Take a Breath, Relax — It's Just Design
Some prescriptions for some perspective, by an architect who has a hard time letting go
Houzz Contributor. Just an architect, standing in front of an ideology, asking it to love me.
Houzz Contributor. Just an architect, standing in front of an ideology,... More »
Sometimes I take design too seriously. I get wrapped up in the intricacies of the creative process and slave away for hours, bent over my work, refining and revising and reflecting on my efforts until my eyes begin to blur, and I nod off to sleep. In school, I would push two chairs together to fashion a makeshift bed and sleep curled up in the fetal position for a few hours before the sun came up. Now I just fall asleep with my laptop in my lap, my fingers still poised over the keyboard, ready for just one more click.
Why do I do this? Is what I'm working on so important that I need to jeopardize my health to finish it? Is anyone really going to suffer if they don't get my latest door schedule revisions by 9 a.m.? Probably not. So, why the endless dedication? It's not like I studied for four years in undergraduate school and two years in graduate school, and interned for three years, before I could sit for my exams. It's not like I'm on my 18th consecutive year of an all-nighter. Maybe I should see someone about my sleeping problem.
Still, I find myself endlessly driven to excel at my craft. But it's not brain surgery. I should go home.
Why do I do this? Is what I'm working on so important that I need to jeopardize my health to finish it? Is anyone really going to suffer if they don't get my latest door schedule revisions by 9 a.m.? Probably not. So, why the endless dedication? It's not like I studied for four years in undergraduate school and two years in graduate school, and interned for three years, before I could sit for my exams. It's not like I'm on my 18th consecutive year of an all-nighter. Maybe I should see someone about my sleeping problem.
Still, I find myself endlessly driven to excel at my craft. But it's not brain surgery. I should go home.
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| Doctors are so smart. Maybe I should start writing prescriptions, too. |
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| "Doctor, while you're in there retracting my spleen, could we redecorate it just like this resort retreat featured in last year's summer issue of Better Homes and Gardens? Only make it more spacious?" My doctors will love me. |
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| If surgeries did have design styles, what would they be? Minimalism invasive? Postmortem? Arts and grafts? |
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| Surgeons should revisit the past more, don't you think? Maybe you could bite down on this leather strap while I revise the floor plan for the ninth time this week? |
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| You can go home in the middle of design, unless you're too tired to drive. Friends don't let friends draft and drive. |
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| Though maybe there should be. |
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| So, the next time you find yourself stressing over a nonlife-threatening design decision, take a breath and try to relax. Maybe take two glasses of wine and call me in the morning. I should have the floor plan revisions done by then. |
Ideabook updated on Aug. 28, 2012.
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One type of surgeon probably does have clients bringing in photos of the type of surgery they're thinking of. In Israel, it's the same word for a face remodel, as a home remodel. I DON"T want to look like Janet Jackson! Make me a Selma Hayek.
It's in the blood. :-)
I just heard about the book 'Living with a Creative Mind' by J & J Crabtree which is apparently 'a handbook for the creative person and for their friends, family and colleagues' and looks at issues like time and stress in the lives of creative people. I would be interested to know if anyone knows of any other books like this as I do worry about how taking design too seriously will affect my family and health in the long term