Quarantine Checklist for Creatives

by Taylor Slattery | April 8, 2020

If you’re like me, you’re likely accustomed to working alone. For creatives, it’s not uncommon for a great deal of our work time to be spent in isolation. Even so, self-isolating has us all feeling a bit out of sorts. If you’re going stir-crazy, maybe all you need to refocus is to change your state of mind. Here are some ideas to get you back on track and make the most out of your quarantine.

Experiment

Maybe you’ve been wanting to try a new style of photography or incorporate some mixed media elements into your illustrations. If you’ve had some ideas sitting in your sketchbook and were never quite sure how to incorporate them into your work, now would be a great time to dust them off and give it a shot. It can be easy to get stuck in a routine or a particular way of doing things. Take this opportunity to try something new while the stakes are low.

Expand Your Practice

Use this time to pick up a new skill. Having a variety of abilities under your belt makes you more versatile and a greater asset. Things often have a funny way of connecting further down the line, and if you feel the urge to try something, that’s a good sign that you should go for it. You never know what opportunities may emerge as a result.

Refresh Your Portfolio

Is your portfolio looking a bit stale? If your portfolio is comprised of primarily student work or older client work, take this time to update it to reflect your current level of taste and ability. When working, it can be hard to find the time for personal projects, so take advantage while you can.

Get Organized

If you are the type of person who struggles to find time for personal work, or whose hobbies have fallen to the wayside, consider taking some time to rework your schedule. Take a close look and see if you can identify any parts of your day where you’re wasting time and restructure your routine to include the things that really matter to you. You might be surprised by what you can accomplish when you’ve planned accordingly.

Build your Network

The internet has given us the ability to get in touch with people who were previously impossible to reach. Not only can we make ourselves known to tastemakers and future employers, but also to prospective friends and colleagues. Think about the kind of people you would like to surround yourself with, and if they aren’t already a part of your life, now would be a good time to reach out. Everybody is in the same boat and you never know who you’ll receive a response from.

If you’ve already done all of the above, then all that’s left to do is relax. Times like these tend to put things into perspective. Spend as much time as possible with your loved ones, either online or in person, and let’s all hope this doesn’t last for too much longer.

Taylor is the Managing Editor of Notes on Design. Taylor is a graphic designer, illustrator, and Design Lead at Weirdsleep.

Recent Articles

Best Graphic Design Conferences in 2024

How Much Do Graphic Designers Make? 2024 Guide