| For the life of me, I could never remember if | | | | out. Recalling her creativity session earlier that |
| creative types or analytical types were left brain or | | | | morning, she decided to do something creative at the |
| right brain. | | | | beginning of every work day for about 30 minutes. |
| Then one day, years ago, I found a cartoon that | | | | Over time, she found this to be a key to her |
| showed two people at a party, a woman and a man. | | | | success and for pumping out many good productive |
| The woman is facing the viewer and asks the man, | | | | ideas and projects. |
| "I can't remember. Are accountants left brain or right | | | | I was so intrigued by this story that now I keep art |
| brain?" The man's back is to the viewer. And his head | | | | supplies near my writing projects at home. Before |
| above his ears veers sharply to the left. | | | | starting to write for whatever book or project I'm |
| I'm a little of both, analytical and creative. I can | | | | working on, I draw with color pencils on a drawing |
| pretty much turn one on or off at will, like I'm turning | | | | pad. It gets my creative juices flowing. |
| on a faucet. Sometimes, though, I need to get into | | | | My creative colleague who needs to tap into her |
| the "other mode" more quickly than usual, and I need | | | | analytical side will count tiles. (Different, yes, but it |
| some tricks to get there. For me, this usually | | | | works for her.) When we discussed this in a group, I |
| happens when I need to get creative quickly. | | | | suggested doing Sudoku puzzles to exercise the left |
| I have a colleague who is mostly creative, but she is | | | | brain. |
| often called upon in her work to think more | | | | As you can guess, I'm not of the management |
| analytically. She has some tricks to help her get there | | | | mindset that says doing these types of activities |
| as well. | | | | during the work day is a waste of time or goofing |
| A few years ago, I read a great story that | | | | off. On the contrary, I believe creative or analytical |
| highlighted how our brains work and how putting it | | | | exercises that get our brains in gear and lead us to |
| through certain types of "exercise" will help us | | | | produce more high quality work is well worth the |
| produce more work output. A woman wrote an | | | | time. Therefore, I'm challenging managers |
| article about her work as a marketing person. She | | | | everywhere to change their thinking on this topic to |
| had to pump out a lot of creative ideas one after | | | | encourage right- and left-brain exercises during the |
| the other. But just like writers get writer's block, she | | | | start of the workday, or at the start of working on |
| got creative block in her work. | | | | a project. |
| She worked from home a few days each week. One | | | | Furthermore, I'm also of the "camp" that believes |
| day, after her kids left for school, she noticed that | | | | every business person should spend 30 minutes early |
| her daughter had left art supplies on the kitchen | | | | in the work day reading business newspapers, such |
| table. She found paper, markers, crayons, glitter, and | | | | as the Wall Street Journal or Investor's Business |
| glue. Without thinking twice about it, she started | | | | Daily, and/or the business section of your |
| playing with the paper, glue, and glitter, making all | | | | metropolitan paper. Regarding this topic, the |
| kinds of creative pictures and shapes. After doing this | | | | difference between most people and me is that |
| for about 30 minutes, she went to her office to | | | | most people believe this should be done "on a |
| work. | | | | person's own time," while I believe it should be done |
| Can you guess what happened? She was | | | | during the work day. But, hey, that's another topic |
| ultra-productive that day! She could hardly believe | | | | for another time! |
| how much work she got done and how well it turned | | | | |