212 - Daniela

Daniela is a designer and maker and the creator of CtrlAlt.CC, helping you easily find cool products that might otherwise fly under the radar. The directory currently contains 600+ tools that help people with startup tasks.

Originally started in 2021 as a side project, she is now expanding on the idea and growing the project through things like a "Product of the Week" newsletter.

Daniela started work in sales and recruiting. After deciding that wasn't for her, she quit and taught herself how to code in 2017. Since then she has dabbled in freelancing as well as her own projects.

Items:

• iMac, magic keyboard & magic mouse
• iPad PRO with pencil & keyboard
• Herman Miller Sayl chair
• kurzgesagt poster & calendar‍
• made.com sofa
• mustard locker
• brandless cat & dogs

What is your favorite item in your workspace?

My favourite item in my workspace / the zoo is my iMac - I used to have a windows laptop with a monitor but since I switched, my desk has never felt less claustrophobic, which is very nice especially with so many pets around. Plus the UX of apple software made me a full apple convert and have since gotten the iPad & an iPhone (somebody please stop me)

How do you spark creativity?

To spark creativity I like to stare out the window & note stuff down in a notebook / do some sketches as they come to me. Then when I get to the point that I have more questions than answers I start a googling session & go down some rabbit holes. Repeat until I am happy with the outcome.

How do you manage work-life balance?

I am not great at this, but think I am getting better. It's very hard for me to switch my brain off when I am in the middle of making something & sometimes would end up literally dreaming solutions to stuff BUT physical boundaries are helping - so the only thing that tends to come out of the office is the iPad & I only have "work" emails on my imac + have all my notifications for most apps turned off - this helps a lot with not getting dragged back into work in the middle of a dinner for example. I've also been taking weekends off for a couple years now & this helped with being burned out a lot less often.