February 04, 2009 from PauloGabriel's blog
Designers tend to stay online for a long time during the day, sometimes more than a third of the day, and that can get us really, really tired. Not only that, but our productivity will fall like a meteor. The solution may be outside the office... it may be offline!
Taking a time off during your day is something really important to recharge your batteries after a long and sometimes stressfull work process. There are plenty things for you to do that will refresh your mind for the day. Perhaps catching a movie in your local movie theater.
Watching a cool movie will definetely pump your brain juices and give you some sweet ideas for designs. For example, after watching Iron Man, Fabio wrote an awesome tutorial on how to do Iron Man's View Interface. That was only one tutorial made by one person after watching a single movie. Could you guys imagine what could be done if many designers started working after a cool movie?
Also you could go to the theaters and watching a cool play. There are really fantastic plays out there waiting for you to assist. Comedies, tragedies, and all kinds of cool stuff. For instance, watching Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet might inspire you to do a cool Valentine's day piece.
Music is good way to inspire you. Go to concerts! Depending where you live, big music stars might visit your city and deliver great concerts. You should really catch those. If they don't go to your city, there gotta be local bands that will do just the trick. The important thing is being in touch with music and all the visual appeals like the light setups, the scenario, and all that.
Muse
Another good place to go are museums. You don't have to be in another city to go to the museum... many times there are good ones in our own cities which we've never visited. Look for all the cool ones, like technology, arts and archeologic ones. These are great sources of inspiration, because in someway you get a "retro" feeling, of what was cool centuries ago. And don't forget, retro is cool! ;p
And also, a good walk outside might just do the trick. Getting fresh air into your lungs and getting in touch with people is a good way to get the daily stress out of your system. Go for a run, for a walk in the park. There, you might catch some cool sightings such as the sunset, birds flying, and more. Enjoy the nature! Also, pay attention to details, such as your city's architecture.
I've said that before, but inspiration is everywhere. Actually, I really think that inspiration is not an external thing, but something that lies inside us, waiting for something to trigger its way out. And virtually anything can trigger this escape... a movie, a play, a walk in the park. It's up to you how you'll get your batteries charged! And now a little quote for you guys:
"Life goes by pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller
