Every morning at Contrast, barring any fires that need extinguishing, we all start our day the same. We submit a Daily Status Report. Emailed to wider team at large, it’s a line list of our individual projects that recaps what’s going on with each—i.e., “R2 copy awaiting client feedback,” “Kickoff tomorrow,” “Pending legal approval”… You get the idea.
Brush teeth, wash face, send Daily Status.
Writing a Daily Status Report is a smart way to start the day at a busy design agency like ours because it forces us each to take inventory of what’s on our plate, dig for answers as needed, and prioritize for the day ahead—so we keep our projects on track. By its nature, it’s a typically dry and personality-less submission that, awhile back, inflamed the passions of this career-long copywriter like a lump of unmolded clay in the hands of a potter.
Copytunities are everywhere.
A month into writing full-time for Contrast, headlining my Daily Status Report with a chipper “Good morning!” had become mundane. Oh sure, I’d switch it up with an occasional “Happy Tuesday!” and “TGIF!” But slowly, the creative vacuum I’d perpetuated was taking its toll, until one day (perhaps it was “National Is This All You’ve Got? Day”), I cried uncle. And an idea struck. Why had I not thought of this before?!
There’s a fantastic reason to celebrate today.
Today’s a holiday. In fact, every day is a holiday. I needed no help in identifying the obvious ones most of us work on—Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, the first day of Spring. It’s all those obscure and abstract holidays (the more bizarre the better) that hook me. I took it upon myself as my occupational duty to report them to my team. About a year ago, I began including a snapshot of the “national day” du jour atop my Daily Status Report, and lately I’ve been customizing an intro line of body copy to synch with the day’s theme.
Start the work day with a chortle.
What started as an outlet for my own creative energy has had a delightfully welcome side-effect. My teammates often write back. On “National Nude Day,” a coworker responded, “Good thing I’m working from home today.” And on “National Grab Some Nuts Day,” I got a “I’m not touching this one…” followed by “The SF office agrees with you.”
I like to think that every “Reply all,” spontaneous comeback, and attached screen grab or video brings our whole team closer, and bonds us throughout all the ridiculous, heartfelt, silly, and important days each month.
Some of our favorite days in March.
You don’t have to be Southern to celebrate all things “DADGUM good!” Or even to say it out loud.
Obsessing is a chore. You gotta love a holiday that touts something practical. Thank you—I’ll do that.
Permission not to cook. I’ll take it!
I like to think this holiday is mostly directed at others. Particularly my husband.
As if we needed a special day to do this.
Luckily for us, we feel appreciated every day.
Can’t wait till next month! You can bet we’ll be celebrating.