I’ve been working in the design industry for over 23 years.
For most of that time, speed was the goal.
Fast turnarounds. Tight deadlines. Late nights. Working weekends. Constant pressure. A quiet belief that if things felt urgent, we must be doing something important.
Over the years, and especially more recently, I’ve started to question whether this way of working actually produces better results. Or whether it just produces more stress.
Speed isn’t the same as progress
Working faster doesn’t automatically mean you’re moving forward. In my experience, it often just means you’re moving more, more revisions, more meetings, more back-and-forth, more fixing things that could have been avoided.
After working in this industry, I’ve noticed that when projects feel constantly urgent, it’s usually a symptom of something deeper:
- Unclear objectives
- Poor planning
- Undefined success metrics
- Decisions being made too late (or too emotionally)
When these things aren’t addressed early, everything becomes rushed. Pressure becomes normal. And urgency becomes the default.
What slowing down has taught me
Slowing down doesn’t mean working less or caring less. It means being intentional, something I wish I’d learned much much earlier in my career.
For me, slowing down looks like:
- Spending more time defining the problem before opening my sketch book or jumping into software
- Asking harder questions earlier
- Saying no to unnecessary work (this is a big one for me)
- Reducing handovers, layers, and noise
- Designing systems, not just outputs
The irony is that when you slow down at the right moments, everything else moves faster with fewer mistakes and far less friction.
Better work, not more work
After 23 years, I’m far less interested in doing more work and much more interested in doing better work.
Work that lasts longer, performs better, needs fewer revisions and actually delivers on its purpose.
Good design isn’t reactive. It’s considered.
When work is given space to breathe:
- Ideas are clearer
- Decisions are easier
- Stakeholders are more aligned
- Outcomes are stronger
That’s how you achieve more with less, fewer people, fewer hours, fewer revisions.
Building a More Sustainable Studio
This shift in thinking is shaping Unify works.
Deliberately focusing on:
- Fewer, better-aligned clients
- Clear scopes and KPIs
- Proper planning before execution
- Measuring success, not just delivering assets
Not because it’s fashionable, but because it’s sustainable.
Burnout isn’t a badge of honour, constant pressure isn’t proof of value and chaos isn’t creativity.
A Different Kind of Advantage
After a career spent watching the industry chase speed, I’ve come to believe this:
In a world obsessed with urgency, calm is a competitive advantage.
Studios that can think clearly, plan properly, and execute with intent will always outperform those running on adrenaline.
Slowing down isn’t falling behind.
It’s choosing to move forward, deliberately.
This year I’m going intentionally slow, not overwhelmed slow.
