does not mean it will translate to higher engagement rates. And be careful of posting a lot when you have an exhibition if you typically do not engage with social media regularly.

Focus on making content that resonates, talk about aspects of your work that will engage your followers — ultimately that is what matters most.

Focus on engagement, not follower count.

A word to the wise: take care not to let follower counts and comments become qualifiers for your work. Yes, there is some validation therein, but if these interactions become a self-fulfillment loop, it could be self-destructive. Your followers are there because they are interested in YOUR creations, YOUR voice, YOUR unique vision. And it’s ok if it’s not for everyone. Please remember that.

A large follower count does not equate to actual influence, which lies in the engagement with your followers. Focus on developing stronger connections with people already tuning into your work. Engagement is essential for growth, so engage your fans in a conversation.

To engage more genuinely with your audience:

Leave thoughtful comments on other people’s posts, beyond the rote “beautiful” or “love that.”
Respond to every comment with something more substantial than a “thanks.” Other folks will be inspired to leave comments when they see that you are responding to the comments.
Consider promoting other artists on your feed and focus on people who are passionate about what you’re doing—interact with them in comments, DMs, follow, and like back.
Be as interested in your high-engagement followers’ content as you want them to be in yours.

Remember that just because someone sees your content doesn’t mean they currently follow you. If you have a chance to interact with a potential new follower, take it. Look at every comment as an opportunity to gain a new fan (or keep a current one). If that sounds like a lot of tapping on your phone, don’t fret — there’re ways to comment and DM from desktop too!

Want to optimize your posting times? Consider making the switch to a business account.

You’re posting because you want people to see your work, right? It makes sense to pay attention to when folks are the most active on your page so you can optimize when you upload new content. Newsfeed algorithms—particularly the Facebook algorithm and Instagram algorithm—consider “recency” as a major ranking signal, which means that actually posting your content when your followers are online is one of the simplest ways to improve your organic reach. The best way to figure out when your people are paying attention? Switch to a business account so that you can receive some basic analytics for each of your posts.

Take a look at your analytics tools, or social media reports, and home in on your more successful posts for a given metric such as:

Awareness — posts that have high impressions)
Engagement — posts that earned impressive engagement rates)
Sales/Traffic — posts that attracted a lot of clicks)

Then, take a look at what time of day or week you posted successful content, and see what kind of patterns form.

But here’s some intelligence that may aid your efforts as you begin to dive into your own stats. Hootsuite, who creates software to streamline cross-social channel posting, did some investigation into the best times to post in a more general sense and this is what they found.

Instagram: The best time to post on Instagram is 11:00 AM on Wednesdays.
Facebook: The best time to post on Facebook is 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Twitter: The best time to post on Twitter is 8:00 AM on Mondays and Thursdays.
LinkedIn: The best time to post on LinkedIn is 9:00 AM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

High-quality images are everything.

Along with monitoring ideal posting time, another essential aspect to be aware of is the quality of your image/s. Think of social media like a trade publication, and post something worthy for those in your industry. Ask yourself if the copy and image you’re posting will stand out and tell a story. You want to catch eyes and capture minds — and pay attention to the data, so you know when is best.

Embrace the 80/20 rule.

In a nutshell: post informative information 80% of the time and promote your work by just 20%. Providing more storytelling and less promotion is essential to forging a more authentic connection with your followers. Yes — showcase your art and work on social media, but give it context by providing information about your process. Share what inspired you, what you’re planning to work on next, or perhaps some helpful tips that help solve a problem related to your art, like innovative ways to display your pieces.

Be Real. Be Authentic. Be YOU.

We know it may sound a tad cliché, but letting your followers have a true look into your life is one of the best ways to connect with them online. Be honest about where and how you’re doing your work — if you convert your closet into an art studio, talk about making work in tight urban spaces. Won a residency? Share photos of your new workspace and talk about the experience. If you have an infant in the studio, show that in some of your posts and talk about creating with a tiny human in tow. It all relates to being honest and sharing your reality. Show your creative practice, share in-progress shots of your work along with images of finished projects — people will feel that much closer to your art if they travel along the continuum as you create them.

There are other reasons to actively engage social media from a professional perspective, aside from promoting your work. Connecting with other artists ranks high, as does mining inspiration for future work. You will happen upon new content you would not have discovered otherwise, and it is an opportunity for leading luminaries to see your work to whom you otherwise may not have easy access. And it’s an opportunity for those that create alone to connect with a community of creators and learn.

About the author.
An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.

Whether you are working on a big design project with a tight timeline or simply cooking dinner, time management is of utmost importance. (Obviously, we won’t be discussing cooking time management, but always set a timer for the pasta.) Time management makes the difference between crumbling under the pressure of tackling an extremely stressful workload and being able to spread the workload out, which in turn makes it a much less stressful situation.

Think About Your Routines

Take a moment to reflect on what your time management currently looks like. Do you wake up at the last possible moment, sit up in bed, put the laptop on your lap, and get straight to work? Do you scroll on social media a bit too much? Do you make time to watch TV or do you watch TV while you try to get work done?

Check your screen time metrics on your phone, look at your text history, check in with your DVR or your gaming console. Make notes of how much time you spend doing what. Understand what your schedule is, and set some goals. What time of day are you most productive? Would you like to get out of bed before you start working? Would you like to stop dillydallying in general? Would you like to do a bit more dillydallying?

The List

If you’re not a list maker, it’s time to become one. Write down all the things you need to accomplish for the day, from grocery shopping to calling your friend to finish that draft of your project to meet with your boss. Writing your tasks down takes them out of your head, where they can balloon up into stressful events that are bigger than they actually are and brings them into the real world, where they are simply things you need to accomplish.

From there, prioritize. What is the most pressing? What is important to your work? What is important to you and your personal goals? Get acquainted with the Eisenhower matrix, a little formula that helps you figure out how to prioritize your time. The Eisenhower matrix asks you to consider the difference between what’s important and what is urgent because those two things are very different. While urgent tasks are pressing and time-sensitive matters, important tasks speak to deeper needs that are more about what you value and what you actually want to accomplish. It’s important not to get these two mixed up.

The Eisenhower Matrix lets you divide your tasks up into four quadrants: 1) important and urgent 2) important but not urgent, 3) urgent but not important, and 4) not important and not urgent. From there you can really figure out in what order you want to accomplish the tasks at hand and budget your time accordingly.

And when you accomplish each task, there is no sweeter satisfaction than crossing said task off your list. (My guilty pleasure is writing down things I’ve already accomplished just to cross them off, which I’m sure Eisenhower wouldn’t love, but you know, don’t get too crazy with it.)

The Calendar

It’s time to translate your goals into action. This is probably very unsurprising, but your calendar is your greatest tool when it comes to time management. Try planning out your entire day. Color coding your calendar can also help you organize priority or what sector or project each task/meeting/work time belongs to—which is especially handy if you are freelancing and juggling multiple projects.

Obviously, you want to plot out meetings and work-related things like project milestones. Breaking down a long-term project into feasible, bite-sized milestones is crucial for accomplishing big items. So take a minute to figure out what good check-in points would be for the project—and stick to them.

Also schedule out time to work on projects and honor that time, making yourself unavailable to other projects/meetings (unless those meetings are very important, obviously). If you use an office-wide calendar system, creating personal meetings just to work can help you prioritize that work and help others schedule around your time (which can, in and of itself, cut down on unnecessary meetings).

It’s also important to actively put your free time in your calendar, rather than letting your free time simply be the cracks between your other events. It may seem counterintuitive to make an event or a reminder to relax, but it’s about creating a more tangible way to divide your time and help you stay present

On that note, resist the urge to multitask. Plenty of research has found that trying to multitask doesn’t allow you to do multiple things efficiently—it actually only makes you do each activity worse and takes more time. When you block your time out, try your best to focus on the project at hand. If you’re easily distracted by the internet, consider using a browser extension to cut down on distractions.

Time management is all about creating new routines and sticking to them, which can be pretty hard and very annoying at first. But it’s also your best bet against, well, yourself. The thing about time is, it’s always running out. That in and of itself can be stressful, but with the right approach to breaking your projects and responsibilities down, you can make the most of it, while still having time for yourself. The other thing about time is that life happens—no matter how much you prepare and plan ahead, sometimes things just get in the way. Time management is about finding the balance between organizing yourself and being able to go with the flow of life.

About the author.
Sam Mani writes about work, creativity, wellness, and equity — when she’s not cooking, binging television, or annoying her cat.