1. Have a personal project you are excited about
Regardless of your clients or corporate job, give yourself a chance to express your thoughts, experiment, or challenge your current technical skills.
Through personal projects, give yourself the freedom to explore topics you rarely have a chance to on your everyday job.
2. Try the daily design challenge
The purpose of the daily design challenges is to prioritize consistency over perfectionism. Choose a challenge that you find joyful. For example, try Inktober, 36 days of type, or make your 30-day design challenge.
Personally, I do design challenges once or twice a year. Completing a daily design gives me confidence and lifts my mood.
3. Follow one tutorial per day
Is there any software you would like to learn? Choose one, and find a YouTube channel with beginner's course tutorials.
Set aside 15-20 minutes every day to follow a tutorial, and after a month, give yourself a small project to test your new skill.
4. Ask yourself if there are other career options that you would like to explore
Is your current workspace right for you? Is it challenging enough? Are you considering a career switch, or specializing in another creative niche? Are you better as a team player or a solo freelancer?
Answers to those questions might differ throughout your career path. Be in tune with your inner voice. Ignoring your needs can harm your creativity. Trust your intuition. It is okay to change your mind and adjust your career goals.
5. Revisit your childhood interests
If you feel lost or questioning if you are on the right creative path, find your old artwork from school/university days. Connect with your past self and see if you are happy with your current skills and work environment.
6. Keep your Portfolio up-to-date and well-maintained
Manage your website with love, passion, and dedication, from text to visuals. Artwork presentation should always be at a professional level. Go right now and check if anything needs adjustment.
Feel free to revisit old artwork, rewrite the description, and delete outdated pieces. Do you have an idea for the new design? :)