As Admission Officer, your position requires you to always be thinking outside of the box. You’re constantly looking for new ways to connect with potential families, to virally spread your school’s mission, and keep your current families engaged. Perhaps your role includes managing social media, or working parallel with the Development Office on its mission, or both, plus any number of other possible work combinations.
It’s day in and day out—always an adventure, but often too hectic to actually stop and think about why, what, and/or how you’re achieving your end goal. You find yourself thinking on your feet but carrying out actions in a blur, or rather, auto-drive. Red flags wave “danger, danger” in your mind, but your project calendar demands your routine be followed.
Being creative and innovative in your position doesn’t have to stop the flow of your productivity. If you have a lunch hour where you can escape, you can recharge your creative mind. Honest. Here are a few tips for helping you break free from the routine and gain control of your inspiration again.
Retreat! Inspiration is discovered in unlikely places. When you’re in the same room for 8–10 hours a day, it’s difficult to be influenced by different perspectives. And, if you’re running from luncheon to meeting to classroom to classroom, you’re not allowing yourself to absorb the energy from the environment. Creativity needs to be recharged. Find a room or place where you feel at peace and motivated. Allow yourself to be motivated by the change of pace and new atmosphere.
Who, what, when, where, WHY, and how? Being curious is the key to creativity. All great artists—writers, painters, marketers, etc.—started out by taking the pieces of the problem presented and searching within themselves for basic answers. By asking these foundational questions, you can build a framework for creativity.
Write it out. There is something magical about scratching ideas down on paper. Allow your pen to free-write—jot down whatever thoughts pop up, even if they’re not related to the problem at hand or you think they’re not related. Don’t judge any of your thoughts until you have enough material to start eliminating. A good habit to get into is carrying a notebook with you everywhere you go.
Walk away from the coffee pot. Caffeine does both amazing and devastating things. If you’re already tense, caffeine can actually aggravate, causing additional muscle tension. It’s hard to loosen up with your body in knots. So, during those extra stressful moments, opt for water or something decaffeinated to help your body detox and relax.
Get moving. Exercise gets your blood circulating and your mind going. Ever notice after stretching, jogging, or taking an aerobics class how many thoughts you have? Before sitting down to solve your next big admission equation, take a brisk walk around campus or a few minutes for any activity that will raise your heart rate.
Never stop learning. Don’t shut out new people, technologies, ideas, places, or events. You never know from who or what you’ll be inspired. Stay open to all outside influences. Join an online discussion group. Network. Read a new book—for pleasure and business. Take a class. Just never stop developing your mind.
Additional ISM resources for Consortium Gold members
To The Point Vol. 15 No. 3 Five Ideas Are Better Than One!
