6 Web Designer Health Tips
Posted By Predrag on January 14, 2007
It is silly to complain about a Web Designer’s job. You sit in your favorite chair with a laptop in your lap or in the office behind your custom made table. However, when you lack inspiration - you’re in trouble. Specially if the deadline is tomorrow morning. That is the time your mind and body overheat. In every possible way.
I have some weird mind flow with deadlines. Even though I have weeks to complete a design, in 90% of cases I work through Sunday night, completely stressed and freaked out with a bunch of cold energy drinks. Don’t even want to talk about how I look next morning.
Here are some health tips based on my experience.
Health tips
- Don’t rely on deadlines. Start soon. If you expect you’ll need 2 hours to complete the project and have a clear vision of what you need to do – do it right away. In most cases, it will take you at least 1 day to polish your creation. If you have 2 weeks, leave the second week for small adjustments. Don’t wait last day to start! It is much better to spend last day playing PES6 with your colleagues.
- Don’t smoke next to your computer. Well, don’t smoke at all! I do, and I’ll start a new blog once I try to quit.
If you smoke, don’t smoke next to your PC. When I did that, I stopped counting packs. To be honest, new tip is just born. Don’t smoke while you write your blog entry. Just don’t. - Change your everyday routine. Go to places you’ve never been before. I read some study regarding F5 neuron syndrome (refresh for non geeks). Anyway, when you are stuck in your every day routine, you refresh only part of your brain which leads you to a sort of depression and inspiration deadlock. So, change your behavior. If you have your 9-5 work, you have 16 hours a day for trips, nature, off topic books, movies, friends, PES6, your loved ones… Combine these the way you like.
- Follow common trends. You don’t need to invent your design. The worst nightmare for Web Designer is to look at empty white sheet for 30 minutes. This is a best way to get stuck. Browse through some successful websites and see what they do. Compare your projects with them and see what is working best. Start from there and everything will go smoother. Even though I don’t visit microsoft.com often, now I do since they did a great job with their new website.
- Use Red Rabbit Technique. If your mental health is in bad shape because of clients, use this technique I explained in one of my previous posts.
- Try to find some personal space. When you work in your office, you are usually disturbed by your colleagues and pulled out of your creative flow. If you are a nervous guy (some say I am, damn it), buy some studio headphones as your #1 office sanctuary. Fill your PC, iPod, iPhone (bless it), or Zune (God forbid) with a music you find inspiring. Off-site solution is working in your home studio (usually part of your room) or wherever it is where you find your peace.
About the author
Nice observation, thanks.
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