Architects and landscape architects share many traits. One trait that stands out above the rest is, of course, stress.
Whether it's managing a project team (and keeping the intern off YouTube), multitasking on project assignments, foraging through office paperwork (did I forget to fax that letter?), juggling proposals, or anything else that pops up in a never ending sea of daily monotony...
it's hard to find time even get a breath.
However, what sets successful architects apart from the rest is not only their quality of work, but their quality of life. Ever wonder how you can get ahead and just catch a break?
Here are the 5 daily habits of a successful architect.
Physical Activity
Duh (Right?). I don't think this caught anyone off guard. Studies repeatedly show and confirm time and time again that physical activity of some kind stimulates your brain.
Regular activity makes you healthier, both physically and emotionally. For most people, there is nothing easy about this. However, easy exercise routines like this one sure do make the excuses run thin. It's also hard to miss the opportunity to take a 20 minute walk at lunch to clear your head.
Regardless, successful architects will always find time to do some kind of activity every day.
Sketching
Architects who sketch what they see are able to continue to craft their skills that pushed them into the profession from day one.
Even if you are resorting to a simple doodle during phone calls, you utilizing this skill that you honed in on in your younger career.
Sketching can be a form of therapy for many people. It can also help relieve stress and allow artists to disappear into their work when they need an escape.
Sketching also is a great way to help identify new ideas that can be saved for future work. Many famous architects have visualized their well known pieces of art on a simple napkin while having lunch in a diner or sitting in another boring office meeting.
Daily sketching, no matter the purpose, is a trait you don't want to let slip.
Meditation
Another no brainer here - finding time to meditate, pray, reflect, focus, what have you, allows your brain some time to relax.
Most successful people who practice this art say the best way to do it is to start your day with some form of focus or inspiration.
As soon as you wake, try getting out of bed (so you don't fall back asleep!), drink some cold water, and take 15-20 mins to center yourself for the coming events of your work day.
Early To Rise
I'm a Colts fan, so you will rarely hear me compliment The New England Patriots' QB, Tom Brady. However, he recently was interviewed about what keeps him going now that he's on the tail end of his career, and still successful as ever.
Brady says he goes to bed at 8:30 every night, because he wakes up extremely early to utilize the most productive part of the day.
In an article posted by Business Insider, "Brady said he went to sleep so early because football was the only thing he loved to do, and all his decisions were designed to keep him playing at an age when most players retire."
Brady isn't the only successful person to claim an early bed time and early alarm are crucial to their successful career.
Several successful business men and women claim that utilizing those wee hours of the morning allow them to get more done before their colleagues come in to work than they do in a typical work day.
Maybe we should all try it!
Related Post: A Must Read: How To Market My Architecture Firm
Marketing Connection
The biggest difference between firms that make it and firms that don't has very little to do with the kind of work they produce, and very much to do with the attitude and commitment those at the top have to keeping their marketing hat on at all times.
It's absolutely crucial to keep a steady flow of leads coming in all the time. It's also absolutely (and probably even more) crucial to be able to contact and nurture those leads into clients over time.
No one tells you in school that having a background in sales or business admin would be crucial to succeeding as a professional architect or LA. However, we all know now that these efforts will literally make or break your firm as you try to move to the next level.
Successful architects will make at least one phone call every day to one of the contacts they are tracking. Don't just say you're going to do it - make sure you are actually doing it! If it requires you to schedule it in your calendar for every day at 3:00pm to call a lead, then so be it.
Photo credit goes to Flickr user Steven Vance
