Creating a healthy work/life balance is something I’m very passionate about – both for myself and for other people (I’ve written about it here and here). Today hundreds of thousands of employees across the world are feeling constantly overworked and stressed about their jobs. At the same time many feel like they don’t have the time and energy to really live the life they want. And its no better for most business-owners, they are usually more stressed than their employees by the constant demands their business puts on them.
This year’s Apt Design Ebook and its accompanying blog series are for anyone feeling like their work and life are out of balance. The series will help you realize what’s important in your life and teach you how to go about reclaiming time and energy for your priorities. You’ll learn how to turn off work so you can spend time living. This is not a tirade against your work or your job – its a call to put things back in balance and stop letting work run your life.
The Ebooks
Last year Apt Design started a tradition of creating a small, well-designed ebook.Last year’s ebook was full of helpful tips and advice from around the internet and was first released just to clients.
This year’s ebook takes a different approach. First of all its available for everyone right from the get go. Here it is. Next, it is full of original content from me – tips and advice on creating a great work/life balance. Thirdly, I felt passionate enough about the ideas from the book that I am writing a series of blog posts about creating work/life balance which will be published here on my blog for the next 9 weeks.
So, go ahead and grab a copy of the ebook and then read these posts which flesh out each idea:
- Know What You Want
- Set Your Priorities
- Guard Your Time
- Separate Work and Life
- Slow Down
- Reduce Screen Time
- Find an Exercise You Love
- Find a non-work-related Hobby
- Share Life
Lastly I am also offering this content as a presentation. I recently gave this talk to a group of fellow freelancers on a retreat in Sayulita, Mexico and would love to give the presentation to a group for you as well. Contact me to make arrangements.
The office of the future
In the design industry, as in more and more professions these days, geography is no longer a limiting factor in working with clients. Apt has already worked with clients across the country and around the world, but now we are trying something a little different. For the past week we have relocated the office to Northwest Arkansas, part vacation, part experiment in working from anywhere. With a laptop and cell phone, neither we nor any of our clients can tell much of a difference.
This is an increasingly popular way to do business. Freelancer designer and writer Skellie has a blog devoted to this entire issue. Her website Anywired shares stories and gives advice to those looking to have a completely mobile office.
The office of now
Why not try something different today? Get out of the office, take your laptop to a coffee shop or a park, and enjoy the freedom of working from anywhere. If you can’t necessarily move your workspace, find a way to get creative and do things a little different. Let us know about your experiences in the comments.
This place is now feeling like a real business. The office setup has been completed. here’s a view of where great creative design gets done, and the tools and elements that are used.
- the 24″ imac with 2 GB of RAM has arrived, and its bigger than you would even think. inside is adobe creative suite 3 – the latest industry standard for all graphic and web design work. this mac flows along with incredible speed and looks absolutely gorgeous.
- out in front, a 9″ x 12″ wacom tablet. i write and draw left handed and this tool has become indespensable to my creative work. it seriously doubles effeciency and aids in everything from file management to illustration.
- a full-color brother laser printer. though this is definitely necessary for full color proofs and some letters, i’ve been amazed at how little paper i have used so far. very close to a paperless office.
- speakers for one of the most important parts of good design – great music. working from home gives you the great opportunity to crank up the music and zone into a project.
- a creative wall for inspiration.
- a better view than i’ve had at any other job. currently watching apples in the orchard ripen. watch for more ‘views out the office window’.
over in the corner – my companion throughout the work day (though she mostly just sleeps and makes me do all the work) – mocha. she is always ready to go out for a game of catch.
so, now “This battleship is fully operational,” and the option of commenting on my blog posts exists, so let me know – what do you think?
