Getting out of your designer head

In experience terms I am one of the oldest people consistently designing interfaces for online applications, web sites, touch screens, in fact its easier to list things that I haven’t designed for. What I mean is that I have been actively creating and designing my whole career, in the trenches actually pushing pixels.

During that time I have always struggled with my inner want to design things for me, (creating design just for the pleasure of it) and the current client problem that I was solving.

When I have a client project on deck, and its usually more than 4, my mind is consumed by their projects. Solving visual problems completely takes over my mind. I dream about the solutions. Everything I observe during the day could become inspiration for the next thing I do on screen.

So with that in mind I shouldn’t be constantly perplexed by the lack of time I have to actual do work for me. But over the last 5 years I have been making tremendous progress in the workplace. Being able to work smarter, spend less time at the computer and in general keeping a better perspective about my client work.

This year my goal is to tackle my own mind.