301 - Alex Chernikov

Alex Chernikov is the co-founder of Affe Watches, the first mechanical watch for BAYC owners.

He has previously been making apps for the past 10 years, including Mate Translate, a translator app with over 1 million users.

Twitter → twitter.com/chernikovalexey

Inside Alex's Workspace

What is your favorite item in your workspace?

From an aesthetical point of view, the lamp that a friend smuggled in carry-on for me from a flea market in Puglia, Italy. From a practical point of view, my monitor. So many app windows fit onto it!

How do you spark creativity?

Meditating and walking along the Landwehrkanal in my neighbourhood and observing light, people, buildings, cars, trees, water.

How do you manage work-life balance?

It's been a very long journey for me that began many years ago and spanned from forcing myself (a fully independent entrepreneur) into 9-5 and worshipping productivity books and hacks to the current me that works whenever he feels like, outside the concept of weekdays and time. Luckily, my line of work allows me to be that flexible as I don't do calls and generally don't depend on anyone to work on products I want to work on.

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

I generally tend to think the less things people are forced into the happier they are. Surely, some foundational concepts are required to keep the humanity in peace, but I think we always have to strive to minimising the amount of those concepts. Freedom to choose which location to work from — given the work can be done as efficiently — is substantial. People spend 1/3 of their life carrying out work duties — it's possibly the foremost part of life that needs to be optimised for maximum comfort and hence happiness.