Here is an inspiring list of resolutions for web designers, developers and bloggers. Hopefully to get you started on the new year right.

1.Better Time Management & Get Things Done

Ending the holidays, you might find yourself in a high. You still might be pretty lazy to getting back to work and do your thing. To get yourself warmed up, why not organize and update your new daily planner. If you don’t have a daily planner or organizer – get one! Write down what you need to do for the day and prioritize your activities. Starting from the most important to the least. Using your time wisely will make you productive and efficient.

2.Leave Your Creative Comfort Zone

Venture to different type of creative outlets relevant or irrelevant to your usual thing. For example – if you are into print designing, try anything on web designing. If you are into web designing, then try print designing. Whatever your preferences maybe. Take yourself to a new and challenging forms of activities or hobbies that would also make you profit in the near or later future. Expand your horizon and explore. There’s a whole lot more to learn from.

3. Acknowledge Your Imperfection

It is understood that you can make really bad moves and decisions. The one thing that hinders us to change or improve is pride. Yes, it is difficult to admit you are wrong. But face it, everybody makes mistakes. If you don’t, then you might not be normal. If you own up to your mistakes and realize that you are not perfect, you are making room for improvements and change for the better. But of course, it always better to put it to action than just putting it in your mouth. You have to really commit to making improvements. If not, you’d just be sour-graping and that’s not a good thing either.

4.Try To Read One New Book a Month

Take a time to relax at least once a month. Reading a good book will take your mind off things and enhances your creativity by your imagination. Discover new things and words to add up to your vocabulary. Reading also boosts up confidence.

5.Clean the Clutter on Your Desktop

Start clean & fresh. Get rid of all the clutter in your desktop and make room for new to come. Keeping unused or unwanted files or software on your desktop make you no less than a pack-rat. So you better start cleaning – you’ll be amazed how much space those useless items are taking up.

6.Update Your Portfolio

Since this is another year for you and your business, freshen up and update your portfolio. Create a new design and add what’s most recent on your designs, themes, photographs etc. Keep your clients, followers & fans updated.

7.Step Away From The Computer And Exercise

Sitting in front of the computer half of the time if not most, may cause laziness or could make you gain weight – considering it makes you eat unhealthy junk food. Go for a hike, jog, do yoga or engage in a sport.  Slide in a workout routine to your planner for half an hour or more and get yourself fit. Remember, health is wealth.

8. Stretch Your Patience

This new year, go the extra mile and stretch your patience. The survival and main objective of a business is to cater clients’ demands and needs. So be extra patient with your clients. It will pay off when they get really pleased with your services, and that will make you happy. As well as your wallet.

9.Find New and Better Ways to Connect with Clients (Google Voice, Google Wave, etc.)

Reach out to clients in every way possible. This is also one of the many strategic marketing techniques. Some clients don’t know where to find good service providers. Be there to help them out and show them that you can live up to their demands and expectations. Promote your services and offer them the best.

10.Try a Color scheme You Have Never Even Imagined

Never be too cautious with designs. Because unique designs always stand out. Be more creative, play with colors. Maybe you will be the first to mix and match a new color that will go well that others haven’t tried. Step out of the circle and think out of the box.

11.Master At Least One Application Or Programming Language

Improve your performance by focusing on one application or programming language. This way you have a target on what your main work or field is on. After which, then you could proceed to another.

12.Take an Extra Class About Design

Make time for your passion. There are always new things to learn, better learn it from real teachers and go to school. When you know that you’re good at something and want to make the most out of it, it is better to keep enhancing that talent. That is what school does – it harnesses what’s the best in you and develop your skills even more than what you actually know.

13.Follow Top Designers on Twitter and Interact with Them

Get inspiration from top people in the business.  Twitter will get you updated on their latest activities. If you get lucky and get the chance to interact with them, they might give you tips about how they got successful.

14.Really Impress your Clients–Current and New

Never miss to surprise your clients. They are like the better half of your business. You need to keep impressing them to make your business last. Show them something fresh and innovate. New clients are as important as the new ones. Mainly because they both could find another service provider if you don’t meet expectations. So find new ways to excite them and always maintain that harmonious relationship with them.

15. Take Time to be Inspired

Always be on the look out for new inspiration. Make time to browse the web for anything fresh on the scene. Search for newly discovered digital artists, designers, web designing businesses, softwares, gadgets, applications etc. Everyday is a new day and that makes yesterday old news.

*These New Years resolutions are pretty much easy to accomplish. I know everyone has a struggle in fulfilling resolutions. But if you don’t start now, when? Hopefully you are now looking for a great year ahead. Making a New Year’s resolution is just the first step, putting it to action is the most important leap. If you have anything to add, feel free to share. Cheers to 2011!

Here’s a collection of very inspiring holiday greeting cards for you. Happy Holidays!!

1. Multilingual

2.  Happy Holidays Card

3. Holiday Photo Greeting Card

4. Everything in its place

5. Holiday Greeting

6. Holiday Card

7. Where My Hos at?

8. Natal

9. Ready for Santa

10. Christmas Card ’07

11.  O’ Christmas Tree

12. Holiday Card 2

13. Holiday

14. Christmas Tree Card

15. Hour Media Holiday Card

16. Xmas ’06

17. Flowery Xmas

18. Xmas Cards

19. Festive Joy

20. Christmas Card

21. Chill Wishes

22. It Keeps Getting Warmer

23. Love, Peace, Rock N Roll

24. Christmas Card 2007

25. Christmas card no.1

26. Christmas Present

27. Holiday Card Design

28. Snowman Hugs

29. McGee Holiday Card

30. Holiday Card Series

31. New Year Card

32. Happy Holidays to All

33. christmascard 06

34. Holiday Card

35. Christmas 2003

36. Fal la la la

37. Christmas Card 2006

38. Holiday Card

39. Merry Christmas 2007

40. 2008 Holiday Card Front

41. New Year Greeting Card

42. Happy New Year

43. Corporate Holiday Card

44. Holiday Card Project 2

45. Card 3

46. A Little Holiday Magic

47. Personal Holiday Card

48. Mecha Nut Cracker

49. The Magical Christmas Tree

50. Merry Christmas

* Now the next thing you need is the finishing touch. Put your thoughts and sweet wishes in words and send it to your loved ones. That would surely melt their hearts and put the sweetest smile on their faces. Happy Holidays and have a kick-ass New Year!

When people search for inspiration they wander around and look for that something that gives impact. Something mind-blowing and takes your breath away. They take that inspiration with them and from that they try to unfold their own constructiveness. That they may come up to something unique. But sometimes holding on too much from that inspiration that the product is another mere mimic of what was done.

Individuality, is more than being creative in a way. It’s taking your art up another level and making your piece stand out among others. It is something very deep and personal that you can make your very own style which will distinct you from the rest.

In this article, I’m hoping to make a point that not everything can be found on the internet. You need to step back once in a while, to see the bigger picture. There are plenty of sources for inspiration and individuality. Think out of the box and explore horizons.

To Begin With

Before anything else, compare and question yourself -“what are the similarities”. By identifying what went wrong in the picture that makes it too similar and being comfortable with it, makes you accept that something needs to be changed and move on. Next, is to step out of the circle. Turn off your TV, computer, ipad, cellphones, anything that hinders you from thinking naturally on your own effort. Studies show that human beings only use %10 of the brain. So, you need your brain to keep working and not stay in the corner to rust. This time, go back the basics with a clean sheet of paper and good pencil. It doesn’t matter if you can’t draw, everyone’s an artist in their own way. What’s important is your own interpretation.

Take your precious time

“Time is gold” – that’s right. And I also like to think that in time, you can make gold. Time makes everything and everyone wiser, better, and stronger. Billionaires didn’t earn their fortune in a snap, they worked hard and long. No masterpiece was ever made in a rush. Some even took a lifetime to realize perfection. But if you’re under time pressure, then it is best to spend time very wisely. It is always better, if not best to take as much time and effort to something that needs to be achieved. Getting things in the fastest or easiest ways don’t always work nor last.

Avant-Garde Artists

Get inspired by the best of  the best. The artists who have lived the highest of all standards and the masters of the art. Be influenced to be original and not simply to imitate. Each and everyone of us is unique from head to toe. You can be as originative as you can be, never give up.

1. Leonardo da Vinci

The ever famous Leonardo da Vinci and his controversial Masterpiece “The Monalisa” (shown below). Also famous for his other works of art “The Last Supper”  and “Vitruvian Man” to name some.

2. Pablo Picasso

Who wouldn’t recognize the works of Pablo Picasso? He is a true example  of being individualistic. His style is distinct and signature. He’s behind the outstanding abstract pieces like “Seated Woman with Wristwatch” (shown below), “Friendship” & “Weeping Woman”.

3. Vincent Van Gogh

Remarkable strokes and paintings full of enthusiasm, that’s Vincent Willem Van Gogh. Masterpieces inspired by Impressionism, Van Gogh experimented and developed his unique techniques. To name some of his famous works are “Sunflowers” (shown below), “The Starry Night” & “Irises”.

Innovators of Modern Subject

For modern form of arts like digital arts, originality is the most critical quality an artist should have. Here are some of the many artists to look up to.

1. Mark Verhaagen

This colorful vector-based illustrations with cool fictional creatures are the byproduct of this artist’s imagination. His unique taste for subjects are very catchy.

2. Paul Davey

His impressive intensity for detail makes his pieces stand out like telling a story. And gives his design such radiance that they almost look real.

3. Tiago Hoisel

His ability to bring out the inner cartoon of people as well as bringing out the person in the cartoon is simply marvelous. He’s attention to detail is taken up to another degree. His craft is categorical but diverse.

Inspiration is essential but, individuality takes you far. So, find that boiling core of creativity in you and expand. Never hesitate to innovate and explore new things. It is the key to masterpiece.

Ignoring the fact that gluing your behind to your work place most often than not, piles on the pounds but also leads to something far more unhealthy – inactivity.

If you have recurring back aches, stiff neck and creaking joints then your body needs to start moving.

Here are a few simple stretching exercises which won’t reduce your weight, but will keep your body active and blood circulating!

Important note: All these stretching exercises should be done regularly and moderately in sets of 5.

Eyes

This is the simplest so we’ll start with the eyes. Every 20 mins, close your eyes for a few seconds, open them and then roll them around slowly. Without moving your neck, look to your right, up, left and down. Do so a few times before repeating the same exercise from your left.

Neck

You’ve been sitting at your desk working all day. You can feel the stiffness in your neck from keeping it in one position for so long. To work the stiffness out:

a. Slowly bend your head toward your chest till you feel the back of your neck stretching. Hold for a few seconds and then straighten your head back up.

b. Now gently move your neck back to look up at the ceiling till you feel the front of your neck stretching. Hold position for a few seconds before straightening your neck once again

c. Turn your head to your left and look over your shoulder till you feel the right side of your neck stretching. Hold for a few seconds, get your head back in original position and do the same for your right side.

d. Rotate your neck from left to right and vice versa to loosen up your neck muscles.

Shoulders

Shoulders are simple. All you have to do is roll them. Start will small rolls and then expand them gradually. Go clockwise and then anti clockwise.

Ever seen how newborns stretch themselves while yawning after waking up from a nap? They throw up their arms stretch them all the way up. Do the same while sitting in your chair and feel your shoulders and arms lose some of their soreness. Yawning is optional.

Back

If you’re like me, you probably have a cushion placed in your chair for added back support. Since we’re all hunched over our computers all day, our back is usually the first to suffer.

To give some relief to your aching back:

a. place your feet flat on the ground.

b. bring your neck, upper and lower back down till your chest is touching your thighs.

c. move your hands down till they’re touching the ground.

d. Hold position for 10 seconds and slowly move back to your sitting position.

Another simple way to stretch is to:

a. stand up with your feet shoulder width apart. Keep your arms at your sides

b. Bend down slowly to your right side with your right hand sliding down your thigh.

c. Reach your left arm over your head and hold till you feel your left side stretching.

d. Do the same for the other side

For lower back:

a. Place your feet flat on the floor and twist your torso to your right keeping your back straight.

b. Use your hands to hold on to the right side of the chair to help you stretch further. It will seem like you’re looking over your shoulder or behind you without moving your hips or legs.

c. Do the same for your left side and feel the tension lessen from your lower back.

Hands and arms

Because we’re at our computer all day, our hands, wrists and arms are always poised in the same position. Close your hand in a fist and rotate your wrist ten times. First clockwise and then anti clockwise.

To stretch your fingers:

a. Hold your left hand open and extend your fingers back one by one with your right hand.

b. Then hold all your fingers together and extend them back together at the same time.

To stretch your arms, simply recall your physical training class from school. Remember how we had to holds our arms out (Titanic pose), then in front of us and then up in the air? That’s how you’re going to stretch your arms. Stretch your arms as far as you can while keeping your feet planted firmly on the floor.

Legs

You can’t stretch your legs too much while sitting down. For this you will invariably have to get up. If you’re sitting, lift both legs in the air and stretch them forward with your ankles pointing forward too. Keep your leg stretched and move your ankle back till you feel the back of your calve stretching.

To stretch your legs while standing up:

a. Stand behind your chair and place your left hand on the back rest of your chair for support

b. Lift your right leg behind you towards your hip

c. Hold your leg with your right hand to stretch it. Hold for 10 seconds and place your leg back on the floor

d. Do the same for the left leg.

Torso

Link your fingers together and stretch your hands up towards the ceiling. Hold the position while you stretch up as much as possible. Then open your arms and slowly bring them back down before doing the torso stretch again.

Loosened those tense muscles yet?

These exercises will help loosen tense muscle and release stress. The golden rule about stretching is that it shouldn’t hurt. If it does, you’re doing it wrong and must stop immediately.

Make stretching while working a regular part of your work day and you will feel great at the end of the day.

I can only give you some guidelines, just when we all are so busy working and completing our own projects we forget to enjoy our life fully – but remember we are living just once and after my own experience – when I get some good rest I am working a lot more effectively and recover the vigor of life! You should do it too!

1. Enjoy summer

(Image source)

You have worked so hard all year (I hope you did), so now it’s time to take a rest.

• Step away from your computer and go outside
• Get some sunburn and enjoy the weather
• Make new friends and explore the world
• Go to the beach, exhibitions, parties, anywhere you want to
• Just say yes

Later in autumn you’ll have a great memories and plans for the next summer. You wouldn’t want to remember how you spent all summer in front of monitor exploring HTML,CSS,PHP and all that stuff. Nobody (except other geeks) cares about it. Of course, don’t leave job behind, just don’t overwork. So I hope you got it, now decide what you want to do and go for it. Call an old friend, go to a trip, attend a rock festival – it’s all up to you.

To man, who knows where he is going, the world shows the way itself. /David Jordan/

2. Do some sports

(Image source)

Summer is the best time to keep yourself fit and take care of your health and body. You can take off some fat accumulated during winter. Have you got a gym in your town? I bet you have, but you have never been there. Find time to attend it at least twice a week. That will enlarge your muscle and you will have a good rest too.

Wake up earlier and go for a run around neighborhood. After that take a cold shower. You’ll feel great and that will improve your stamina.

• Try to jump with jumping-rope at least 100 times a day.
• Take a longer ride with your bike.

There are plenty of things you can and should do. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t so good at them. You have to start from somewhere, right? Create a schedule with your activities. For example, start day with a mile run, then take a cold shower, after breakfast do some 3 x 10 push ups. Before lunch jump 3 x 100 times with jumping rope. In evening go for about 5 mile ride with your bike. Finally take shower and have a great sleep. Next day you can have a good rest in beach with your friends, a movie or something relaxing. Don’t stick to routine if you don’t want to. Don’t exercise every second day if you don’t want to. Just don’t make a habit of doing that.

Our biggest success is not to fall, but the ability to always get up after we have fallen /Confucius/

3. Accomplish yourself

(Image source)

Have you wanted to do something for a long time but always prorogue it? Summer is the right time to do it. No matter if it’s physical or mental. Whether you want to learn to surf, learn a new language, quit smoking or something else – just go for it. Create yourself a programme and stick to it. Don’t give up – success come only with hard work and strong belief. You can start with a little research on internet and then give it a practical try. Don’t be lazy, think for future. Your achievements will depend on your past work.

If you don’t have any specific goals, you can just try to live better, to be smarter. For example, read some books, magazines about history or art. Just put away those freelancer tips. What have you learned from them? To sit and slave all day at front of computer?

Success is the effect, it does not have to be the ambition /Gustav Flober/

Do not expect fast and do not acquiesce with modest success. Hurry – and you will not achieve intended, be modest, will not achieve anything great /Confucius/

4. Don’t worry about autumn, but get ready for it

(Image source)

Autumn’s far enough, but there’s a saying – create cart in winter, sledge in summer. Don’t worry about autumn, but keep in mind that it will come. Do some work to make it easier later. Clean your house, workspace, buy and arrange everything necessary. When everything’s set and you know you have done everything, it’s time to forget your cares and let the summer take you.

5. Give your eyes a rest

(Image source)

I bet a lot of you guys are have been spending too much time in front of any kind of monitor and that’s bad for your eyes. Some of you realize that, some don’t care. But I’ve set a goal to improve my vision this summer. I’ve actually found a great method to do it. It’s called the Bates method. You can learn more about it at http://www.seeing.org/. There’s also a free book available here. You should really give it a try, because a lot of people are saying that it works. Vision is our main sense and it’s very important.

Don’t ruin it everyday reading useless roundups, playing video games or just surfing in twitter. If you feel that your vision starts to impair, take care of it.

Who knows  –  what he wants, can do - what he wants /Rainis/

Finally – just don’t become somebody like in this caricature! Fun stuff to make you smile and realise truth:

She said: “Well, why you don’t write about that as well? Your site is full of roundups, some tips in such cases could be useful as well!”. Right and so I took paper and actually wrote down my ideas! This is very short article, but I am expecting you to add your ideas as well! What can we do to get out from daily work flow, from struggling, get organized and feel good?

1. Take a rest

Take a walk out to breathe some fresh air and get work a little bit out of your system or even better look at all from aside to rethink your strategy, future goals and things you could change or do to get better what are you working on.

2. Read design related book

I bet you have several books in your bookshelf you always wanted to read but never got time! At least I have a lot of them, now is a great time to remember about them and use your free time to do what you love to do!

3. Watch Video Tutorials

Again if you are obsessed designer like I am, you certainly should have to be 30-40gb video tutorials you downloaded a while ago, but never got time to learn them! Usually in busy work-flow we forget to learn tools first, we just need to get job done, but if you continue to learn and evolve your skills, you will suddenly discover some more different ways and techniques, how to achieve necessary outcome much faster! It’s amazing how much we still don’t know after many years working in design niche!

4. Create a new design, artwork

It really helps if you store your favorite designs, photos, artworks on local hard-drive for later use, so you can get inspiration also when you have no Internet connection. Anyway you can spend hours playing with effects, fonts, textures, artworks – to perfect your skills.

5. Take a pencil, paints and paper

Take your time and enjoy how creative you can be while sketching or drawing – do something different to enjoy your life even more!

6. Go And Meet Friend

Such things happen to everybody – in all rush, sometimes we forget about really great friends, so this time be first to call them out! If you have some good friends in your own design niche, it’s even more useful – you can meet up, exchange opinions and get fresh ideas. I really evaluate such friends, where we both can contribute in some way from each other.

7. Get out and start to do some sport

We spend a lot of our time in front of computer, but we shouldn’t forget about our health – it’s more worth than anything! Start to do yoga, play football, volleyball, swimming, run or find out where is the nearest gym from your home! You will definitely feel better each day, I assure you!

8. Listen relaxing music

Get lazy, relax, watch movie, listen music – you earned it! Whole life doesn’t consist from rush, struggling from lack of time. Take your breathe slowly and enjoy selfhanded free time!

9. Go out to museum, exhibition – any creative and inspiring place!

Find out if there are any interesting exhibitions, design conferences happening in your town and again get out!

10. Organize, clean up your workspace

It may happen to all of us – while we are working hard, we are creating mess around us and slowly it’s affecting our work-flow as well. Our environment changes us as well as people around you. Maybe you need to change also how your furniture, computer, lights are organized?

11. Organize, clean up your desktop

Sounds obvious, but you cannot imagine how much you waste time while searching through numerous folders necessary file or image, when you could easily organize everything! Clean up desktop, create folders, move files to appropriate directories! Very helpful in daily work-flow!

12. Create organized schedule

In all rush you sometimes forget things you must do? Create schedule and get used to it, definitely will help to organize your daily workflow and you will feel much better, it’s about organizing your life! Article I created a while ago could actually help you as well – Plan Your Daily Schedule: Useful Resources.

13. Don’t do anything!

If you are always running and running you should enjoy something different as well – watch movie, sleep a little bit longer – don’t make it as regular habit, but from time to time it’s really relaxing!

I would love to hear your advices how you enjoy and spend your free time, what you do to get out from struggling in your work and where you find inspiration to keep on doing what are you doing!?!