OG Tuesday Issue #129

OG Tuesday #129

Start your morning with this affirmation:

Today’s checklist: Elevate your typeface game, understand Six Sigma, get the low-down on people pleasing, and celebrate Pi Day.

YOU DO YOU

Tricks from a talented typist

So many fonts, so little time! When it comes to everyday designing (Powerpoints, flyers, and event agendas, for example), the fonts you choose seal the aesthetic fate of your messages.

Here are some tips from the Nielsen Norman Group (NN/g) on getting your typefaces right.

DOs

Do: Use the 1-l-L Test on Potential Typefaces
Use your potential font to type a number “1,” a lowercase “l,” and an uppercase “L.” You should be able to differentiate the characters at first glance.

Do: Use Decorative Typefaces for Headings and Sans Serif for Body Text
According to NN/g, fonts with flourishes should be balanced by plain fonts to give your piece a pleasing, but not overwhelming, look.

Do: Create Visual Hierarchy by Altering Font Weights, Sizes, and Styles
If you choose just one font, add eye-catching variety using all the classic tricks in your editing toolbar: italics, size, bold, and even underlines.

DON’Ts

Don’t: Use Wall-to-Wall Decorative Text

Why, you ask? Because that’s just hard to read as we hope you’ll see from this example.

Don’t: Pair Typefaces with Distinct Serifs (Serif definition: a slight projection finishing off a stroke of a letter in certain typefaces. )

NN/g says strong serifs may compete with each other. This can make your text hard to read.

Don’t: Neglect to Consider What “Role” Each Font Plays

“Regardless of which typeface or combination of typefaces you choose, do not use them haphazardly in designs. Each typeface or style should have a clear role and purpose,” NN/g says.

A simple example of assigning roles is using a decorative typeface for highlighting quotes or statistics while using a plain font for everything else.

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GET MORE SH*T DONE

Corporatese Term of the Day: Six Sigma

In terms of project management, Six Sigma is a systematic framework for identifying and reducing errors in a project. Leveraging it increases efficiency and reduces problems.

Six Sigma was originally intended to streamline manufacturing processes, but you can leverage the core principles for pretty much any project. This Capterra post lists all the Six Sigma steps and also points to handy software offerings you can use to execute each one.

Define: OKR Software
Measure: Gantt Chart Software
Analyze: Data Analysis Software
Improve: Idea Management Software
Control: Business Process Management Software

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Daily prompts and reminders to organize your day (helping build good habits)
Integrations with the tools you’re already using
Assistance in creating a sustainable morning (or evening) routine
Structure around your priorities
Reporting on what your time is spent on

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LEVEL UP

Vital Signs: The People Pleaser

People pleasing refers to the tendency (usually chronic) to put others’ needs before your own. People pleasers do this, experts say, in an attempt to “gain attention, affection, validation, approval and love.”

Here are some other vital signs to keep in mind if you are one or know one.

People-Pleasing Tendencies

Avoiding conflict or criticism
Preoccupation with “fitting in”
Apologizing frequently
Never saying “no”
Agreeing almost as though by default

Strengths

Kindness and compassion (their hearts are in the right place)
Incredible powers of perception (built up through years of observing others’ reactions)
Loyalty (people know they can count on them)
Stability (you can practically guarantee this person will be on time or let you know well in advance if they’re delayed)

Weaknesses

Bottling everything up can lead to passive aggressive behavior
Susceptibility to burnout
Experiencing feelings of resentment when they do good things for the wrong reasons
Neglecting self care

Survival Tips

Practice saying “no” to low-pressure invitations, to a coffee date, for example
Start saying “let me get back to you” to buy some time to really think about what you’re agreeing to
Try saying “I don’t” instead of “I can’t” to practice owning your preferences and values
Avoid making excuses or offering explanations. Instead practice unapologetic confidence in your responses
Ask yourself what is important to you and work on prioritizing that

Read more about people pleasing:

WATERCOOLER TALK

Happy Pi Day

3/14 is the day we celebrate the mathematical constant pi, which happens to boast 3.14 as its first 3 digits.

Pi, in case you were wondering, is “the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.”Given pi’s phonetic pronunciation and its association with the circle, people around the world choose to celebrate Pi Day by eating pie. We can get behind that.

Pi day recipes:

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