5 Ways to Stay Creative Under Pressure [Web Design Advice]

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When it comes to Web design, creativity is the most intangible and subjective of qualities—and one that forms the backbone of any successful designer’s career. While some are able to leverage it, many struggle to maintain it, especially when under pressure. Like writers, designers also experience "designer's block" – or a lack of ideas – from time to time. The question is, how do we combat it?

An important thing to understand is that creativity techniques are not magic tools that can increase your skill. Rather, they act as guides to help you discover possible creative solutions for those times when you feel like you're out of ideas.

In general, creativity techniques focus on different issues. Some try to generate as many ideas as possible, while some attempt to select which ideas are better than others, and which idea is ultimately the best. The problem with trying to generate as many ideas as possible is that it makes it difficult to alter your train of focus. The longer it takes, the more you start recycling the same ideas over and over again.

Because your website is a way of creating a good first impression on potential customers and a platform that can influence how they think about your brand and capabilities, it’s important to put your best foot forward. But what happens if the quality of your work is compromised by strict deadlines? While some designers believe that the quality of their work is considerably better when they're working under pressure, always waiting to beat a deadline isn’t the best way to get work done, because it can, at times, prove daunting. Whether you’re working under a specific time frame or not, consider these useful tips to help you stay creative no matter what:

·   Set standards and deadlines - Don’t wait for your deadline. Instead, break down the big deadlines into smaller steps and phases. This alleviates the stress of squeezing the hours and tasks involved in reaching your end result, and help you set clear objectives for each step along the way.

·   Have clear objectives - Don’t just draw your objectives, go after them. Whether you write them down in a notebook, or on sticky notes, make sure you put them where you can see them so you can be reminded of where you are and what you need to do to reach your goal.

·   Reduce distractions - Work on managing distractions rather than managing time as the latter can kill productivity and creativity. Focusing on a single task improves the creative process and eliminates other distractions. If you easily get distracted by things like social media notifications, use a time block or turn them off until your get the job done.

·   Use technology wisely - Use the tools you need to be creative. You’ll find various tools online that can help you explore new ways to create various designs. Try incorporating software and apps to create your content, new devices to support your creative process and social media to find inspiration or fresh ideas.

·   Innovate - Step out of your comfort zone and try something new for a change. If you think you’ve exhausted all your ideas, it’s time to innovate! Getting outside the bubble of work allows the mind and body to recharge.

Finally, stay on top of things by maintaining proper perspective and by adding some fun into your work process. Creativity relies on instinct, and sometimes, abandon. Free your mind and let your imagination soar!

Posted 9 November, 2015

Angela Gaddi

Freelance Writer

Angela writes about IT security, privacy, free speech, politics, social media, and the intersection of business and consumer tech. Has a special aptitude for privacy, cult literature, film noir.

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