*Please pardon the un-styled mess why I am rethinking and re-designing my blog!*
The holiday season can be stressful. Clients want all their work done before Christmas, snow slows everyone down, holiday shopping can be a nightmare with tons of people at malls, and being around relatives can be….well…interesting to say the least. How the heck do you not keel over from stress?
Holidays are a time to rest and relax. I know as a designer I tend to be a work-a-holic. If you don’t take a break from time to time you will literally go crazy or approach burnout. This tip is first and I think its the most important. ( I need to take my own advice )
Use your time off and go buy a design related book and read! I know its not an interactive as a screen or a blog, but sometimes we need to disconnect and think at a slower pace. I suggest the book “The Cheese Monkeys” by Chip Kidd. A nice fiction book written by and about a graphic designer. Lots of great designy things to learn.
We design for people, but its easy to forget that when we spend 8+ hours infront of a computer every day. Entertain yourself and ask your family what they think about design. It could possibly be amusing 
Sleep (for me at least) is something that recharges me and helps refresh my mind. Take advantage of this while you don’t have to work!
Remember when graphic design was fun? Keep your creative wheels turning by working on personal projects. This is probably the most rewarding and refreshing thing a graphic designer do. Draw a silly character. Write a blog post. Sketch a typeface. Whatever it is – just create!
Leave a comment and let me know!
Battery Tee photo from simplebits
[6] Comments
Posted in design, design ethics, Graphic Design, Web 2.OH
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Rogie King says:
Nice read man! Personal projects really tend to help me creatively get out of the box. I think that another key thing is to get yourself totally out of the design world. Read a fiction novel. Play with your son. Hang out with family. Throw a poker party. Go Christmas caroling…Just get away.
As a designer, you will always be churning on good ideas, so experience away from the computer will really help.
December 19th, 2008 at 8:20 am
Monique GraphicFusion says:
Getting sleep and being away from the computer would definitely be a welcomed holiday treat.
December 19th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Nikki - Logo Design Guru says:
Yeah, I would say connecting with others and sleeping are most important. I love the holidays because it gives me a chance to get some much needed rest but the only problem is that it’s usually too short of a break. Everyone needs a break though so hopefully it is a restful time for everyone. Happy holidays!!
December 19th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
CIDIC says:
Family can be just as, if not more stressful than work.
December 19th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Peter Monbailleu says:
Hi Niki. I’m afraid I’m just like you… A short while ago, I did a test for myself and simply put my computer aside for two whole days… Imagine! I wrote a post about it: http://shakalakapeter.blogspot.com/2008/11/can-i-spend-two-days-without-my.html
Take a read if you like.
December 20th, 2008 at 2:12 am