I Asked 1,200 Designers How They Spend Their Time. Here’s What I Learned.
Over the past 2 years, I’ve had the chance to talk to over 1,200 designers—from freelancers just starting out to seasoned creative directors—about how they spend their time. And one thing came up again and again: they wish they could spend more time actually designing. Instead, they’re stuck juggling tasks that have nothing to do with creativity.
Designers Want to Create, Not Just Manage
When I asked designers what their ideal workweek looked like, the answer was almost unanimous: more time for creating. Whether it’s crafting a killer campaign or designing the perfect brand identity, this is the work that lights them up.
But the reality? A lot less inspiring.
So, Where Does the Time Go?
Here’s the harsh truth: designers spend almost half of their week doing things they don’t actually want to do.
About 22 hours go to tasks like:
Preparing client presentations.
Managing endless feedback loops.
Resizing assets.
Organizing files and deliverables.
That leaves just 18 hours for the work they love—creating.
Let’s be honest, resizing graphics and formatting decks isn’t why anyone got into design.
The Hidden Costs of Time-Sucking Tasks
This isn’t just a personal annoyance; it’s a huge financial problem too. For a team of 100 designers, all that wasted time adds up to about $28 million a year in lost productivity.
And then there’s the burnout factor. Designers told me that these repetitive, mundane tasks leave them drained and uninspired. It’s hard to bring your A-game to creative work when half your energy is spent organizing files or deciphering vague feedback.
What Needs to Change
We need to flip the script. Designers should be spending their time on what they do best—designing. Here’s what that could look like:
Client-ready presentations made in minutes, not days.
Feedback automatically organized into clear, actionable design tasks.
Organizing files, version control, and naming conventions handled by automation.
Imagine freeing up that time and energy to focus on ideas and innovation instead of logistics.
A Better Way Forward
The good news? Designers are ready for tools that help them get back to what they love. One designer summed it up perfectly:
“I just want to design. Let the tech handle the boring stuff.”
At Ideate, that’s exactly what we’re working on. By automating the tasks that weigh designers down, we’re giving them back their time—and their creativity. Because let’s face it, no one got into design to spend hours organizing a desktop.
Your turn: How do you spend your time as a designer? I’d love to hear what eats up your day and what you wish you could spend more time on. Drop a comment or shoot me an email at rahmi@ideatebetter.com!