In one of our previous posts, we discussed a few quick ways in which you could boost your productivity in the office, whether that office is at home between the nursery and the kitchen, or downtown between the Waldorf and the National Bank. No matter where you’re working, being a graphic designer is a tough job that can be every bit as stressful as it can be fulfilling. We understand that, somedays, it feels like there simply aren’t enough hours in the week. With that in mind, we feel it’s important to share a few more of our favorite, productivity increasing tips to help guide your workflow and streamline your life. Starting, of course, with:

  1. Get Inspired: How often do you actually check design blogs for inspiration pieces? How often do you read design magazines, or look at advertisements in Cosmo to get a peek at what’s hip, modern, and trending in the world of design? We’re guessing not very often, but you should really keep up with this practice. The only way to truly improve at your craft is to be involved, and to have a constant saturation of ideas. Your mind is like a sponge, and if you sit down at the computer with no ideas whatsoever, it’s likely because your mental pores are bone dry. Get out there and refill them!
  2. Get Involved: On a similar note, simply know a few other people in the same business. We know you don’t like to associate with the competition, but you never know when a friend might learn of a Godsend application that radically modifies your workflow. Likewise, you may never know when you’ll next be in need of a job. Having recommendations and sources for hiring tips is an important asset to collect.
  3. Get Reading: Just as we encouraged you to familiarize yourself with a few inspiration utilities, we’d also like you to do a little reading. Get caught up on the history of graphic design, including methods, typography, and theory. You don’t have to sign up for night classes, but having even the most basic of understandings of where the business came from will help your own designs to be homages that hark back to a golden era—while still advancing the field, of course!