Key question
How do you stay healthy, curious and enthusiastic about being a creator in the long term?
A long, fulfilling career in design takes more than talent: rest, clear boundaries, people who support you, and the freedom to grow.
Learning objective: You will be able to apply strategies for recovery and setting boundaries, and create a personal work-life balance plan that brings together all the topics covered throughout the course.
Working sustainably means still having the motivation tomorrow.
14.1 / Rest well
Switching off is a skill that can be practised.
Recovery is particularly successful when it is distinctly different from work. Research by Sabine Sonnentag and Charlotte Fritz identifies four ways:
01
Switch off
Switching off from work mentally.
02
Relax
Let body and mind unwind.
03
Experience something new
Challenges outside work.
04
Self-determination
Deciding for yourself what to do with your free time.
Combining different types of relaxation leads to more effective recovery.
Different types of recreation complement each other.
14.2 / Setting boundaries
Clear boundaries build reliability.
Boundaries protect your time and energy: fixed working hours, being contactable at agreed times, and saying no to jobs that are not the right fit. When communicated clearly, boundaries come across as professional and make collaboration more predictable.
Friendly, clear phrasing is helpful, such as: 'I will be available again from Monday and will be happy to get back to you then.'
A clear boundary is a service to everyone.
14.3 / My plan for work and balance
Think long-term, start today.
A sustainable career brings together work, rest, relationships and personal development. A personal plan helps you shape these areas intentionally, rather than leaving them to chance.
The plan is not a rigid programme. It is reviewed and adjusted regularly, roughly once a quarter.
What is planned is more likely to happen.
Exercise
A week in balance
Task: Deliberately design a week according to your plan.
STEP 1
Schedule dedicated time for rest, exercise, and spending time with others.
STEP 2
Set a clear boundary, such as an evening free from emails.
STEP 3
Record your energy levels daily.
STEP 4
Adjust your plan after the week.
Evaluation: What gave you the most energy?
Final project
From assignment to your own career path
Individually or in pairs, you will work through a project from the initial brief to the presentation, for example for Gartenglück or for an organisation in your local area. In addition, each person creates a personal plan for their first few years in the profession: how you want to work, how you advocate for your value, and how you stay healthy and creative. The format is up to you: poster, booklet, website, or presentation.
STEP 1
Profile and Model
Strengths, positioning and preferred working model with pension provisions.
STEP 2
Rebriefing and quotation
Summary of the order, services, price, assumptions and rights.
STEP 3
Design and Presentation
A draft with justification, presented in ten minutes, including objections.
STEP 4
Health
Workplace, working hours and early warning system.
STEP 5
Balance and reflection
Recovery, boundaries, learning goals and what you will do differently on the next job.
Evaluation criteria: Re-briefing and quote (20%), rights and value arguments (20%), persuasiveness of the presentation (20%), clarity of profile and working model (20%), concrete measures for health and work-life balance with reflection (20%).
The best plan is one you live.