Interview
Matt Brett
What are some things you do to help yourself into the state of mind necessary for creative work?
I find it really difficult doing anything creative after doing things that require a lot of thought. So I try and clear out my mind as much as possible. Avoiding email and reading feeds is key. I normally put some music on, grab a coffee and browse other design portfolios or showcase sites to get inspired.
Do you follow a strict daily (or weekly, etc.) routine with regard to workflow, or is every day (or week) different?
I have a family and a daughter that goes to school, so I pretty much have to stick to a routine. Which I prefer anyway. I have a couple breaks through-out the day for lunch and picking my daughter up from school. But for the most part, I do most of my work through-out the day with an hour or so in the evening. I've been trying to avoid working on weekends all together for about 2 years now, but so far I'm unsuccessful.
Do you prefer to work in a closed, private environment free from other people and distractions, or in a more open, collaborative environment?
I'm good either way, actually. I've been working by myself from home for almost 2 years now and I really enjoy it. But I spent about 5 years working in a television studio with a tight team of 5 and enjoyed that quite a bit as well. It's nice to be able to plug away without distractions, but it's also good being able to bounce ideas off the person sitting next to you.
What do you do to get your day(s) started in the right direction?
Even though I work from home, I make sure I'm up, showered, dressed and had something to eat before I start working. I'll usually have breakfast with my wife and hang out watching part of a movie or a TV show for an hour or so before I head down to the office to start my day.
What task management technique do you use?
For the most part, I use to-do lists in Basecamp to keep on top of everything. I have a small notepad I keep beside my keyboard where I jot notes as I go, then at the end of the day turn any new tasks into to-do items. I have a standard to-do list that I use for every project that covers all the main aspects of the project, then create smaller more specific lists for everything else.
What things tend to disrupt your workflow?
Email and instant messengers are the worst culprits. As soon as I see an alert in my dock, I have to check it for some reason. So I've learned that I simply can't have them open while I'm working. I have work specific IM accounts that I use during the day and have made an effort to keep friends off of it. I also tend to remove clients after their project has been done at which point I ask them to email me or post to-do items on Basecamp if they require further attention. I don't have a phone in my workspace and my wife is around for most of the day, so that's not a factor really.
What previous experiences have influenced your workflow?
I've read many articles on productivity and time management and found that you really have try out all the techniques before you find the ones that work for you. I did a lot of reading on these topics before I started working from home, so I feel that I was in good shape from the get-go and never really developed any bad habits that I would eventually learn from. I learned from other peoples' mistakes. :P
What other disciplines influence the way you work?
Being a father and a husband, I have quite a few responsibilities I have to meet. If I'm slacking in my work, I have to make it up after hours, which then cuts into family time and other things I have to do from day-to-day. Everything from picking my daughter up at school, to making dinner and helping her with homework. It's difficult enough to manage all of these things on top of my workflow, so it's imperative that I have a good, consistent flow and things are getting done. Otherwise, we end up with a train wreck and my family time/social time is slim to none.
Is there anyone in particular you have learned from?
I've read so many great articles over the past couple years, but Ryan Carson immediately comes to mind. Specifically his "The Four-Day Week Challenge" article. I personally work 5 days per week, but that article helps you be as productive as possible with the time you have.
What things help keep you focused on the work at hand?
I don't know if there's anything that keeps me focused as much as it's a matter of limiting the things that would steal my focus. Perhaps having "rewards" lined up at the end of the day. Like knowing there's a couple hours of cutting dudes in half in Gears of War once I wrap up the task at hand. Not so much when my time is up, but when a certain part of the project is complete or when a to-do list is all checked off. Gives me something to work toward and it's not just a matter of burning time, but tasks.