The benefits of personal projects

This is not something new, but there really are some tangible benefits to working on personal projects. With the end of 2024 looming fast, maybe it’s time to start creating a road map for 2025.

Why do personal projects?

A personal project is a fantastic thing to do. It can give you direction and clarity. You can be motivated to increase productivity and bring personal growth. It’s one way to challenges the mind and artistic soul, and it produces real results. It can also kickstart those creative juices and get them flowing again.

Personal projects allow you to re-evaluate your techniques and even discover new ones. It’s an opportunity to add to your portfolio and freshen things up a bit. Chances are, if all you have done is work for clients over the year, it might be looking a little stale.

There is another reason: they can be super fun too. I started my Dark Alice in Wonderland project with another photographer, my regular models and makeup artists. This is a long-term project. We started back in August and have completed three characters so far. It’s taken a while to find props and costumes, backdrops and linking elements.

What type of project should you do?

That’s the best bit — it can be anything you like. Want to learn a musical instrument? Write a short story, or redesign your website. What about designing a new logo and digital assets kit to revamp your entire look for next year? What about a photo project? Something just for you — or even for you and a few friends?

Creating a road map

Try a brain dump. It’s the best way to get started. I found it effective to just start writing down ideas. Don’t overthink it, just write ideas down as they come to you. Perhaps start with an overall idea and then take it from there. Break it down, slowly.

Mind map made in Canva

The next step is to make a mind map, I find I can really start to nail down the main objectives and work toward a real road map. Canva is an amazing place to create a mind map.

Can you have more than one personal project?

Well, that depends on your abilities and time. You can brainstorm more than one project, but actually taking on more than one can be a bit overwhelming. Unless of course, you have one long-term project intermingled with a few smaller ones.

Perhaps once you have done your brain dumps and mind maps, you can work out a timeline for your project. Work out what’s required — the what, where, who, how and when as it were.

What’s next?

Once you know what you want to achieve, the next step is to start. It all just stakes that one small step. Well, that’s been my take on it all. I always have a few ideas on my to-do list.

Check out these articles for working with your creativity

• Finding and getting inspired through your inner child
• Five ways to get through to your inner creative

• Posted on November 4, 2024