Return of the Prodigal Blogger

I admit, I have fallen completely off the wagon in terms of keeping up with blogging every week. A thousand blog ideas run through my head everyday while I’m at work and then as soon as I get home, I instantly lose inspiration. This has been a recurring problem throughout my design career. I had the problem in college, I have the problem now but I am determined to not let it overcome me. It’s no surprise that today’s blog is about inspiration. I know I’ve talked about this a few times before but I feel this is a problem area for me and I’m sure other people have the same issue.

I’ve searched for some articles on the subject of losing inspiration but didn’t really find that much discussion about it. I feel that a lot of articles and blogs tend to focus on looking towards goals and pushing forward and whatnot but forget that sometimes we lose steam and need help getting back on track. Sure, there are lots of resources for finding your inspiration in the middle of a project, but what if we lose our inspiration to do anything altogether? I have a few things that I think could be helpful, at least for me.

1. Your Environment Predetermines Your Mood.
This explains quite a bit about why I feel inspiration at work but not at home. My cube at work is filled with silly things and I am in my own space with no distractions. At home, not so much. My desk is in the living room/next to my boyfriend’s computer so there’s a lot of distraction there. Also, there’s a cat. Everyone knows getting work done with a cat around is impossible. The environment of inspiration differs from person to person. Some people find inspiration at 3 in the morning sitting on the futon drinking tea. Others may find their inspiration on a 6 AM run. Every person needs to find their space and discover what inspires them. A space without distractions is ideal but introducing things like artwork or plants into the area could also help.

2. Watch TED videos
Usually TED videos are around 10 minutes and there’s a huge variety of topics covered. if you feel yourself without inspiration, watch one of these videos. This is a great place to learn about other people’s inspiration, their ideas and how they’re planning on executing them. Even if it’s something about how scarily smart crows are. If you say you’re too busy to watch just one video, you are a liar. 

3. Relax
Inspiration will not come if you’re stressing about it. In fact, stressing about it is probably the worst way to go about it. Stressing is actually really bad for your body (and your mind) and the ideas will definitely not come if you’re tensed up. You don’t have to search through thousands of inspiration quotes or even read this blog. You know what you should do? Take a nap. Naps do wonders for inspiration. Searching desperately for inspiration can never lead to good ideas.

4. Read good books
Specifically I’m referring to books related to whatever you’re seeking inspiration for. Graphic design? There are a ton of great resource books to get the creative juices flowing. My favorite book for inspiration is The End of Print by David Carson. This man is my favorite graphic designer and amazes me with his experimental style of design. Look for some books by notable designers and take inspiration from their work. Here is an excellent place to get started. Looking at other graphic designer’s work is a great place for inspiration but sometimes it can be a pitfall as well. Staring at all of that fantastic design can either bring you to new heights in design or make you feel completely useless as a designer. Comparing yourself to the top designers in the world? Not a good idea ever.

Looking back at this list I’ve written, it seems like the tiniest, least helpful list of all time. However, I believe these things are good starting points in getting myself back on track for blogging as well as designing in my free time.

 

Got some tips from here:
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/how-to-feel-inspired-when-youve-lost-motivation.html

And also here:
http://tinybuddha.com/blog/50-ways-to-find-inspiration-create-explore-expand/

Week Ten: Newly Graduated, Newly Employed

Yes, I have very exciting news. I got a job! 

I got an actual design job, at a legitimate company and I could not be more excited. The job offer was very unexpected and came a few days after receiving a rejection email from the same company. This offer also came after I had already made the decision to move to Indy without a job or any other prospects. Sometimes you just have to take that leap of faith. 

So what have we learned? Sometimes, you can do everything right but still be rejected. Sometimes there’s someone better, more qualified, or more experienced. Sometimes things are out of your control but the thing you can control is your presence, your attitude and how much you push yourself to get to that place you want to be. We’re all going to go through rejection and failure in our personal and professional lives. The important thing is how we use that opportunity to learn from our mistakes and move forward. 

• Make use of the wonderful wide world of the internet and do your research before going into an interview. Know the company and know what their mission is. Know why you want to work for them and be prepared to answer tough questions.
• Keep an updated resume and if you haven’t already, get business cards.
• If you’re a designer, keep your online portfolio updated with relevant design work and don’t be afraid to remove work if it doesn’t match the quality of the rest of the portfolio.
• Write either a handwritten note or an email after your interview to thank the interviewer for your time. 
• Dress professionally for an interview (ALWAYS!).
• Keep your dress neat and clean even if the dress code in your office is casual
• Try to keep a positive attitude even if things aren’t looking too bright. No one ever got anywhere with moping.
• Take risks. Try new things and new places. If you have the funds and connections, make that move to a new city. If you’re unhappy with your current situation or job, make a change. 

Always keep pushing and moving forward. Keep on reaching for your dreams and improving yourself and your skills.

I won’t be continuing this series of ‘Newly Graduated’ blogs anymore, but I will keep blogging. Mostly about my inspirations and other professional tips. I hope everyone has enjoyed my turmoil and struggles over the past two months!

Week Eight: Newly Graduated, Still Waiting

Most of the time during a job search is spent on waiting. Specifically, waiting on that phone call asking you to come in for an interview, asking you follow-up questions on your resume or the best scenario, offering you a job. I find it hard to be patient during this waiting game. I check my phone too frequently, I refresh my email one thousand times a day, I fidget, I daydream. I imagine all the wonderful things that will happen when I get that job offer phone call and then I crash back down to reality. This truly is the worst part of the job search. I try to take my mind off the waiting by applying to more jobs, however most of the postings I’ve already looked at or applied to so that usually ends in more disappointment. 

So I force myself to stay busy and keep my head in the game. I watch tutorials, sketch in illustrator, update my portfolio, read design articles and work on internship projects. I try to inspire myself on a daily basis to keep on going and stop wasting time. I do a craft, I try a new recipe or go to the library. I try to keep my mind alert and avoid procrastination and laziness (not always effective). Where am I going with this you ask? Well, I thought I would share some of the websites I use to inspire me. This ranges on a daily basis as I noted above, so I’ll share some design related sites. 

Smashing Magazine – If you’re a web designer, or aspiring to be, this is a great website. A lot of the articles offer helpful tips and tricks for coding and web design. Looking for mobile and responsive design? Smashing has that too. It’s a great way to keep your web design skills sharp and keep on top of any new technology coming out. They also frequently have freebies like wallpapers, icons, templates and wordpress themes. Who doesn’t love free design goodies? It’s smashing!

AIGA – This site has a bunch of things rolled into one. Hopefully if you’re involved in design, you’ve heard of AIGA. If you haven’t, I feel bad for you son. AIGA’s website is a great resource for any designer whether you’re a professional or a student. They offer design inspiration as well as job postings from around the country. If you visit the Tools & Resources tab, there is a list of, well, tools and resources to get you started. Also members get exclusive benefits like their awesome Design Salary Survey, member portfolios and discounts on events and competitions.

Designspiration – Exactly what it sounds like. Inspirational design. Design to inspire the designer in you, etc. etc. It’s basically a never ending scrolling page full of images to peak your interest. You can choose specific tags like Typography or Packaging on the left sidebar. Also, they recently added a job posting section, which is always a good thing. 

Behance – A great place if you need a quick online portfolio. Even better if you just want to browse. This is one of the top places to see other designer’s work (and ooh and aah over it). There are some really talented designers that showcase their work here and I love seeing the variety and creativity of the individual designers. You can browse using several different tags  or filters or just use the recommended Search & Explore and Creatives To Follow links. Also, job board. 

BOOOOOOOM! – Another image inspiration site, although I recently discovered this one. This is a bit more general and expands past simply design to photography, music and art. There are several pieces that have caught my attention already and cause moments of pause and reflection. If you’re looking for something weird, strange and beautiful, this is the place. There are also several links to interviews and information about the blog posters if you wish to see that. 

The Dieline – This is a packaging design showcase website. It features some of the best, brightest and greatest packaging designs from students, professionals, freelancers, everyone and everybody. There is never a time where I don’t see a design that completely blows me away both in creativity and execution. Obviously you can browse my specific tags such materials used in the packaging or which industry the packaging was designed for. You can also browse competitions and spotlights that the Dieline has organized and even enter your packaging design to be showcased. 

Typography Daily – As the name would suggest, this website is devoted mainly to typography. A lot of the images show type being used in new and interesting ways in furniture as well as in typography posters, print layouts, etc. One of the best sites to get those creative juices flowing and open your mind to the creative possibilities that typography offers. 

Outside – No, this is not a website. This the world around you. Sometimes it’s best to step away from whatever project you’re working on and take a moment. Really open your eyes to the environment around you and the interaction between you and nature. I promise this isn’t some hippie rant, this is just encouragement to seek inspiration wherever you feel comfortable. Maybe it’s digging into a good book, maybe it’s painting or gardening. Looking at pretty pictures on the internet is great but sometimes the real world is better.