Want to grow as a creative without spending a dime? These five simple habits have helped me become a better designer, collaborator, and creative problem solver. They’re free, practical, and surprisingly powerful.
1. Be On Time
Punctuality applies to more than just showing up to meetings—it’s about honoring deadlines, replying to emails, sending files, and respecting the time of others. You don’t have to be available 24/7, but if you set a deadline, keep it. Consistency builds trust.
In my design career, I’ve had clients leave their previous designer and come to me for one reason: their old designer couldn’t meet deadlines. Talent wasn’t the issue—timing was.
A simple rule I follow is to under-promise and over-deliver. Back when I worked in the auto repair business, I would always tell customers their repair would take at least 30 minutes longer than I thought it actually would. This gave me breathing room in case something went wrong and made me look like a hero when I finished early.
On-time delivery isn’t just good manners—it’s good business.
2. Never Stop Learning
As creatives, we live in an incredible time. There are thousands of hours of free, high-quality learning content available online. Whether it’s YouTube tutorials, design blogs, or free training platforms, the resources are there—you just have to commit to using them.
Trying new techniques or tools keeps your mind sharp and your skills relevant. Even learning something outside your usual workflow (like animation or coding) can lead to unexpected breakthroughs in your creative process.
Be curious. Be humble. Stay teachable.
I would recommend these three books to get you started. They are short and easy to read but also very helpful. I have learned a lot from Austin Kleon.
(these are affiliate links so I might make a small commission if you purchase from them, but not always)
3. Accept Feedback
This might be hard to hear, but not everything you create is gold. And that’s okay.
Feedback is part of the process. The people you’re designing for—whether they’re clients, creative directors, or teammates—often see things you don’t. Listen to their perspective before jumping to defend your own. Even if you disagree, listening first builds rapport and keeps communication open.
Creativity thrives in collaboration, and collaboration requires humility.
Listen first. Talk second.
4. Try New Things
If you’re a logo designer, try making a flyer. Maybe you are into fonts, try designing your own. Pretend a big name brand has asked you to created a multi-color screen print design for apparel.
Experimenting outside your niche helps you grow. You might not become a world-famous type designer (I probably won’t either), but the process of trying to create my own fonts showed me how things work, and gave me fresh ideas and creative confidence.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just try.
One thing I started doing was automating task by coding scripts in python. Turns out, it’s really not that hard and can save you a bunch of time. In fact, ChatGPT can even write most of the code for you. If you want to get started, check out learnpython.org
One example of a time saving script is when I start a new client project I have to create several new folders, sub folders, files etc. I know have a python script that with the push of a button everything is automatically created in a matter of seconds.
5. Push Buttons
Some of the best lessons I’ve learned came from pure trial and error.
Throughout my life I have always used a combination of operating systems, electronic devices and software. My daily computer is a MacBook Pro but I also have a custom built PC in my office. I’ve regularly swapped between Android and iOs mobile devices. I am even comfortable using Linux and many different distros.
People ask how I got comfortable with all these different computers and creative tools. My answer is simple: I pushed buttons until I figured it out. Tutorials are great—I’ve watched plenty—but real understanding comes from messing around and discovering things for yourself.
Don’t be afraid to push buttons. Don’t be afraid to break things. The worst that happens is you reset a setting or have to unplug and plug it back in. The best? You unlock features you never knew existed.
Curiosity fuels creativity. So go ahead—start pushing buttons.
These five habits won’t cost you a penny, but they’ve had a huge impact on my work as a creative. If you’re looking to grow—whether you’re a designer, artist, content creator, or anything in between—these are the habits I’d recommend starting with.
Did you know early 2000s digital cameras are making a comeback? Check out my previous post to learn more. Point, Shoot, Repeat: Falling Back in Love with Old Digicams
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