2017: 365 Days of Design Iteration
Note: This blogpost was written in 2018. This is a republished version for my new blog page.
After a full year of re-designing my life, I am excited to present how I designed solutions for 2016’s pain points and more things I want to improve on myself in 2018
A year ago, I wouldn’t dare call myself a designer. Sure I made websites and logos and whatnot, but I didn’t have the confidence in my creations like I do now. While I am proud of all the products and solutions that I have created, I am most proud of the solutions I designed to solve problems I had in 2016.
Before 2017, I would have only described a designer as someone who solved problems for many people in meaningful and beautiful ways. Though the solution may not have been made for many, actually only one, my designs have brought me happiness and an optimism I haven’t experienced in years. At least I can now proudly say I am a designer for one.
Review of 2017
I started off 2017 with a lot of things of things I wanted to accomplish and redesign. Though I didn’t get to all of them, I was also to pick a few and really create simple and sustainable solutions for them. To read my full list from last year, click here.
Goals achieved in 2017
1 of biggest successes in 2017: I graduated college
Taking advantage of my love of planning to create a more balanced life: I hit things task with fervor right off the beginning of the year and is probably my most successful design solution. Other than making sure I never forgot my doctors’ appointments, I also used both my digital calendar and paper planner to carve in exercise times, painting times, and down/“me” time.
Create a reward system to motivate myself to exercise: This came down to one simple rule that I follow religiously — always eat dessert on Saturday.
Bettering my sleep schedule: At the beginning of the year, I ran an experiment for a month to test different sleep hygiene habits.
Talking to someone for at least 10 minutes a day to combat loneliness: I pushed myself to become more open to people about my state of mind. I was pleasantly surprised how receptive people were to it. I also made myself talk to someone every day about what’s on my mind, even if it's my cat.
Celebrating smaller victories: the Biggest lesson I learned and something I practice religiously now — Always eat dessert on Saturday. It’s a celebration of the week and also something you can look forward to every weekend.
Combatting depression head-on: After trying the avoidance method for 3 years unsuccessfully, 2017 was the year I embraced my wonky brain chemical imbalances and dealt with it.
Staying within budget: I now track all my expenses and things on a web app — youneedabudget.com. This is not sponsored, I just really really love the app.
Things that slipped through the cracks
Handling stressful situations better: I still tend to freak out and over worry during stressful situations. I need to figure a system on how to keep a level head.
Responding to emails from other humans within 24 hours: I am still reluctant to answer people automatically. This year, I need to figure out why that is and address each issue independently.
Conquering your fear of driving: I didn’t drive at all 2017. I think I’ve also become more dependent on public transportation and Lyft.
Pain Points and Habit Analysis
“Always eat dessert on Saturday”
Last year’s insight points were perceived through combining my personality and tendencies and reflecting them upon my pain points. This year, I would like to focus more on the habits I have made for myself and try to see how I can use it to create positive iterations in my life.
Pain points
Planning all year to stock my Etsy shop and every week saying “I’ll do it later”: While the shop is my No.1 passion project that I want to do, this habit of delaying starting a project effects most things I want to do. Whether its the shop or my passion project to draw a comic book of badass women, I always tell myself "I'll start it later". Effectively, I never end up doing anything. In 2018, I want to make a point of starting it now, no matter how small.
Feeling doubtful of my abilities and successes: Whether it's in work or personal life, I never feel like I have accomplished never much or the things I have accomplished are very noteworthy. In my mind, I know they are; but in my heart, I never feel like they are truly something I can tell other people about. It leaves me ashamed and unconfident about my abilities.
Always being late to work: The irony of it all is that I'm always awake 2-3 hours before I'm supposed to come it. But instead of starting my day, I have a terrible habit of rolling around in bed and scrolling through my social media feed before getting up. Then after the feeling of guilt creeps up on me do I go brush my teeth and eat breakfast. This pushes back my departure time and I end up getting to work late.
Fearful of emotions that I do not understand: It has come to my knowledge that I still do not fully understand all emotions I feel; and because I don't understand it I am afraid of it. Anger is something that particularly scary. I never voice my opinion in fear that it might anger someone. I don't know what anger feels like as I am afraid that it will render me unable to control myself.
Habits I have created for myself
Daily drawings and journalling: I write a couple sentences in my 5 year journal every night. I do at least one drawing/doodle a day. This habit was created as part of my evening routine to help me unwind. Journalling helps to unload things that are on my mind so I can fall asleep. Drawing helps me to sketch out ideas and projects so that I can also not think about it while trying to fall asleep.
Going to ballet multiple times a week: It's become an obsession of mine and a method I use to stay sane. It's come to my realization that I'm actually really good at it and I want to become the best ballet dancer that I can be. Because I am focusing so much on the larger goal, I have not notices how much stronger and leaner I have become.
Sleeping 8 hours a night: My sleeping experiment has revolutionized my nights. I am now almost never sleep deprived and when I do can't fall asleep I know exactly what I need to do to help myself fall asleep.
Always eating dessert on Saturday: Following an advice Heather Layton, best painting professor one can ever have, I now create mini celebrations for myself every week. It has become something I look forward too every week. And even if some weeks I don't feel like I have accomplished anything, it's a reminder for me to celebrate that I exist.
Insight Points and Action Points
“Celebrate whenever you hand something in. Your part has ended. Whatever happens now is up to them. You have done your work to the best of your ability, so now is the time to celebrate”
Combine my dessert technique to celebrating victories to my goal making to start all of my passion projects this year: Perhaps I can add another type of celebration for whenever I do something small for my shop or project. Also need to make lists of smaller tasks rather than "Get shop off ground" in my journal. Hoping that these small steps will lead to helping me accomplish my bigger goals.
Create a morning routine so that it helps me to always get to work on time: Just as I have created my evening routine, I need to create a morning routine so that I get up in the morning. Perhaps not a full-blown month experiment, but try out different things and see if it interests me to get up in the morning. Perhaps I can even use this time to do my projects!
Using ballet and art to self-assure myself about my abilities and successes: You know you are good at ballet, you just don't believe. So use ballet to reaffirm that. Did a double pirouette today? Celebrate! Balanced en pointe? Woah, you're improving! Didn't mess up the petite allegros? It just made your day? Repeat until you can bleed this method into other aspects of your life.
Focus more of my journalling prompts and drawings to illustrate my emotions that I don't understand to learn to be more comfortable with them: Just talk about your emotions more rather than write that what you did that day. Draw it out if you don't have words for them.
High Points of 2017
Here’s to another year. Another chance to redesign my life into the one I want it to be.
Unlike last year, I would like to take this section to celebrate my high points of 2017. It’s definitely something I forget to do often, just taking stock of all my accomplishments so far. So in the spirit of celebrating more achievements, big or small, I'll like to list out some of my biggest accomplishments in 2017.
Last semester of college: Painted 6 canvases for an art thesis/solo exhibition, wrote a mini website about badass women, did a graphic design internship while working 20 hours and taking a full load in college, choreographed a dance for BPG (Ballet Performance Group), and maintained my responsibilities as president of WIC (Women in Computer Science)
Graduated from college
Moved to New York City and into my own apartment
Got my first job after graduation and actually like my job
Made friends outside of work and developed a well-tuned after work schedule
My weekends are not boring!
Still exploring the city and can recommend places to people.
Still have time to make paintings and art
My plants have not died :)