This interview was originally published on the ‘Freelancing For Good’ blog on 22nd September 2023. I am reposting it here because it answers a number of questions that I often get asked at conferences. Table of Contents Q: Can you tell us a bit about your background and experience as an EA-aligned freelancer? Q: How… Continue reading Repost: Taylor Jones – Making Impact With Effective Design
Journal
Digital Detox: What did I learn?
I just finished a ‘digital detox’. For 30 days, I avoided all digital technology unless it was absolutely necessary – and even then only under strict usage rules. It went really well! Life is better this way, and I have made some permanent changes. Here are some things I learned: • Most things we consider… Continue reading Digital Detox: What did I learn?
How to say no with love
[Not my writing: originally posted by @WNRStrangers on Twitter] Bandwidth1. When presented with an opportunity or request, ask yourself: Do I have the bandwidth for this? Can I show up for this fully? Am I saying yes out of obligation or inspiration? Don’t rush – delay2. It’s better to delay a decision than rush a yes… Continue reading How to say no with love
Fantasy got left behind
When I was younger, I lived in fantasy worlds – I spent most of my time immersed in video games, books, the computer and my own imagination. Even when I had to physically leave these un-real spaces and re-enter the ‘real world’, my mind would often remain in fantasy: planning future moves, analysing information, recalling… Continue reading Fantasy got left behind
Recording my routines every day in lockdown
I’ve been recording what I did each day on post-it notes since lockdown started, in order to prevent my time ‘vanishing’ into thin air… in the process, I’ve been learning which routines make me feel good at the end of the day. These are my top 5: Starting slow. Believe it or not, I have… Continue reading Recording my routines every day in lockdown
Beneath the surface
I think that the secret to being a great networker is the underlying belief that all people have a fascinating story lying just beneath the surface of everyday conversation. A story that is authentic, intimate and always, in some way or another, relatable. In this context, a conversation becomes an adventure: where can we go?… Continue reading Beneath the surface
Fire fighter: Why love gets put on hold
[The basic idea for this post emerged from a conversation with my good friend Chay on 13.05.2020, as we observed that, despite having a strong friendship, we rarely enjoyed each other’s company] Why do I so often spend more time maintaining weak relationships than enjoying strong relationships? Love + fear. Strong relationships are built on… Continue reading Fire fighter: Why love gets put on hold
Values vs actions: Who will win?
Why bother defining and maintaining values? There is a sad truth in life: your achievements will never satisfy you. A common theme among the responses of elderly people, when asked what they regret in life: it very rarely has anything to do with achieving more stuff. Nevertheless, we try very hard to satisfy ourselves with… Continue reading Values vs actions: Who will win?
A deep pit of dread: Emotional exercise to overcome anxiety
Last night I was struck by the most paralysing anxiety. It was the first time in a long time that I had felt such a deep pit of dread in my stomach. Where is this anxiety coming from? Our current uni project is titled ‘Performative Action’ – therefore many of our experiments involve some kind… Continue reading A deep pit of dread: Emotional exercise to overcome anxiety
Infinite lists
A to-do list is an infinite list. If I sit and think hard enough, I can come up with an infinite list of things to do: tasks to complete, ideas to execute, people to contact, places to go… But an infinite list causes paralysis. Why? Because, despite having an infinitely long list of exciting options,… Continue reading Infinite lists