My biggest asset as a design student ( I will always and forever be a design student; damn, I’m a nerd) is to find or make the time to pause and think to come to my senses, despite the long, continuous hours of thinking, eating, breathing and producing design. By looking for those white spaces of opportunities, finding those gaps in between the chaos, I am able to come to my senses and digest all the information I a fed.
Many people get caught up, working their 9-14 hour days and leave little or no time to sit back and just think. Sitting down, channeling myself to think about shit, despite how tired I am, helps me move forward, makes things more efficient, and overall become a better designer and person. It keeps me sane and gives reason to the long hours we put into the day.
Fortunately, I have yet to spend 14 hours at my job, here at Loomis Group. Because I commute, in the meantime, to and from San Francisco, I naturally have those gaps in between to sit back and reflect while I’m on the train and driving.
When I make my move to the city, I know I can recall those resources I had when I was a design student in school, whether I am walking, on MUNI or just sitting at home, staring at a blank screen. I give more credit to myself for my ability to pull time aside than my sensitivity to design.