The Nearly-Perfect Morning Routine
First, there is no universal morning routine for graphic designers, as everyone has their own preferences and working style. However, I have listed some common elements that many graphic designers could incorporate into their morning routine after spending several hours searching for what a near-perfect morning might look like, specifically for a designer.
A morning routine should not take so long, because then the habit would break immediately due to the high degree of difficulty. The day should start with small tasks, which “warms up” for the bigger tasks (i.e., design work).
The recommended time to wake up as a designer or freelancer is 8 am. I don’t see the point of waking up sooner or later. This is an applied morning routine of mine on good days (sometimes you have bad and fast days):
8 AM
The first thing you need to do, besides getting your glasses (almost every designer has terrible eyes), is to get up properly.
Stretch and realize that the day has just begun. If you immediately reach for your phone and check your notifications, you’ve lost.
Make your bed, so you’ve already done a small task that will motivate you to do bigger ones afterward.
8:05 AM
Go to the bathroom:
- Go to the toilet
- Perform your skincare routine (if you have one).
- Brush your teeth
- Wash your face (wake up properly)
8:15 AM
Do not start your work with coffee. I know this is like an addiction for some of you, but coffee has too much caffeine (~96mg) in a glass, which is why I would recommend drinking green tea (~60mg) or oolong tea (~80mg) in the morning (I love to speak about tea, I do not know why).
If you’re really basing your daily activity on your caffeine status, you really need to rethink, because it’s not necessary to stay awake (has more to do with sleep quality). I always drink a cold glass of water in the morning. It helps me wake up faster and save the thirsty feeling for later.
Eat something healthy that will give you a lot of energy in the morning. I always try to eat a varied breakfast that is rich in nutrients like protein and carbohydrates. I also eat fruit, which also gives me a lot of energy in the morning. Never eat too much in the morning, a porridge with fruits is ideal for the morning!
8:35 AM
Go outside. Engaging in physical activity can help you feel energized and focused for the day ahead. Go for a walk and think about the problems you need to solve for the day and find solutions to your worries and doubts in your mind. Get a clear head so you don’t have to think about unnecessary thoughts while you work. This will strengthen your focus during hard design sessions. Take this opportunity to calm down and stay active. I would recommend walking for 20–25 minutes.
9 AM
I recommend reading 10 pages of a book, so you don’t start right away with the PC. This is a good start to the morning. I always mark the important sequences from the books I read and add them to my “knowledge base” in Notion, so I learn something new every day, too. If you need suggestions on what book to read, wait for future Issues, I will write about that as well.
9:25 AM
I always write my tasks in the evening, so I don’t have to waste time making a to-do list in the morning. I use Notion to organize my whole life, which is very useful! Furthermore, I look at all my notifications on all social media, my emails, and my tasks. Now I start with my first task from my to-do list, which is easy, and gradually move over to the harder tasks.
Always start your day with a small, easy task: Instead of jumping right into a big project, start your day with a small task that you can complete quickly. This can help you build momentum and develop a productive mindset.
Also make sure your work environment is comfortable: Set up your workspace to be comfy and ergonomic and make sure you have all the tools and materials you need to get started.
Remember, it’s important to find a routine that works for you and allows you to be productive and creative. What works for one person may not work for another. So be willing to experiment and adjust your routine as needed. This routine came to me after several attempts to find what was right for me. As an example, many people meditate in the morning. After various attempts, I found out that this is not for me and I prefer to walk in the morning more than meditate in order to clear my head.
I hope I could help you with this issue in some way. As I said in the beginning, I will try to write more and better, so you can get more out of this newsletter. Feedback on this issue would be very nice to hear, contact me on Twitter if you have time!
📚 Book
I am currently reading the book “How to Win Friends” by Dale Carnegie. He teaches the art of how to be popular and influential. I believe that this book is a good way to learn how to keep business relationships well and how to act properly in a conversation. This could be useful when you want to know how to speak with clients and create long-term relationships.
🃏 Inspiration
I came across the website Bookcover Archive recently, where you can view a collection of excellent book cover designs. Very inspiring if you want to improve your poster designs! You can really learn a lot from the various book covers through the different formatting as well as the style directions.
🆕 Updates
This Wednesday, after a lot of work in the background, I plan to release the Notion template for designers, with which you can manage your customers easier and thus create a better overview. More details in the following days!
I am also currently working on my biggest brand identity project. This will be a case study, as I am trying to improve my presentation in general on design projects. It will be a great opportunity!
🗨️ Quote
Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. James Clear
