{"id":47634,"date":"2017-09-21T07:33:01","date_gmt":"2017-09-21T14:33:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/?p=47634"},"modified":"2024-04-16T06:56:31","modified_gmt":"2024-04-16T13:56:31","slug":"calm-design-and-creativity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/calm-design-and-creativity","title":{"rendered":"Designing Makes Us Feel Relaxed? The Connection Between Calm & Creativity"},"content":{"rendered":"

There’s definitely something to be said about the satisfying feeling that comes from solving UX, mixing colors and illustrating. Sometimes design can be a little stressful (especially if you rush into it without taking all of the necessary sketching\/wireframing steps, that reduces the risk of setbacks later), but mostly it’s deeply satisfying and it’s wonderful to see a design come to life.
\nWhen we’re feeling calm, or actually<\/em>, when we’re feeling positive<\/em> overall, it boosts creativity; and, when we’re feeling creative, we create our best design work. It’s a cycle.
\n 
\nawesome designs > good mood > creativity > awesome designs >
\nIn order to be the best designer you can be, and maintain a high level of creativity, you have to take regular breaks, take the necessary steps in the design workflow (no cutting corners!), and pretty much reduce stress from all angles. When design is a smooth process, the creativity free flows like fresh water.
\nLet’s take a look at what actually happens to us when we design.<\/p>\n

<\/span>The Effects of Problem Solving<\/span><\/h2>\n

\nSolving UX activates our brain’s reward system. When you think of each issue as a task, made up of smaller, more manageable subtasks, completing each one (e.g. design login screen, fix navigation, etc<\/em>) makes us feel one step closer to the finish line. I’m a huge fan of tracking design tasks using to-do apps like Wunderlist; and<\/em>, there’s a satisfying “ding!” when you complete a task. This releases the well-known hormone called Dopamine, which is responsible for the happy, calming feeling that we feel when we feed ourselves with something satisfying.
\nScientists call it the reward hormone<\/strong>, although it should be noted that designers rarely run like well-oiled machines on a consistent basis. Setbacks happen, and when they do, as mentioned above, you have to take regular breaks.
\nDopamine is also known as the addiction hormone<\/strong>, so don’t take your design wins for granted. Accept your setbacks as inevitable, and don’t stress yourself when things slow down. If you do, then the lack of calm will drag you creativity down too.\n<\/p>\n

<\/span>The Effects of Choosing Colors<\/span><\/h2>\n

\nColors are awesome because, quite frankly, they change the way we feel when we look at them. As designers, we use this user psychology to our advantage to make clear-cut, communicative UIs, and branding that speaks to audiences. But naturally, color has an effect on us too. We tend to subconsciously favor colors that represent how we feel, as a way of self-expression.
\nBehavioral scientists call this a cognitive bias<\/strong>.
\nA cognitive bias is when you make decisions against solid rationality, based on the way you think or feel as an individual. If you feel angry, red might be the color that resonates with you the most, even though another color might fit the brand of the design you’re working on much better.
\nSo, mixing colors can definitely make us feel relaxed, but you must be aware of any cognitive biases, use feedback tools like Dribbble (and the ones built into collaboration apps like InVision), and initiate user testing when designing for screens.
\nIn this fascinating discussion, artist Paul Tzanetopoulos explores how color therapy motivated the LED light design of the LAX airport and its impact on overall relaxation.
\n