10 Things to Do When You're Between Design Jobs

Whether you're a freelancer or a cube farmer, as an artist or designer you'll probably have some time between assignments or jobs. Although that "free" time (in every sense of the word) can be a bit frightening, it can also be one of your best assets. Instead of allowing yourself to be consumed with worry - a useless state in any case - you can choose to use that time productively and ultimately grow personally and professionally.



1. Work on your portfolio.

How long has it been since you've taken out your portfolio and looked it over with a keen eye? How long has it been since you've visited your portfolio website? This is a golden opportunity to go back and add new material, delete outdated or weaker material and re-organize it into a more cohesive whole. Your portfolio is a primary tool in your marketing efforts, so putting in major effort here will pay off handsomely later.



2. Edit your resume.

If your resume - paper and online - hasn't seen much use recently, take it out now and start editing. Have you included your latest jobs or assignments? Does it present the best possible picture of what you've accomplished so far? Be sure to take care of important details including grammar, spelling and punctuation. (Would it surprise you to learn that hiring managers will often relegate your resume to the trash when you neglect such details?) If writing and editing are not your strong points, trade favors with a writer or editor.



3. Get your money in order.

If you haven't already done so, bring some order to your financial life. Whether you're comfortably off now, or just scraping by, there are a number of actions you can take to secure your financial stability - often a key concern for artists and designers. For example, make sure your bank accounts balance, your checks are filed (if you still get the paper copies from your bank), and your bills are in one place and paid regularly. If you're a freelancer, make sure you keep your personal and business accounts separate. Organize your receipts into folders by year. Open a retirement account, even if you only fund it with the minimum amount. Make a will. If you're in dire straits, call your creditors and work out a repayment plan.



4. Clean up your space.

If your workspace is messy and disorganized, there's no better time to fix that than now! Sort everything out. (Yes, it will look worse before it looks better!) Throw away the trash, donate things you don't use, wash down all your newly empty surfaces, and put everything in the place where it belongs. You'll have a sense of accomplishment from a job well done, you'll be able to find things when you need them - a real timesaver - and you'll have a serene space in which to go forward with future work.



5. Learn a new skill.

Take a course. Read some books. Practice a new skill. If you don't have money to pay for a course or buy books, head for your local library. If you haven't been in for a while, you'll be surprised what modern libraries offer. Check out your local or regional schools or governments for free or very low cost courses. Use what you may already have on hand to practice your skills. Trade with someone who can teach you something useful or interesting.



6. Take care of yourself.

Now that you have more time, you have little excuse not to start that exercise program, begin eating more consciously, try a new look, and all of those other self-care items you've been promising yourself for so long. You'll feel better, feel better about yourself, and be ready when that new job or that rush of new assignments comes along.



7. Network.

Use this time to renew your existing friendships, and actively work to enlarge your personal network. This can mean joining and participating in professional organizations. It can also be as simple as establishing a better connection with the people you encounter every day at the grocery store. The best networking is mostly free. Talk to people. Go to gallery openings, attend civic events, take part in online forums and chats. A robust social network has been proven to buttress personal health and well being. And, tellingly, the best jobs and assignments frequently come through people we already know.



8. Do something for someone else.

Use your skills as a volunteer for an organization you support. Or learn and practice new skills. There's always some person, some group, some cause that can use your help. If you can't think of anything, call your local volunteer organization - they'll have plenty of ideas. (And this is another way of expanding your social network!)



9. Improve your living space.

Now you have time to paint that room, fix that faucet, recover that chair. No money? Sort out your belongings, and decide which to sell, which to trash, which to donate and which to keep. Clean up all your spaces, and give everything you keep a place to live. You may be surprised to find how much your mood improves when your surroundings are orderly. And you'll never be embarrassed if a friend or client pays an unexpected visit.

10. Give yourself a break.

Take a vacation if you can afford it. If you can't get away, give yourself a vacation at home for a while. Catch up on your sleep, read that book you've been waiting to read, take a bubble bath, get outside with friends. The day-to-day stress of work and life can deplete our inner resources; this is the time to recharge the well of inspiration.



Bonus tip:

Plan your marketing. Whether you'll be looking for another job in the corporate world, or new assignments as a freelancer, develop a plan to achieve your goals. Make it specific, make it actionable, make it realistic and give it a time limit. Break it down into easy, small steps. Write it down! Look at it every day. Begin to implement it, step by step.



Instead of viewing downtime as a problem, choose to regard it as a gift.

You have the gift of time to help make your dreams come true, to dream new dreams, and to re-create your life.