Daily Routines

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.

Hi, I’m Becki. I’m 33 years old, and I’m an art director, designer, and illustrator from Brooklyn, New York. I currently live in New Jersey with my partner Daniel and our two cats, George and Olive. I started my design career in the production world designing for events and exhibitions, and later worked in publishing as a magazine designer. I currently work mainly in branding and online experiences. I’m also a classically trained illustrator and was once an accomplished cheesemonger. I co-founded and run a small woman-owned co-op and creative studio called The Bad Collective. I love swimming, single malt scotch, muscle cars, expensive face creams, collecting books and records, traveling, geology, restaurants, professional wrestling, and when dogs look like their owners.

(fighting the fear of a white page)

I’ve amassed a big library of books, art, movies, and music that I always turn to when I’m feeling stuck. I’m big on researching, so I tend to assemble a lot of reference materials when starting a project—which helps a lot. I also lean on my creative partners. When we’re working on something together, we try to have several brainstorming sessions where we look through materials and throw ideas around. I’m also a big sketcher and I find that physically putting pen to paper helps turn the gears in my brain. In desperate times, I will smoke weed and stare at the ceiling until I think of something.

(having fun)

I worked in the food business for years and a lot of my life still centers around cooking, growing, and eating food. To relax, I love to sip scotch, make elaborate meals, and tend to my gardens. Before COVID, I spent a lot of time in bars and restaurants. Nowadays, I’m mostly hosting distanced but still hedonistic and boozy parties with loads of food in our garden. I just bought a vintage Playboy cocktail and party hosting book from the 60s, and it’s my new bible. Dan and I are also working on some fun projects together: restoring his ‘87 E28, recording an album, and making our own gin with berries from our juniper tree.

(wearing different hats)

Multitasking is all that I know. I’ve always worked for small businesses, so you learn how to wear a lot of hats very quickly. I also strive for variety in my workday and I’m happy to juggle several different tasks. It helps stave off boredom and keeps me on my toes. I love the concepting process when everyone is throwing ideas around, I love working with a team, and I love the victory lap after a successful project. I love problem solving and having to come up with solutions on the spot. I love the exhilarating squeeze right before a deadline, even when it’s exhausting.