Spenceroni’s stress less tips for designers
Words
Spencer Harrison
Date
Jul 11, 2024
Sometimes it’s hard to believe that something we love can cause us so much stress! Do demanding clients leave you feeling overwhelmed? Or maybe you’re tackling a tough brief that isn’t coming together as you had hoped?
Australia-based Shillington teacher, Spencer Harrison, gives us his best tips to deal with stress in healthy ways - to remain cool, confident and calm as a designer. Let’s jump in.
1. Breathe
Practising mindful breathing can help you become aware of when you’re feeling stressed or tense. Once you’re aware of tension in your body, take some deep breaths, and relax those areas.
Incorporate mindfulness into your life, and improve your cognitive flexibility: 5 Minute Guided Meditation #1, 20 Minute Guided Meditation, Headspace App, 1 Giant Mind App.
2. Make a list
Writing things you need to do down, helps get them out of your head, and gives you mental space to concentrate on your work. You can use paper or an app to write down everything you need to complete for a project, or in your life!
Manage your daily tasks and maximise your work with these digital organisational tools: Trello, Teux Deux.
3. Take a break from your laptop
Don’t get into the bad habit of eating meals in front of the computer. Use them as a chance to take a break, chat to your family or loved ones, and have a bit of mental space.
4. Get outside
Make some time to go outside and get some fresh air. It’s been scientifically proven that being in nature makes you more creative. Leave the phone at home and go for a walk. You might just have that creative breakthrough!
5. Break it down
Break your project down into a list of mini goals you need to achieve. Give each of these a deadline and stick to it. Your deadline could even be as short as 5 minutes (e.g 5 thumbnails in 5 minutes) or a bit longer (layout all text in 1 hour). Tick off each item as you complete, and enjoy the sound of each deadline as it whooshes by.
6. Back and forth
Try working on two projects at once. Once you feel stuck on one, leave it, and switch over to the other for a while. Choose one project that is in a more intensive creative phase (concept development), and another that is in a more straightforward, process driven phase (e.g. laying out type, preparing finished art).
7. Do not disturb
Turn on the Do Not Disturb mode on your phone and computer while working. Notifications can take you out of your flow state, leading to loss of concentration and increased feelings of stress. Being in flow has shown to lead to more creativity, and pleasure in your work.
Tap into your inner genius, increase productivity, and leave all distractions behind: Ted Talk: Flow—The Secret of Happiness.
8. Study buddy
Team up with a classmate or colleague as your study/work buddy. Message each other if you’re stuck on a project, need to vent, or want someone to bounce ideas off. Sometimes a second opinion can be all you need to give you a boost when you’re feeling like you ‘just don’t know anymore’. Perhaps you can set deadlines for each other to keep each other accountable and on track.
9. Sleep
Aim for 7–8 hours of sleep. If you get overtired you’ll end up feeling less creative and burnt out. If you need to work late, try to generate lots of ideas/concepts/work in the evening, and then get up early in the morning to evaluate your design. Science shows we’re better at making decisions in the morning, and your design always looks better with fresh eyes!
Learn how fatigue affects creative minds: Make Decisions in The Morning.