255 - Michelle Nguyen

Michelle Nguyen is a product designer, writer, photographer, and commercial producer.

After leaving her life as a former medical laboratory scientist and project-managing hospital groups, she became the co-founder of OVDO Media, a Detroit-based video production and design agency. She is currently writing for various DAOs and is in the process of transitioning herself and OVDO Media into web3.

After starting WFH two years ago, she’s made improvements to her set-up, but ultimately her workspace is an evolving work in progress.

Twitter → twitter.com/meeshtn‍

Items:

• MacBook Pro M2: My working environment is a reflection of my brain, and this MacBook is one that’s finally capable of handling my ADHD workflow.
• Apple Magic Keyboard
• Apple Magic Trackpad
• Apple AirPods
• iPad Pro 13”
• Apple Pencil 2nd Gen
• TourBox Elite: This console has elevated my video and photography editing game. You can connect the controller to various editing softwares such as Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Figma. From there you can program actions and shortcuts to the dials, buttons, and toggles. I’ve saved so much time by eliminating the need to search for tools and meticulous refining is now easier to control.
• Wacom Drawing Tablet
• LaCie Rugged Hard Drive
• Sandisk SSD
• Ledger Nano X: Learning the importance of self-custody was a crucial part of my early web3 journey in 2021. Practicing safe ownership from the start goes a long way.
• Infinite Objects x Shantell Martin: Printed NFT displaying “Confidence Game” by Shantell Martin

Software:

• Figma
• Notion
• Spotify
• Discord
• Slack
• Brave
• Premiere Pro
• DaVinci Resolve
• Frame: Communicating during collaborative editing with clients and external teams has been much more efficient with frame.io.
• Lightroom
• Illustrator
• Photoshop
• Substack
• Medium
• Mirror
• Ghost
• Webflow
• Squarespace
• Square
• Dropbox
• Google Drive
• Tiled

What is your favorite item in your workspace?

It’s a tough one, but I must say that the TourBox is my favorite item. Limiting the need to switch between the keyboard and trackpad has made editing videos and photos, designing, and illustrating faster and more seamless.

How do you spark creativity?

Sometimes creative blocks occur because I’m too close to the subject matter. Weirdly enough, I like to disconnect to spark creativity. Usually, I’ll disconnect by going to my indoor rock climbing gym or swimming laps in the pool. On other days, I’ll reach for my paintbrush and play a podcast or music in the background. After some time away, I’m usually able to jump back in with fresh eyes and new ideas.

How do you manage work-life balance?

I must be honest; I’m still struggling with this. However, what I found has worked for me is creating time blocks—making sure to perform designated tasks or work on specific things during blocks of time. I also try to actively schedule my week as much as possible to ensure that I make time for social events and dinner parties (things that my extroverted self desperately needs).

What do you think is the main benefit of remote work?

Ever since I started working remotely, my relationship with work has changed. Instead of drawing a hard line between work and my personal life, remote work has taught me how to welcome work as a complementary aspect of my overall lifestyle. I can blend multiple facets of my life and create a schedule that allows for flexibility and freedom. Personally, this has allowed me to reach higher levels of creativity and perform in a much more meaningful way.