Here's how you can optimize your time as a graphic designer and avoid common time-wasting activities.

To achieve this, I implement a structured approach by drafting a to-do list, segmenting larger projects into smaller, achievable tasks, and assigning a specific deadline to each. This method has proven instrumental in enhancing my productivity and ensuring timely project completion.

This is how I never missed one deadline while working at a publishing house for 4 years: Plan your day with time blocks. Use efficient software (Adobe Creative Cloud) and project management tools (Trello, Asana). Streamline workflow by batching tasks and automating repetitive ones. Minimise distractions by creating a dedicated workspace and turning off notifications. Use collaboration tools like Slack. Stay updated with new skills and shortcuts. Manage revisions with clear limits and detailed feedback. Take regular breaks and ensure an ergonomic setup. Avoid perfectionism, and delegate or outsource tasks when needed.

Not all tasks are created equal. Learn to identify the most important jobs (like meeting that looming deadline) and tackle those first. This ensures you focus on what truly matters and avoid getting bogged down in less critical things.

Prioritizing tasks is extremely important in the design process. Keeping a list of different tasks according to priority and which one to be assigned to whom (if you are working in a team) needs to be decided in the beginning. Make sure to tick off the more complicated and high priority tasks first, so you cam concentrate on the smaller ones later. This with help you reduce stress and also be more efficient.

Eu gosto de trabalhar de duas maneiras quando quero ser rápida e eficaz com um design: - Primeira é organização, antes de sair abrindo os programas correndo é ter bem nitido e organizado em algum papel ou até mesmo no computador todos os processos que devo seguir. Rascunho redondo, storyboard ajuda muito nessas questões. - Segunda é ir a um local seguro se a questão de tempo realmente é prioridade. Então se um cliente pede um novo key visual, mas tem pouco tempo, eu vou baseado em tudo que já foi aprovado e criado.

Think of your day as a series of blocks. Dedicate each block to a specific task, like brainstorming or revisions. This keeps you focused and prevents you from bouncing between too many things at once. Imagine it like scheduling different activities for the day to make the most of your time!

Managing time is the key to the successful completion of any project. Block time for each task accordingly. Reserve some extra time too for any last minute work that could come up. Divide your time between design work, meetings, coordination, corrections etc. This will help you focus on the task reserved for that time and will help finish things on time.

Time blocking is like my personalized game plan for the day. Keeping dedicated hours for design work helps to focus, gets the creative flow going and prevents distraction that comes from multitasking. Resist the urge to check mails or indulge in social media. Not all tasks need hours blocked, some can be a brief period, like a recess, between tasks to manage emails or quick calls and messages.

Aveces tenemos que revisar si o si correos y whatsapp, por lo mismo y dentro de la medida posible, recomiendo revisar ambas plataformas cada 1 hora, esto te permitirá trabajar tranquilo, y concentrado, optimizando tiempos y rendimiento creativo y así vez, seguir cumpliendo con tus labores más administrativas o de gestión.

Devote time every week exploring tutorials to find tools, shortcuts and features that can speed up your work. Learning and researching on tools like Photoshop, Illustrator etc can also open your mind to new design ideas and help you approach projects in fresh ways. It takes some time but by mastering your tools now, you'll free up hours currently spent on repetitive tasks and focus on what matters most, creativity.

Graphic design software is your best friend, but only if you know how to use it well. Invest time in learning the ins and outs of your favorite programs. This will make you much faster and more efficient, freeing up precious time for creative bursts.

Learning shortcuts will help you cut down the amount of time you spend on your projects immensely and help you work more efficiently. Something I found helpful is to find a shortcut cheat sheet online, print it, and hang it up in your office space to reference until using shortcuts becomes second nature.

Hoy en día existen innumerables influencers, que nos entregan tips para aprender nuevas herramientas o atajos, en los programas de Diseño. Sigue a todos los que te llamen la atención, pon en práctica estos tips por lo menos 1 vez al día ( no te tomará más de 15 minutos) y es muy probable que te ahorres horas de trabajo.

Sometimes it is so hard for us to reach for a helping hand, but there’s times when it is essential to delegate the work to not only meet tight deadlines so you can focus on what you do best, but to put trust in your colleague’s strengths and talents. As they say “team work divides the task and multiplies the success”

Not everything needs your personal touch. If there are repetitive tasks that someone else can handle, delegate them! This frees you up to focus on the more creative and strategic aspects of your work. Think of it like assigning tasks to teammates in a group project to get things done faster.

Though we are tempted to handle everything ourselves, it is not necessary and can be time consuming. There may be repetitive tasks or smaller tasks that can be handled by others. Assign these tasks to them so you can focus on the bigger tasks and tasks that match your skillset. Keep checking to make sure the tasks you habe delegated are moving in the right direction abd would be completed by the given deadlines.

Don't tackle a design all at once. Break it into quests - "Research Monday", "Sketching Tuesday", "Color Palette Thursday," and BAM! A Design is born. Keep it simple.

Sometimes, "pretty good" is enough to launch and iterate later. It's like sketching your masterpiece in pencil first, then inking the details! Perfection takes forever, but "done" gets you paid (or closer to that client high-five).

Striving for excellence is great, but getting hung up on every tiny detail can be a time-wasting monster. Learn to identify when "good enough" is truly good enough, and move on before you get stuck in an endless loop of tweaking

Perfectionism bridges a gap between where we are and where we want to be. A designer faces two types of perfectionism: the kind that pushes you to excel (Good Perfectionism), and the kind that gets in the way of progress (Bad Perfectionism). Good perfectionism is essential for delivering good quality content but Bad perfectionism (called the "Perfectionism Syndrome") needs to be treated. Combat perfectionism, Set realistic expectations for each project, considering deadlines and resources.

Miscommunication is a major time drain. Clearly define project details and expectations upfront with clients. Respond to messages promptly and efficiently. This keeps everyone on the same page and avoids the need for back-and-forth exchanges that eat up valuable time.

Good abd clear communication with everyone involved in the project is crucial. Set a time in the day to check on how everyone is doing and if everything is on track. Using collaborative tools and softwares also helps as once can make changes and give feedback in real time. Collaborative software can also easily be shared with the client for feedback. Having a crisp and clear communication would clear a lot of confusions and help avoid delays.

Track your time for insights! Record yourself at work for 30-minute intervals. Reviewing these recordings helps you understand your time allocation and make informed decisions to boost productivity. This self-monitoring helps you make informed decisions to optimize your time.

Comunicar es fácil, comunicar bien y de forma efectiva es difícil… Comunicar ideas o conceptos puede ser una de las tareas más complejas al iniciar un proyecto, debido a que las personas transmitimos una idea que tenemos en nuestras mentes, con todas las aristas que estas involucran, pero el resto de las personas interpretan esta idea y de seguro que la interpretación puede variar bastante respecto de la idea inicial, por lo mismo, sugiero nunca obviar nada y que siempre estas ideas vayan acompañadas de dibujos, bosquejos e imágenes referenciales. Esto ayudará mucho a disminuir el rango de error.