But especially in the field of design – where creativity is a core tool – this concept of “Work-life balance” takes on a deeper meaning - Can balance even exist when you’re constantly juggling deadlines, meetings, and creative processes as a designer?
Balance Isn’t a State – It’s a Practice
Work-life balance doesn’t mean splitting your time perfectly between work and rest every week. It means making sure that work doesn’t take over your life – and that there’s space for other things: family, friendships, movement, mental recovery, and yes, creative downtime.
In design, this balance is more than a nice-to-have – it’s the foundation for great work. Creativity doesn’t flourish under nonstop pressure. It needs breathing room, emotional calm, and sometimes even intentional boredom.
As Anne Lamott so wisely put it:
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.”
That’s true for people. And it’s especially true for creative energy.
Creativity Needs Mental Space – Especially for Designers
This is particularly important for young designers. In a field that demands constant innovation and original thinking, your mind is your most important tool. If you’re overwhelmed all the time, you lose your ability to play, to explore, to think freely – whether you're designing a bold campaign or a simple software interface.
Creativity doesn’t run like an algorithm. It needs pauses, quiet, space to breathe.
As I’ve written before on this blog, especially in reference to John Cleese, whose ideas on creativity have deeply influenced me – creativity isn’t a gift. It’s a way of working:
“Creativity is not a talent. It is a way of operating.”
– John Cleese
And that way of working needs protection – through time, trust, and environments that support focus and reflection.
Balance Shows Up in the Work Itself
Work-life balance isn’t just a lifestyle choice – it shapes the quality of our design. It shows in how we handle complexity. In how we balance client goals with user needs. In whether a UI feels cluttered or calm.
“Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create.”
– Jana Kingsford
Design itself is balance – between boldness and practicality, between vision and usability, between inspiration and structure.
As Henri Matisse put it:
“Creativity takes courage.”
And that courage comes from inner strength, time to recharge – and space to think.
Quotes That Keep Me Grounded
Here are a few quotes I keep coming back to – reminders that great design requires more than just tools and deadlines:
“Creativity is not a talent. It is a way of operating.”
– John Cleese“You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
– Maya Angelou
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.”
– Anne Lamott
“Creativity takes courage.”
– Henri Matisse
“Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create.”
– Jana Kingsford
And one more from John Cleese – a sharp, slightly painful truth that’s stuck with me:
“To know how good you are at something requires the same skills as it does to be good at that thing. Which means if you're absolutely hopeless at something, you lack exactly the skills that you need to know that you're absolutely hopeless at it.”
Creative work isn’t just sensitive – it’s paradoxical. It demands that we stay mentally present, open, and honest with ourselves.
Final Thoughts: Balance Isn’t a Luxury – It’s the Foundation
In UX design, where we’re constantly navigating between empathy, functionality, and business needs, inner balance is not just a personal issue. It directly affects the quality of our work – our ideas, our process, and how we connect with others.
Work-life balance is also design balance.
It’s about intentionally managing your energy, your focus, and your space to think – so you can build better products, make clearer decisions, and live a more creative life.
Remember: You’re not a machine. Your mind is your most important design tool – protect it, nurture it, and give it room to breathe.
... as Matisse said,
“Creativity takes courage.” And sometimes, that courage is simply saying: I need a break.
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