6 Powerful Time-Saving Tips for Busy Designers
As a web designer, you’re probably in high demand these days. The industry is growing at a fast pace and businesses everywhere are finally beginning to understand the incredible value that comes with having a website professionally designed. But how do you maximize your time when you have a to-do list that stretches across your desk?
6 Ways to Save Time
Time is money in the web design world. It’s a finite resource that you can’t replace, no matter how hard you try. So what can you do to make the most out of the time you do have?
Use the Right Tools
We live in an era where web designers have an abundance of powerful tools available at their fingertips. Many of them are free and others are very cost-effective. But you can’t benefit from these tools unless you start using them. Here’s an up-to-date list of time-saving tools from web design expert Paul Andrew. Check it out and see if there are some resources that may be able to help you increase productivity.
Try Video Conferencing< Video conferencing is popular in many web design firms because it cuts back on much of the little travel back and forth between client’s offices. Not only does this save a considerable amount of time, but it also eliminates a lot of the costs associated with frequent travel. Consider integrating this technology into situations where physical is unnecessary.
Set Your Preferences
Think about all of the different tools you use – Photoshop, WordPress, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, InDesign, Flash, etc. One of the more time-consuming aspects of using these tools is that you constantly have to go in and tweak your settings every time you start a new project. By taking a couple of hours one day and saving all of your preferred settings, you can save a considerable amount of time in these applications.
Simplify Your Workspace
Is your workspace conducive to productivity? In order to be as efficient as possible, remove any non-critical items from your physical desk and computer desktop. The idea that people are more creative when they’re surrounded by clutter is highly suspect at best. Most people function better when they have a clean slate from which to work. Simplify your workspace for better results.
Remove Temptations
Are there things that regularly tempt you when you’re trying to get work done? For many web designers, the internet browser is the biggest distraction. With social media platforms and other websites just a click a way, it’s easy to kill 15 or 20 minutes before you even realize what you’re doing. Try installing some sort of website blocker to keep you on track during work hours. Here are a few of the best ones.
Take Regular Breaks
Common sense would tell you that breaks limit your productivity. After all, if you have an hour to complete a project and you take a 10-minute break, that means you only have 50 minutes remaining. But when you look at study after study, it’s clear that the opposite is true. Taking breaks actually allows your mind to recharge and makes you more productive and efficient when you return to your work.
Track Your Progress
One constructive thing you can do is track your progress. Keep a daily log of how you spend your time and what you accomplish. Then, at the end of each week, go back and review your performance. Based on the data you collect and the trends you identify, optimize the following week to increase productivity.
After a few months, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what works for you.
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