Kyler Phillips

That’s a hard one! 2022 was a great year for products and some were absolutely beautifully designed. I can’t nail down to just one, but a few contenders would be Literal, Daybridge and maybe Quotify so I can surface inspirational thoughts on my iOS home screen.

Who wrote these questions? They’re making me think, it’s good. As cliche as it sounds, it’s hard to know when creativity will spark and I don’t know if I can pinpoint any one thing but rather a combination of things. Usually, time, a quiet mind and space to think really help when solving problems and be creative. I’m a sucker for spending too long on Twitter, and more often than not something sparks my brain into action either if I’ve spent too long on there or I see something that looks cool.

Usually, I try to switch off my devices at the same time every day as well as hitting up a WeWork or co-working space to separate my day out a bit. Being disconnected is super important and limiting input really helps, for example I turn of most push notifications. I’ve considered using some tools like Opal and being more aware of screen usage. Having some sort of distraction and hobby helps too, I usually go to the gym and sauna after work and occasionally play football with some friends. So I think in summary, it’s being intentional and focused when working and disconnecting when you’re not.

Having the freedom to travel and explore different cultures, cuisines and otherwise is without doubt one of the main benefits of remote work. Last year I was able to work from Italy and Portugal which makes a big difference from the rain in the UK. I will say it’s maybe a double edged sword though, as often times I feel encouraged to work than actually take vacation time.