Generally speaking, side projects are great things. They offer us opportunities to create something new. Sometimes these are merely hobbies and sometimes these are projects we’d like to pursue as a potential career. They all have to start somewhere, right?
Over the past five years or so, I’ve been involved in quite a few side projects, but the only two of great significance are Minimalissimo and Minimalism Life. These are projects that are challenging both from a creative perspective as well as a sustainability one. Towards the end of 2018 however, I came to the realisation that I was too distracted and spreading myself too thin with my day job as a web & UX designer, managing the aforementioned side projects, as well as working on a couple of other smaller scale projects. I told myself that if I am going to make these two projects true successes, I need to ensure I can dedicate enough time to them—giving them as much focus as I can in order to make them thrive. That means turning down anything new. For now.
New projects excite me though, so it’s not always easy saying “no” to opportunities, but if minimalism has taught me anything, it is to say “no” to many things, so I can say “yes” to the right things.
2019 is going to be a year of less distraction, more discipline, and more focus. Less, but better and with purpose.