Inspired by this post I read by Sarah Drasner, I thought it would be a really good idea to list my “studio commandments”. Just like Sarah, I can see how these would change over time. So while this is not what I would’ve asked of myself in college, I think these rules fit my work style these days.
I also like that this serves as a great snapshot of how my work style changes with time. I am curious to see which rules persist or which rules get heavily modified.
Without further ado,
My Rules
Start each day with a cup of coffee
- Okay, I lied, this one speaks to younger me too. I’m sure this one is also not going anywhere any time soon
Keep water in arms reach, refill when empty
- This is a dual purpose rule. One is to counter any diuretic effects of caffeine
- Two is to make sure I get up every now and tehn to walk. I typically go through 24 oz. (~710 mL for you metric folks) per 3 hours
Race yourself: Set a crazy sounding time to finish a chunck of work/task and try to achieve it
- I think this helps in trying to push me to work smarter. Best case scenario I do what I set out to do; worst case scenario I spend a little more time on the task and get it done anyway
Getting distracted is okay, just don’t get too distracted
- I know it’s inevitable, but once I notice that I am distracted (obviously easier said than done), I can start making decisions to get back to work
Make notes of the process/steps of whatever task you do. For yourself and for others in the same boat as you
- I know how it feels to reach some complicated documentation and feel discouraged that it is a pain to read and try an comprehend. So this one stems a bit from the boyscout rule: I want to leave the internet a little better than when I found it
I will take some time to read over these before I work, just to make sure it really sticks. I am curious to see what is wishful thinking or what is a rule I choose to live by.
This all seems like I need to follow up with a post about work life balance means to me. Maybe tomorrow’s post can be about that!