I am constantly finding myself completely cought up in work sometimes. I really identify with the description of being a perfectionist - and as a designer you have to be, I think. I used to believe that the more you would dive into the problem you were working with and the more trial and errors you did in the creative process - the closer you would get to finding a perfect solution.
The last months have forced me to realize that it doesn't always work that way. A successful creative process calls for time to let thoughts "sit a while". It is good to take a break in order to get back to the problem with a new perspective so you can see new solutions to your problem. Genninne Zlatkis is an illustrator that I very much look up. She mention in one of her recent instagram posts that finishing up something she hadn't worked on in a long time felt like collaborating with another person's work. I believe that makes you really relflect on the creative decisions you made earlier. But I believe breaks don't have to be that long. Just some distance from what you are doing at any time, giving yourself healthy breaks, really can help. As long as it implies that you are taking complete attention away from what you are working on.
And that is easier said than done. Especially with professions like design and illustration where you always worry about the end product. Illustrator Andy J. Miller has some really interesting points about this on his podcast Creative Pep Talk (1. and 2.) Taking a step outside of the problem is a necessity for creative work.
Do you struggle with detaching yourself from what you work with sometimes? Do you have any routines for creative breaks? I'd love to hear your experiences.
// This is my first illustration for Illustration Firday that I'm posting on the blog. I am hoping to submit my next project on time!//
