The (ofther overlooked) art of decompression between projects
Strategic design and service design require far more than creativity.
These disciplines demand sustained cognitive intensity: holding ambiguity, balancing multiple perspectives, and constantly connecting dots across systems.
And yet, once a project ends, after the final presentation is done, many of us jump straight into the next one.
Thatโs where a concept like Design Detox becomes not just helpful, but essential.
The other day, during a conversation with my colleague Fernando from Manyone, we were reflecting on how designers often overlook the need for proper mental, emotional, and creative recovery between projects. As we discussed, it became clear that we need to normalize this process, not as luxury, but as a professional necessity.
As a runner, I rely on my Coros watch to tell me how long to wait before training again, sometimes itโs 24 hours, sometimes 48, after a run or a training session. Itโs a clear, data-informed reminder that performance requires recovery.
Why donโt we apply the same logic to our work as designers?
Design Detox isnโt about simply โswitching offโ. Itโs an intentional process of releasing cognitive load, closing emotional loops, and restoring our critical thinking and creative energy.
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Some clear signals that you may need a detox:
- You keep mentally revisiting a project even after itโs wrapped up.
- You start a new project without genuine enthusiasm, just out of habit.
- Your decision-making feels autopilot-driven, shaped by the prior projectโs context.
What could a meaningful Design Detox include?
- Proactively planned downtime between projects.
- Personal closure rituals: writing down learnings, naming what drained or energized you.
- Conversations with peers outside of project dynamics, simply to process lingering thoughts.
- Physical activity like walking, running, moving, etc. to release built-up tension.
- Saying โnoโ to new projects until your energy is truly restored.
This isnโt about indulgence, itโs about sustaining ourselves as effective, strategic professionals.
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Pic by Teslariu Mihai.
