In addition, I don't have a ton of time or resources to devote to full-time blogging right now. Having graduated in May, I've been working toward truly beginning my graphic design career. Job hunting and blogging both take a ton of time and effort, and I feel guilty for not doing both constantly. I need to stop putting such pressure on myself and just do it! I've been keeping in mind the classic "start before you're ready" thought process and am really starting to just go for it.
I registered X•Height•Ment at the beginning of September, and have been working hard on that side hustle, designing stationery items and working on different projects. Adding that to my plate has been exciting, and really getting into the vibe of making things again has been incredible for getting my creative flow moving.
Something I've had to fight the whole time I've been writing is perfectionism. It's so easy for me to get caught up in trying to make everything I post the best thing I've ever written or the coolest thing I've ever done. Shorter posts are okay! People just like updates! And let's be honest, not everyone on the internet really has that long of an attention span anyway. I can't tell you how many drafts I've saved without posting because it didn't feel like 'enough' for a full post. So I've been trying to remember: An imperfect, published post is better than a perfect, unpublished draft.
- Get dressed. This is key for me. I love to lounge around at home, but I always get dressed when I leave the house. When working from home, getting dressed really helps put me in that productive mindset. Plus, if I have to answer the door or run out to get something, I'm already ready to go.
- Set a schedule. I like to plan out my days, even by the hour. It really helps me set a pseudo-workday and plan my time effectively so that I don't feel like I have to be working on something 24/7.
- Make lists (so many lists). I'm a list junkie. I make them for literally everything in my life. I have this perfect notebook that's long and skinny, and I make lists in it every. day. Listing helps me stay organized and helps give me that sense of accomplishment of checking off the box when I complete a task.
- Take breaks (especially to eat)! I always make sure to include lunch on my daily to do lists, because otherwise I'll get wrapped up in my work and won't make time for it until like 4 pm. Short breaks help me come back to a project with fresh eyes and keeps me from getting too frustrated with a project after working on it for several hours–or even just help my body stretch and move around a little bit after sitting still or staying in one position too long.
- Don't work in bed. Go to the library or a coffeeshop if you have to. When working from home, it's super tempting to just cozy up in bed with my dog and browse the internet all day. Moving to my desk or going somewhere else is beneficial for lessening that temptation and putting me in work mode.
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