Tag: graphic design

Categories
design business self care

Feast or Famine

Contract work can be feast or famine. My workload is usually a small snack peppered by a random all-you-can-eat buffet. As of 2020, I’m a mom first, but love graphic design and have a lot of experience doing it, so I enjoy the challenges that sporadically come my way. I like to work. But, I don’t like feeling overwhelmed or stretched too thin. I also hate letting people down. So, saying “no” has never been a strength of mine. All of this can lead to a lot of stress and hard choices (not to mention many grey hairs) if not managed well. Over the years, I have learned how best to evaluate which project mix is best, and what I need to kindly decline. Perhaps surprisingly, it’s not always the projects with the highest payday that make the A list. Here’s why:

1 A Thanksgiving turkey would be nothing without the sides.

What designer doesn’t want to design a big glossy magazine, multi-tear website, an entire branding system, or fun series of packaging? All at the same time? Not fun. I like to remember advice that my sister-in-law gave me when she was teaching me how to knit: Always have a couple of projects on the needles. That way, you won’t get bored. I also like to remember that design is only a part of my life. There are other demands on my time that are equally, if not more, important than whatever project comes my way.

So my advice: remember the sides. If you have a few projects to choose from, take a big juicy one, but throw some fries on that plate as well. Now, this could be a bigger project too, but maybe it has a looser timeline, so you won’t be working full throttle on both at the same time. Maybe, it’s updating a website you did a while back in addition to that 24-page catalogue. It could also mean working with a familiar client while working with a new one. You know what you can give and take from the known, but a new one may need a little more active attention.

2 Saying “no” doesn’t have to mean “goodbye.”

Trust me. Business people are used to hearing “no” a lot. If you handle it well, they’ll return to you with the hopes that the timing will be better next time. How do you do this? Flattery, and then, what I like to call, “explanation light.” Don’t overwhelm them with details about why you can’t help them out. Just thank them for thinking of you and tell them you’d really welcome the opportunity to work with them in the future, but your docket is already full. That’s all. Further explanation will just waste their time and doesn’t change the end result. They may even leave the conversation a little impressed that you are so in demand—they have good taste!

Additionally, give them a time when they can return to you and then reach out to them at that time instead of waiting for them to make the first move. This shows them that you really do want to work with them, and you were counting down the days as to when you could see their lovely address in your inbox again.

3 Play favorites (with projects, not people).

How you mix up your workload should depend on a longer-term way of thinking. If you start to get busier, take a breath and look at what’s on your plate. Are the projects helping to serve your portfolio or develop the skills you would like to see improve? Is the client pleasant and easy to work with, appreciative of your skill as a professional, respectful of your opinion? If you are successfully growing your business, you’ll have the luxury of being a little pickier. Think of your portfolio like a vision board. If the only things pinned on your wall are projects that just pay the bills or take forever to finish, then maybe you should rethink the mix. What do you want that wall to look like and then take the projects that help you reach that goal.

I realize none of this is rocket science, but it helps to have someone remind you that it’s OK to say “no”—especially for us people-pleasers. As long as the reason you’re turning work down (or taking work on) helps you to feel satisfied in where your business, time and energy are being directed.

Categories
creativity self care

What lies beneath

Seriously. What’s under there? You go first. The fear of starting a new project or putting pen to paper is fueled by the unknown and mistrust of one’s own abilities. Here’s how I conquer the beast.

Image is from the TurboTax monster-under-the-bed Super Bowl ad. Fitting, I think.

There are monsters everywhere in our psyches. The ones who tell us not to wear that, not to say that, and not to eat that. And, if we ignore them, they have all sorts of punishments: doubt, anxiety, shame, to name a few. These hindrances are at best an annoyance that we all fend off every day, but to a creative who has to silence these voices of self doubt each and every time they begin to work, these meddling menaces can be relentless and drive you right to Procrastination Town (not that putting things off is always a bad thing). Sometimes our deadlines and clients don’t sympathize with our inner struggles, so we have to put our big girl pants on and whip out that project. How does one do this over and over again without losing faith? Here’s how:

1: Remember: You’ve done this before.

You’ve had projects. You’ve delivered them. The client was happy. But how did you start them again exactly? Sometimes, just remembering the ways I’ve started other projects helps me to kick myself in the pants to begin another one. I always go to a sketchbook first, not the computer. Or, I do research on like businesses, just to see what’s out there. I might go for a run to clear my head and allow my thoughts to organize themselves while my body is otherwise engaged. Long story short: remember your bag of tricks.

2. It’s (not) the end of the world as we know it.

Yes, it matters that you do your best every day. And, no, you should not half-ass something because you’re just not feeling it that day. That said, not every project is going to be the award-winning, golden nugget you hoped for. Sometimes, your very best is simply going to get the job done. That may sound like a copout, but really what it is is realistic. Any designer who has presented options to a client, let’s say, for a logo, knows that the client is going to pick the one you like the least. It’s Murphy’s Law. What I mean is, some of what we do is subjective. You need to trust your work ethic, your experience, and your gut, and hope that the client will be grateful and ecstatic for what you present. Chances are, however, you are putting way more into this basket of eggs than they are. They’ve come to this meeting with a long to-do list of their own, their own monsters to contend with, and your little logo is just something to check off the list. A fun break in the middle of a day of emails. They’re most likely going to be grateful for the opportunity to flex their creative muscle and respond to your work. They may not love it the way you do. They may even ask you to go back and try something else. The point is: they see this as a conversation, not a firing squad.

3. Start with your worst idea.

Sometimes, just getting started is the hardest part. So give yourself a break and brainstorm your way out of it. Put that bad idea down on paper or on screen and get it out of the way (probably involves a swoosh of some sort). Who knows? Maybe what comes next is the best one! Maybe there are fifty other bad ideas before you get to the good one. Remember that creativity is a process, not an equation. That’s what you love about it. Which leads me to my final cue:

4. Remind yourself why you do this to yourself.

The best way to conquer the monster is to turn away from it and look at the parts of the process you love. You chose this profession. You are grateful you get to do something that is completely based in creativity and get paid for it! The people who hire you are hiring you because they “could never do what you do.” You’re special. It’s always a good idea to give yourself a pep talk. No one will tell on you if you sift through your old projects, the ones you’re really proud of, to remind yourself of the creations that await the world because of what you do.

I hope this helps you. Truth be told, I’m writing this because I have a big project I need to get started on and this post is basically a pep talk for myself. Now get to work.

jf

Categories
creativity

What box?

It’s easy to say to creatives to “think outside of the box,” or, look at things from a different perspective, but exactly how, as a creative, does one do that successfully and with a purpose?

Tobias Wacker, group Executive Creative Director at hasan & partners, recently was published discussing how corporate creativity is at a crisis point. He states “There is no value in being different just for the sake of being different, but unless you are leading the way with your brand, you need to come up with something better and different – otherwise the economy of scale will wipe you out before you are learning about the next big thing.” Let’s face it, creativity helps a brand stand out and express how it is unique by being, well, unique. But, there needs to be meaning behind that difference.

The greatest challenge for me, and I imagine many creatives, is that when it comes to the pressure of deadlines and bottom lines, the worker bee in me wants to get it done, check that task off that list and call up the next person in line. However, by not taking the time required to explore the “outside of the box,” and all of the boxes around it, we lose sight of the very thing we were hired to do: bring a creative solution to a unique problem.

Time is always the enemy. We want to be profitable and successful. We do not want to be inefficient. We do not want to ignore the five other projects awaiting our attention. This pressure sometimes means we get sucked into trends. If everyone else likes pastel pink and army green paired with bold, geometric shapes and a slab serif, maybe this auto mechanic would like that too! The sad thing is, you could probably get the client to agree with your choices because in your heart, you might convince yourself that having an on-trend look means you are successful at having your finger on the pulse of what’s “out there.” However, with this ease of hegemony, we end up just adding to the white noise of predictable advertising.

To keep this brief, my point is this: force yourself to take the time. Remind yourself of why you enjoy this field to begin with. Remember why your client hired you in the first place. Take a walk before sitting down to work. When you do sit down, don’t hop on the computer, hop on your nearest pencil and whip open that dusty sketch book. Watch an inspiring TED talk or a tutorial on a new feature of an updated design application. Give creativity the space it needs to breathe, because it takes a lot of energy and willpower to climb outside of that box.

Categories
creativity fresh design self care

3 ways to stay creative during monatony

When you have the same scenery and routine day in and day out, which has only been accentuated during this pandemic, it’s hard to embrace a creative mindset. Many turn to social media to see what other creatives are up to, but that can only stimulate those creative juices so much. I, myself, subscribe to Communication Arts Daily which is a quick digest of design topics both academic- and archive-based which helps me keep up with trends and creative ideas. But, beyond that, what else is there? Let me tell you what works for me.

1 Challenge yourself with a new skill.

Fear is a great motivator. Once the kids were back at school, which I know is a luxury many working parents do not have, I had the house to myself to regroup and think about what was next for me. I had recently ended a three-year stint as a marketing director, moved to a new city, and did so during a pandemic. Not the best social opportunity. It was me, myself and my pets. Now what? I decided to do something I had never done but that applied to what I do. I joined LinkedIn Learning and started to take some classes in WordPress essentials and CSS. These are all applicable to what I do (user experience design), but with which I am very unfamiliar. I am not looking to become an expert in these processes, but my rationale: if I am familiar with the application, I can speak more intelligently with those who know it well and I will be more keen to max its capabilities in how I design.

2 Take advantage of the free stuff online.

Case in point: Adobe Max. Adobe dominates the creative application space and does a great job with it. They have the connections and resources to create an amazing online conference next week that has a ton of free application tutorials, inspirational case studies and speakers to remind you why we do this in the first place. To me, it’s professional self care. Not quite as luxurious as a beach vacation, but allowing yourself the time to do something that may not be outwardly “productive” will pay off in the long run by interrupting that stodgy routine and giving your creativity a hard reset.

3 Don’t you … forget about you.

I don’t know about you, but I need to feel confident with myself to take on new projects. I feel confident when I feel good about who I am and that I’m in control of those choices. There is not a heck of a lot of control during a pandemic, but what I can control is how I take care of my own wellbeing. This prioritization not only makes me a better creative, but a better parent, wife, and friend as well. So, how do I do this? I exercise 6-7 times per week. Don’t be too impressed. I don’t run marathons every day, but I have a program that is balanced, that pushes me, and most important, that allows me an hour to myself to improve JUST me, no one else. In that space, it’s literally all about me, and everyone needs that every now and again. And, as I’ve said in a post prior to this, I also embrace procrastination. I don’t view it as delaying a task, I see it as giving myself the time I need to fully bake those creative cookies. Plus, the bathroom gets cleaned—it’s a win-win.