Working styles: Profile of a soloist

My working style is to pretty much work from anywhere: at home, in cafés, client premises, on planes, trains and in busy food halls. As my work encompasses many of my interests, I let it blend into my life more so than would be comfortable for many.

Some weeks I do more work, others less. If I feel good about my work, then I know the balance is right.

Environment and technology

I have never been able to justify having an office. So I don’t.

Because I am a piler, I have a big desk which is made up of two 160mm x 80mm tables. I sit in a Herman Miller Aeron chair, which has been the best investment for my back and posture.

I do everything on an IBM ThinkPad laptop. On my desk, I have an external monitor in a portrait orientation, which enables me to see a whole page without scrolling.

Filing and information management

I use plan drawers for filing. This means my piles stay as piles!

I keep business records in Lever Arch files, one for every financial year.

Other than that, the majority of my paperwork is electronic. My aim is to store everything as PDF files, which will make back ups and transportability easy.

I keep PDF copies of important documents like my passport, academic transcripts and passwords in an encrypted form using a product called PrivateDisk. My computer is set up to demand a fingerprint every time it is turned on, or to reactivate from hibernate mode.

Back ups

I back up daily to two separate USB hard drives. One holds data from even numbered months, the other odd. If a drive fails, I don’t lose consecutive months of data. This has saved my backside an incalculable number of times.

I maintain a spare, older ThinkPad as backup. It has the same software as my main computer and is kept up to date with Windows and antivirus patches. If something happens to my primary machine, I can pull up last night’s back up on this spare machine and carry on working.

Completed project files are archived off to two sets of CDs/DVDs. The spare set is stored offsite.

Transactions

Internet and ATM banking is a godsend for my working style. I pay and receive monies primarily via Internet funds transfer. I have a PayPal account which lets me accept credit card payments. When I get the occasional cheque, I deposit it via ATMs, which are open 24 hours.

My invoices are issued as PDFs directly from my home-grown accounting system.

I store my bank and PayPal statements as PDFs. This working style makes it much easier to send to my accountant.

Project work

With my working style I tend to have multiple projects running concurrently. When giving time estimates, I never fill up all my available hours. This gives me a safety buffer in case I get sick, or if there are unforseen delays or emergencies. For example, I will commit to a two week delivery date for something that will take me two days to do, although naturally I won't charge for two weeks!

I use a hidden folder on my web server to share large files with others. Smaller files are sent via email or uploaded onto project collaboration systems.

I use standardised document templates to generate quotes and project documentation.

Mobility

Being able to work anywhere is very important to me. In fact I am writing this article in a café in Singapore. I normally carry the following around with me:

working style

I plan to move to a tablet PC soon. Then, I can drop the pen and notebook and all my handwritten notes can be filed with actual project files.

Business housekeeping

I find housekeeping tedious, and carry it out monthly. Housekeeping includes reviewing the accounts, doing fund transfers, deleting temporary files on the computer, defragmenting hard disks, recording expenses and filing. There is just enough work to be annoying, but not enough to outsource!

Marketing and learning

Blogging and writing articles like this are my regular “marketing” activities. With my working style, I tend to write in batches when the inspiration strikes. This can mean three articles over a weekend or 10 blog posts over a transcontinental flight.

I also spend time having long lunches and coffees; building relationships!

In amongst everything else, I sneak in reading time: blogs, magazines and books.

When set out this way, it may appear that I have a terribly ordered life. While chaos is rare and I rarely drop the ball, I am not saying things are perfect all the time. I need more sleep for one.

Like life, my work style is a work in progress. It will evolve as the type of work I do changes and as new technologies become available.

Give us an insight into your working style via a comment.

Zern Liew helps his clients build beautiful businesses by practically innovating across their Branding, Communications, Processes and Systems.

11 comments | Add your own 1 2 | Next» View all»

Wow! This is mightily impressive Zern. I thought I was organised, but this has really put me to shame! Robert Gerrish from Flying Solo | Read my articles
I like the backup plan - I never can get organised with finding someone to swap hard drives with on a daily/weekly basis but this covers most situations. Like the spare computer idea too, all ready to go - hard drives do fail, thieves do steal. I scan most documents to PDF, especially my technical documents so that when I'm travelling I have everything I need, right on the computer rather than in my bookcase at home.
I recently changed to booking new jobs in on a time estimate and then finding the available time on my database (simple to do in MS Access). I can now give the client a date that I know (old days = hoped) I can meet. I also aim to complete the jobs promised for tomorrow by today (promise less, deliver more). Easy to book a a day off too - just don't allocate any hours to that day and no one knows I'm not working becuase I still reply to phone and email messages regularly.
Like the comment about working in a Singapore cafe too! I work about 6 hours from my nearest client (don't ever have to see them) so am busy working out how to take my family away for several months or even a year to Europe, etc while still working. Just gotta work out how to not work all day and enjoy the travel and wife and kids too. I guess book less hours would be the simple answer! Anthony from Gisborne, New Zealand
At $1200 the Hermon Miller Aeron chair sounds like a great Fathers Day present. It is VERY important not to skimp on your chair as it affects so much of your overall life and wellbeing. Heather Smith from SUNNY BRISBANE! | Read my articles
I use a BB for email ease and am considering one of the ASUS/ACER mini-notebook PC's for document work on the move - otherwise, electronic copies as much as possible with a portable hard drive and USB sticks for backups. Grant Hyman from Sydney | Read my articles
Ok - my accountant thinks I'm quite organised, but being creative-based there is no way I could work much away from base - although I am very impressed with how Zern works. It just wouldn't work for me. My working style requires quite a few tools and references around me. I need my working space and various tools as I do not work solely on the computer. I actually enjoy being in my home office which has 2 sections - one is more office with computer equipment, pen drawing tablets, file cabinets, paper cupboards, stationery, reference books and manuals; the other is more studio with equipment including commercial laser printer, scorer, guillotines and cutters, paints, brushes, easel etc. I look out through the windows to trees, native birds and flowers in season. I am constantly creating in my head - so my working style includes creating in the shower I guess. :)
Writing, photography and sketching are the only things I can do away from the office. I have limited time to use on blogs etc - Flying Solo is one of the few sites I look at each day. I do make use of portable hard drives for moving large projects and images off the computer and filing. Karen Curran from NSW
@Heather - Thanks to your comment on one of my blog postings, I bought a copy of Dragon NaturallySpeaking this week. It is fantastic! I am producing text at about twice my usual speed, and that includes the time taken to correct the software's mistakes. Problem is, I have to work in a quiet location which rules out some cafes. it is doing good things for my diction too LOL. Zern Liew from Sydney | Read my articles

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