Comments on: 10 reasons to take us back to school. http://www.sazzy.co.uk/2009/03/10-reasons-to-take-us-back-to-school/ Life in the web industry Sat, 24 Jul 2010 01:56:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Emily http://www.sazzy.co.uk/2009/03/10-reasons-to-take-us-back-to-school/comment-page-1/#comment-279 Emily Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:55:56 +0000 http://www.sazzy.co.uk/?p=77#comment-279 Nice idea for a post, good points and well made! Just a few responses from me 2. I'm so glad to hear the state of your desk can be similar to mine in the morning! After seeing a photo of your desk once (in the background of a photo of your new moleskins) I thought - wow! so tidy and organised! and looked in despair around me. 3. I *really* need to take more breaks. And that doesn't mean firing up Tweetdeck. I go through good phases, but sometimes when I'm in production I get carried away, but inevitably I end up cranky and frustrated after 4 hours hammering away at the keyboard. 4. David Seah's Emergent Task Timer is a really good way of creating a 'timetable' for your day, so you don't spend too long on one particular task. 10. You know, if we followed all your points 1-9, we wouldn't hate Monday mornings - at least in my more organised periods (and after a relaxing, work-free w/e) I look forward to getting to work on a Monday. <!-- category miss-spelled at the bottom of your posts where it says what category the post belongs to --> Nice idea for a post, good points and well made! Just a few responses from me

2. I’m so glad to hear the state of your desk can be similar to mine in the morning! After seeing a photo of your desk once (in the background of a photo of your new moleskins) I thought – wow! so tidy and organised! and looked in despair around me.

3. I *really* need to take more breaks. And that doesn’t mean firing up Tweetdeck. I go through good phases, but sometimes when I’m in production I get carried away, but inevitably I end up cranky and frustrated after 4 hours hammering away at the keyboard.

4. David Seah’s Emergent Task Timer is a really good way of creating a ‘timetable’ for your day, so you don’t spend too long on one particular task.

10. You know, if we followed all your points 1-9, we wouldn’t hate Monday mornings – at least in my more organised periods (and after a relaxing, work-free w/e) I look forward to getting to work on a Monday.

]]> By: Jeremy Paris http://www.sazzy.co.uk/2009/03/10-reasons-to-take-us-back-to-school/comment-page-1/#comment-275 Jeremy Paris Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:00:47 +0000 http://www.sazzy.co.uk/?p=77#comment-275 I stumbled upon you on twitter, and then hit your blog. I have to say it's in my fav's list now. Oh, and before you say "you're using a wordpress.com site"...yes, this blog was just a test. Seems to be working, so will be working on a "real" blog site soon. I stumbled upon you on twitter, and then hit your blog. I have to say it’s in my fav’s list now. Oh, and before you say “you’re using a wordpress.com site”…yes, this blog was just a test. Seems to be working, so will be working on a “real” blog site soon.

]]> By: Dan http://www.sazzy.co.uk/2009/03/10-reasons-to-take-us-back-to-school/comment-page-1/#comment-202 Dan Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:23:25 +0000 http://www.sazzy.co.uk/?p=77#comment-202 You're seriously on to something here, Sarah. An enforced school-like work flow could be very beneficial to web designers, and indeed many other vocations as well. Of course not all routines from school years will be welcomed, such as having your ass handed to you by your elders as soon as it snows and having to run cross country. But a structured work-day with regular short breaks and a solid hour for lunch can only aid in concentration. Our attention spans were never shorter than they were when we were kids (in my case it's stayed uniform throughout my life.) I think the way to go would be to split the day into 60 minute blocks with no more than 2 consecutive without a 10 minute turn-off-monitor-and-put-down-pen break. Plan your week so that you give all your current projects enough time slots depending on their urgency, indeed this process could be the final 60 minute block of the previous week. If something is very urgent such as a big-paying client deadline or doing your tax returns then give it double periods. A bonus of this kind of structured work day is that it allows you to easily quantify your chargeable hours and make sure you're not neglecting certain projects. Again, great post. Dan PS, Is it true that you, Drew Mclellan and Andy Clarke are doing a podcast? If so, you have a listener here. Sounds like it could be a power-house! :) You’re seriously on to something here, Sarah. An enforced school-like work flow could be very beneficial to web designers, and indeed many other vocations as well.

Of course not all routines from school years will be welcomed, such as having your ass handed to you by your elders as soon as it snows and having to run cross country. But a structured work-day with regular short breaks and a solid hour for lunch can only aid in concentration. Our attention spans were never shorter than they were when we were kids (in my case it’s stayed uniform throughout my life.)

I think the way to go would be to split the day into 60 minute blocks with no more than 2 consecutive without a 10 minute turn-off-monitor-and-put-down-pen break. Plan your week so that you give all your current projects enough time slots depending on their urgency, indeed this process could be the final 60 minute block of the previous week. If something is very urgent such as a big-paying client deadline or doing your tax returns then give it double periods.

A bonus of this kind of structured work day is that it allows you to easily quantify your chargeable hours and make sure you’re not neglecting certain projects.

Again, great post.

Dan

PS, Is it true that you, Drew Mclellan and Andy Clarke are doing a podcast? If so, you have a listener here. Sounds like it could be a power-house! :)

]]> By: Gavin http://www.sazzy.co.uk/2009/03/10-reasons-to-take-us-back-to-school/comment-page-1/#comment-201 Gavin Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:42:24 +0000 http://www.sazzy.co.uk/?p=77#comment-201 School life seems so easy when you look back now, nothing to get stressed over. It's amazing to think when you own/run your own business that the 10 point list above quickly goes out of the window without strict discipline. I know for a fact I work too much, and yet I feel lost when I don't work. Life balance isn't one of my strong points. p.s. Pink custard and chocolate cake (reminiscing). School life seems so easy when you look back now, nothing to get stressed over. It’s amazing to think when you own/run your own business that the 10 point list above quickly goes out of the window without strict discipline.

I know for a fact I work too much, and yet I feel lost when I don’t work.

Life balance isn’t one of my strong points.

p.s. Pink custard and chocolate cake (reminiscing).

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