Hi all,

 

I've been a reader of this forum for a while, I was wondering for professionals on this forum if you undertake side projects from your main career and how you balance time especially for someone who works long hours during the week (incl. travel)?

 

I'm currently working as a Web Designer and work long hours during the week, so the only time I have is on the weekends to do side projects.

 

I am also in a bit of two minds regarding how I expand my knowledge and skill set, I come from a development educated background but was never really interested in coding; I was always more interested in the design side of the web, UI and interactions. However you come across various articles on the internet stating that you should know coding etc., I do however have knowledge in HTML, CSS and basic Javascript.

 

With the time I have for side projects on weekends, should I focus primarily on design work or incorporate some coding learning aswell? In terms of career progression I would solely like to focus on the design and UX perspective of web/apps.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

Use whatever free time you have available, I research and do side projects in the evenings and weekends - this is my hobby as well as my career so it does not seem like a chore.

 

If you prefer the design side of things then stick to that, there's no need to be all things to all men, specialise in what you enjoy. Find somebody who enjoys the stuff you don't and pair up. The top end of the market is dominated by specialists, it's incredibly rare for anybody to get as good as a team of highly experienced specialists at all aspects involved in a web project.

 

in summary just do what you enjoy. For those that enjoy doing everything then that's cool too, and it can be very valuable to have somebody who can get involved with all aspects of a project.

Use whatever free time you have available, I research and do side projects in the evenings and weekends - this is my hobby as well as my career so it does not seem like a chore.

 

If you prefer the design side of things then stick to that, there's no need to be all things to all men, specialise in what you enjoy. Find somebody who enjoys the stuff you don't and pair up. The top end of the market is dominated by specialists, it's incredibly rare for anybody to get as good as a team of highly experienced specialists at all aspects involved in a web project.

 

in summary just do what you enjoy. For those that enjoy doing everything then that's cool too, and it can be very valuable to have somebody who can get involved with all aspects of a project.

 

I also find design to be a hobby, not just web-related but also I am trying to experiment with print and illustration. I can also seem to find time on the weekends since I get eye-fatigue during the week staring at a 27" iMac all day.