What makes for a good design? Beyond the general skills and knowledge of the designer, there are also hundreds of small, but crucial details that impact their personal life and work balance: timetables, material tools, playlists and productivity habits.

The ‘design myth’ of modernism—an empty room with white walls, dim lights, a huge Apple display, and flexible working schedule—is an object of constant criticism. Yet, in times of uncertainty, it’s also turned out to be a potential lighthouse. So does the timetable, something that a stereotypical creative brags about not having. Despite this common expectation, scheduling always emerges when interviewing professional creatives about work practices—be it a writer, an artist or a designer.

For this project, five Readymag users based worldwide described their daily routines, how they fight the fear of a blank page, playlists that keep them going, and offered advice on how to avoid burnout.

Here is what they told us.