General design philosophy / rules I try to remember
You don't have to be the best, just make it
Le mieux est le mortel ennemi du bien - Montesquieu
Make it work, then give it aesthetic
It's pretty easy to focus on the feel rather than the function. It's better to focus on both at the same time, but in reality it's easier to make something that looks great and doesn't function than to do both, so reminding myself to make it work first leads to be better final result.
When it's done, it's done
Deadlines are great and necessary motivators. This is just for fun though, and more of an expression of self. Deadlines will still exist, sure, but the more important thing here is to release projects when I'm happy with where they are, and document the process of getting there.