strongmaker » Better work

A better creative job

Justin — Sun, 15 May 2011 22:13:12 +0000

I’m a big fan of Hugh MacLeod’s sex and cash theory:

The creative person basically has two kinds of jobs. One is the sexy, creative kind. Second is the kind that pays the bills.”

Are you a creative person looking to make a living? It’s OK to do cool projects in your spare time; but when it comes to making money, start thinking differently. Matt Linderman says: “Instead of working with a thing you love, think about how to work in a way you love.”

Download Macleod’s whole essay here.

Standing is better than sitting

Justin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:17:30 +0000

Guess what? Sitting down for long hours, every day, will kill you. That’s what the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise says. Apparently it will kill you even if you exercise regularly. This is bad news for the millions of office workers who sit at a desk, using a computer all day.

The solution is an adjustable desk. This desk by Andy Fitz looks perfect:

This company also sells them: Ergo Desktop.

A better cubicle

Justin — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:31:47 +0000

Office cubicles are the corporate equivalent of a feedlot. They suffocate creativity by eliminating privacy, and opening the worker to distraction and anxiety.

The Clipper CS-1 shakes all of this up with a design that gives the office worker the freedom to have privacy. It even contains it’s own air supply, allowing cube dwellers to breathe easy.

Better time spent at work

Justin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:41:05 +0000

When faced with a problem, which is better:

Staying at your computer for an hour, and grinding until you figure out the solution?

Going for a 40 minute walk and figuring out the solution?

North America has a “sitting paradigm” for doing work. If the boss sees you staring at your monitor he might assume that you’re working. But sitting at your computer isn’t the best way to focus your mental energy. This Fast Company article suggests that the unfocused mind is the key to real breakthroughs.

Better problem solving involves getting out of the office; standing, walking, or laying down. It could include nature, exercise, or closing our eyes. Food, color, sound and textures could also stimulate creative solutions.

Sitting at a workstation doesn’t equal working hard. Stand up, get out. Problem solved.

A better office

Justin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:19:27 +0000

My commute takes a total of 2.5 hours a day. I’m making good use of the time by taking the bus, and working on the road, but it’s still a long time to be driving. I do work from home one day a week, but I still haven’t found the perfect “home office environment;” until now.

A company called OfficePOD is building beautiful, self-contained “work pods” that you can stick in your backyard. It’s time to skip the commute.