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Those who know me, or can read between the lines on this blog, know that I have my philosophies and I stick to them. Well, here’s another.

I have been struggling as of late to be the happiest, and therefore best designer I can be. It’s tough! There are a great many forces that can drag you down, even when you’re doing something you love. But toxic boses and dull projects aside, here is what I feel are the four elements of designer happiness.

Information. Designers, like everyone else, must stay informed of all the latest trends, news, fads, pop culture, arts/literature, and even gossip. Since our business depends on making connections to people, we ourselves need to be connected and informed. Reading newspapers, blogs, magazines, books, watching movies and even television are ways to keep informed. The best way, of course, is by talking with people who always seem to be me further informed than yourself. This can be difficult if you’re a freelancer, as you likely spend the majority of your workweek alone or outside the social loop at your on-site job.

Stimulation. To create great work, designers need to be stimulated. We need to ensure a constant flow of audio/visual goo keeps moving full force through our brains. Some call it creative juices, I call it stimulation. Keep yourself stimulated by listening to music, visiting museums, taking photos on the street, or just people-watching. Allow yourself to have “creative accidents” and allow yourself to explore curiosities.

Inspiration. While one can easily be inspired by a work of art or another piece of design, I’m speaking here about inspiration in terms of people. You’ve got to find someone that can inspire you when you’re hitting those lulls, and someone who can motivate you beyond the day-to-day shouts of “hurry up, we’ve got a deadline”. Whether this person is a muse, like a girlfriend or spouse, or a mentor, you’ve got to have that source of inspiration. Unfortunately for me, all I’ve got is my desk portrait of FDR, but it works in the meantime.

Relaxation. The final and perhaps most important element to designer happiness is the simply existing in a state of as little stress as possible. While deadlines and the design process in general are sure to get your heartrate up from time to time, if you are relaxed enough to handle it, you’ll still be able to produce great work. Burn-out and a toxic environment are the arch-nemesis of relaxation — do whatever you can to avoid those situations. Relaxation also includes the obvious — don’t work too hard, and make sure you still have time in your life to go to the gym, hang out with friends and sleep! My advice, go the fuck home every once in a while.

So in conclusion, make sure that you’ve got iSir working, and you’ll be a happy and productive designer. Now, to take my own advice…

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