Call them resolution, intentions, or self improvements, now is the time of year many people set goals in the personal and professional lives. At DesignHammer, we are constantly striving to improve our process so we can help our clients overcome business obstacles with a better return on investment.
Learn Python
One of the things I love about the ever-evolving ecosphere of the internet is that there is always something new learn. So much so that it is practically impossible to delve deeply into all the topics one finds interesting. Every year I've been at DesignHammer, I've tried to set a goal to learn new tools and languages.
For 2017, I'd like to add Python to my toolbelt. It's a great general-purpose programming language that receives high marks for readability and often requires fewer lines of code than other similar languages. Python is applicable to the web for internal workflows and deployment, as well as for projects using Django, a well-known Python web framework.
I have already begun learning Python using "Learn Python the Hard Way", which is considered to be the best jumping-off point for Python. So far, so good!
Stay Personally Organized
Historically, my personal calendar has been a combination of scraps of paper, what I remember, and what someone reminds me of before it’s too late. As life has become more complicated, I’ve decided that I should ‘leverage some technology’ and actually use some sort of calendar system to keep up with things I need to do.
As such, I’ve started actually using Google Calendar and Google Keep for personal use. Now I just have to keep it up.
Take Advantage of the Design Community
One thing I particularly love about web design is the openness and community-based interaction. Take for example the go-to site for coding help Stack Overflow or the open-source CMS Drupal. “Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t,” says everyone’s favorite Science Guy, Bill Nye. In 2017 I am looking forward to meeting more designers and learning as much as I can from them.
I recently became a member of the AIGA Raleigh chapter and attended my first event, and it was wonderful. In the span of a few hours I learned new skills, met other local designers, and felt motivated to try something new. This inspired me to look for other opportunities, and I actually found and applied for their Mentorship program. I am excited to become a more active member of the design community here in the Triangle.
Hope To Strengthen My Front-End Development Skills
Web design has been the biggest part of my career and is something I take seriously. But for the past few years I’m finding front-end development to be more challenging and engaging.
Learn to Meditate
Meditation is a useful tool to increase the ability to concentrate and visualize. Both are important skills to have as a programmer. The multitasking nature of great deals of time spent at computers can contribute to difficulty in focusing and concentration over time. Short daily periods of meditation can help bring back focus and clarity as well as increase memory and reduce age-related brain atrophy.
The following Infographic on Meditation gives a good overview of the types of and benifits from meditation.
Do More Reading
Every technology associated with the Internet is constantly changing, mostly for the better. Staying current with the latest is a constant challenge, with many duties and responsibilities competing for time I should be reading. For 2017, one of my goals to to read more
Some of the blogs on my list:
- ADA Title III: News and insights realted to web accessibility legal issues
- Search Engine Watch: SEO, analytics, and digital marketing news.
- A List Apart: Web design and development with a focus on technology
- Google Webmaster Central Blog: Official news on crawling and indexing sites for the Google index
What’s your business New Year’s resolution? If it involves improving your bottom line, or overcoming obstacles from achieving your goals, ask us how we can help your website contribute to your success.
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