You're knee-deep in research for a new collection. How can you maintain motivation and focus?

In addition to setting goals, time blocking helps me. Choosing a set amount of time to focus on the new collection and then setting a timer keeps me on task and then gives a stopping point where I can focus on something else for a while.

As a Visual Artist, what works for me would include narrowing down to specifics, categorizing, prioritizing, making adjustments where necessary. Setting a clear goal with steps needed to take. I like to map out ideas, time and even tasks that I need to complete. In addition, I enjoy placing visual and non-visuals around home to stay focus and keeping myself accountable.

I always like to tell designers to start by organizing their thoughts and deciding what the purpose of the project is. That normally helps them focus more on the task at hand and helps them edit out extraneous information and tear sheets that are beautiful and cool but really have no connection to the PURPOSE of the assignment or project.

Setting a deadline for the project and then working backward from there to set individual goals for each small part of the total project from there can help keep things moving forward. I have a tendency to go down lots of rabbit holes unless I set firm deadlines for each step of the research for design process.

We really like to encourage our creative design teams to travel somewhere together at the beginning of a season. Even if that location is right in their home town, it's really nice for them to get out of the office and take time to get inspired by a city's music, colors, architecture and vibe. Similarly, heading out together on a nature walk, hike or beautiful bike ride can really clear their heads and get their creative juices flowing! Especially when a team is able to experience these things together, we find that it creates a great story for the upcoming collection, rallies everyone around a single mission and keeps motivation high throughout the entire design and development process.

I love to get out of my office to work on new designs. I love taking my computer and sketch book to a park, to a coffee shop, a museum or even just to sit in my car for a while. Getting out of my usual space definitely helps me to refresh my mind.

Yes, this might be the most effective technique. Taking a walk or flipping through a magazine - clearing your mind in some way - often triggers ideas that help with the project. Be sure to get those thoughts down in the moment, they’re hard to recall later!

I emerce myself in the music and theme of the show and collection. Research is good however I think that a basic research is very important but I also believe that to much research into how others do the job, sets u up to memic the ideas given instead of your own voice in homage to research.