When working as a designer in an agency environment, you are responsible for handling multiple design projects at once, for different brands with different aesthetics. In the same day you could be designing e-blasts for a boutique, print collateral for a retailer, and branding materials for a restaurant. How do you stay on top of brand styles, deadlines, and juggling multiple projects at once? Here are three tips that help us stay on track:
1. Stay Organized
This is the absolute number one rule you should set for yourself! Organization is key to juggling multiple projects at once. First and foremost, make your hard drive, flash drive, or Dropbox as organized as possible. Create separate folders for each client, and within those, create folders for each design format you create: i.e., e-blasts, print materials, branding, blog images, website banners, etc. This will allow you to quickly and easily locate files when switching tasks throughout the day.
2. Create a Schedule/To-Do List
Know what you have to do each day, and when you are going to do it. If you have 4 projects due today, create a schedule to block out your time. I like to spend time on the most difficult or most time consuming projects in the morning, so that I can give it my best focus and attention. Then when I finish that, I will focus on easier/quicker tasks.
3. Prioritize
My last tip is so important when it comes to working on multiple projects: you have to prioritize. It may seem obvious, but sometimes when you have a long to-do list, it can be easy to get carried away in work and forget what is most important. Make sure that the projects with the closest deadlines are always worked on first, so that the due date doesn’t catch you off guard and you have to rush through the project’s completion.
Do you have any project management tips? We’d love to hear them!
