When it comes to our work, we all seek joy and passion. It’s what keeps us motivated and striving for more. Fortunately (and unlike some other fields), there is ample joy to find in design. We have freedom to create and explore, to indulge the senses, and to work with a wide variety of people around the globe.
This month we look at the joy that lies in the design practice from a number of perspectives: the joy we strive to find in our own work, the joy we try to bring to our clients, and the joy we provide the community at large when we create spaces that heighten their day to day life.
But instead of focusing on what’s in the issue, I wanted to take a moment and thank Patcraft Creative Director Pamela Rainey for an inspiring CEU presentation she gave at our Design Connections event several weeks ago. The talk offered advice for getting past creative roadblocks, but really it was about finding joy in our work—and making time for it.
Pamela suggests that all too often we treat creativity like a crash diet. Instead, we should make creativity a lifestyle choice, much like eating healthy and exercising on a consistent basis. With that in mind, she asked, “How do we develop a routine that’s going to feed our creative soul?” The answer includes some simple activities that we can do on a daily and weekly basis—but more importantly, suggests living and working with a heightened sense of consciousness that leaves more room for exploration.
“The best inventors seek out diverse experiences, and they collect these experiences like dots, and then later all these dots link together to help them solve their problems,” she said.
Now that we’re entering the annual whirlwind of spring events and tradeshows, it is a fabulous opportunity to embrace these experiences as another leg of our creative journey. If we can flip our perspectives on what may look like frustrating flight schedules and over-stuffed agendas (which they undoubtedly are!), it becomes a chance to break the routine, meet new people, and expand our horizons.
As you continue your own creative journey this season, don’t forget to share the joy you find with the rest of us! Join us on Twitter and Facebook: #joyofdesign.
Hope to see you out there!
