As our great role model slash Pokemon Master Ash once said, “I wanna be the very best like no one ever was.” (Don’t deny it. You sang those words while reading it, didn’t you?) We know that you too want to be the very best in your own way – in the field of Custom Web Design. Well, we all have the same sentiments. That is why we are giving you relevant tips on how you can be a better web designer (if not, the best).
Starting off with tip number one…
“Never forget where you came from” – pen and paper.
All the great web designers came from scratch – literally through meddling with pen and a scratch paper. When an inspiration hits you, grab a pen and jot down all your ideas in a paper. I know this might be inconvenient for some tech-savvy readers out there but it’s the mother of all web designs. In previous generations, not all of us had the luxury to have tablets where you can sketch anywhere with a convenient app but all of us went into the phase of making awesome sketches with the help of our trusty pen and paper.
Remember to write it all down in paper once you get that awesome “vision” especially when in public places because you might accidentally bump into someone you know or even get hit by a truck (we hope this one never happens, though) and have those precious ideas blown away by the unfortunateness of life.
Be Competitive.
With the growing number of web designers in the world, it is a vital asset to have a competitive mindset. That’s why you wanted to become better in the first place, right? To be the one who gets to be picked out among the millions of web designers that our planet has. In a world where everything is in battle for greatness, only the fittest (or better yet – the greatest) can survive.
So go out and pick your favorite web designer, admire his work, and plan on how you can make web designs that are as good as his. You never know; you might just create something that is even way better! Remember, a healthy competition drives you to do better and pushes you beyond your limits.
Have a friend to talk to.
And we’re not referring to the one who’s going to listen to all your life problems; well, maybe you can lean on some friendly shoulders specifically those related to web design industry.
What we’re trying to say is, go find a friend (preferably someone who’s also into web design), discuss different ideas and have your works critiqued by each other. This will help you widen your ideas and think out of the box; also help check those errors that you have made which you won’t normally notice unless someone else points it out.
Learn by theory and by practice.
It is true that there are tons of books to help you learn about something. Millions of books to read; millions of theories to learn. And yes, it’s a vital part of learning. But another thing is that the best way that a person learns is by actually doing it.
Numerous studies show that a person acquires information by seeing and listening; but learns better by performing it. That’s why we tell you this. Practice makes perfect. Now we know this advice may sound too old, traditional and outdated; but trust us, it’s still the finest.
Never put an end to your learning process.
Just because you already know the basics doesn’t mean you can stop there. We still have a lot to learn. YOU still have a lot to learn. Whether it is through reading books or having a mentor to give you significant feedback – never put a hindrance to the possibility of learning.
Health care professionals work on an evidence-based practice—a type of practice based on changing evidence acquired through regular and current research – to be able to provide precise and up-to-date intervention for their patients. Even teachers continue their education in order to provide better and fresh information for their students. So too, must we – web designers – do the same.
In our company at Proweaver, we always make sure to do some research regularly to better ourselves as web designers and also as a company.
Work hard and rest hard (equally).
Most of the time, deadlines aren’t your best friends. Your anxiety level goes up as well as those stress hormones called cortisol. But don’t let them get to you! As soon as you feel your head buzzing, overflowing with too much ideas, slapping you with your undoable errors in Adobe (such us merging layers and being unable to undo them due to a buried history in the photoshop); stand up, leave your computer, and go out!
BREATHE. It won’t hurt to actually have a small break so that you could go stretch your aching muscles and joints. Organize your time using the Pomodoro Technique. This time-management technique gives you 25 minutes of pure focus and un-DISTRACT-able time where you can pour out all your ideas and concentration. A 5 minute break is given every after a Pomodoro (25 minutes) to give you room for relaxation. Believe us, you won’t even notice that the 25 minute work-time is over until you hear that bell from the application and see a notification saying, “focus ended, take a break.”
And lastly…
Be passionate.
Haven’t seen that one coming, huh? Well, that’s the most important thing in becoming better in almost anything. You shouldn’t just do your job because you’re told to do so. You do your job to get it done AND because you’re passionate about it and love what you’re doing.
From the seed of love grows a fruitful tree. Work with love and see yourself transform into the best web designer that you can be.
Follow these helpful tips and trust us; you’ll go far in your field of web design (and also in your career life).