I try to add a post to my blog about 4 or 5 times per week. Without doing so, I see my numbers begin to nose dive, and it drives me crazy. It’s as if by staring at my stats and contemplating what to do, I can somehow translate that energy into more visitors. It’s when you begin to put that much pressure on yourself, that your creative energy slips away. For designers, that pressure can be your kryptonite.

I work a full time job, have a wife, family and friends, that leaves me struggling to find enough time to write something consistently. I want to, but writing till after midnight, then waking up at 7am tends to make a person, (saying it nicely) difficult to be around. And there is only so much coffee in the world!

So How Do You Unplug

• Schedule a Day Off

  One day per week would probably be best. But if you don’t actually put it in your schedule, it’s most likely not going to happen. It’s funny that most of us schedule and plan everything, but we rarely plan time off, give it a try, this will certainly help you unplug.

• Shut the Computer Down

  Shut the computer off completely and do not be tempted to turn it back on. I know the shear thought can be difficult, however a day with it off does worlds of good for your creativity. If you must check email, do so real early, but limit your time, and then shut it down and wait till the next day to look again.

• Get Far Away From the House or Office

  Go out and do something! Go to a movie, museum, park, etc. Whatever it is you do for fun. Not only will this help you unwind, it will keep the temptation to hop back on the computer to a minimum.

• Inspiration is Everywhere

  Sure you want to unplug, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look around and get a few design ideas in. An unbelievable amount of design inspiration can be found just by looking around. I’m constantly checking out billboards, magazine advertisements, and so on. If you must stay plugged in slightly, then take your camera along and document some things, take pictures of textures, or interesting things you see.

You really can get bogged down pushing to get something great out consistently. Schedule a day off and enjoy the increased productivity.

What About You?

What do you do when you need to unplug? Where do you go, what do you do, what are your suggestions?