A personal update
As the world slowly returns to normality, I look back on the last 18 months and discover I’ve achieved more than I give myself credit for.
Hello friends… The last 18 months have been a bit of a ride, hasn’t it? I’ve been offline for most of it, both intentionally and unintentionally.
I, like most people, have struggled at times with everything the pandemic has thrown at me but there is one thing this period has given me that I want to share – clarity.
This intense period has made me reflect and question my life in ways I would never have imagined. Working from home each day for well over a year has shown me how much happier I am, both in my work and through the autonomy of working under my own steam – plus, the loss of a two hour commute certainly helps! Now I never miss bath time (or bedtime) with my daughter.
It’s been hard but it’s opened my eyes to a healthier way of working.
ADAPTING
It hasn’t all been plain sailing. Where this new way of working has been healthier for me, in the beginning it wasn’t. I didn’t get the work life balance right so I would often work longer than I intended. Working alongside my two-year-old daughter has been challenging too, with the nursery closed it meant me and my wife juggling childcare arrangements around work commitments, which took its toll.
On days when I could work I found I needed to put in place some real boundaries in order to keep up both my sanity and productivity. During this time of adaptation I daydreamed of how I could make the situation better.
Not far into the first lockdown I began writing down my ideas and sketching out the thoughts I would have – trying to work out how I can use this weird opportunity and turn it into something positive, both for me and my family.
HITTING RESET
During the first lockdown I felt I wasn't using my time effectively enough. When others were learning new languages or baking I was there juggling work and childcare. Not content with decorating the downstairs toilet, I needed another project. So with home working looking like the new normal for the foreseeable I decided to design and build my own garden studio (more on this in a later blog post!).
Alongside this totally new endeavour I decided it’d be cool to rework both my branding and website in any downtime I had outside of my day job and the studio build. Thinking back now, this was an idiotic plan to try and accheve alongside a day job, being a husband and a dad but I did it!
The design and build wasn’t easy and I had a lot of help along the way from my dad, but completing all of these projects has given me a whole new direction. I feel a huge sense of achievement. I’ve now got a space - a studio I can call my own - a place where I can go, which doesn’t have a commute.
LIFE AFTER LOCKDOWN
This past year and a half has been huge. Changes have been profound. I’m great at telling myself that I’m not doing enough - but these projects have shown me what I am capable of.
More importantly though, they have given me a reset. An opportunity to focus on the direction I want to head in next.
I want to grow my independent design business and have a bit of fun along the way. Working from home has shown me that communicating and collaborating with clients is as seamless as when I worked in a central studio. In fact, it’s improved as I’ve become more comfortable in my surroundings and so have my clients, so we now get to see the real person we’re working with.
Building my own garden studio has given me a sense of ownership over my work and business, which I haven’t had before - it’s helped give me the confidence to work independently. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for me and my small business.
I’m currently looking for new opportunities so if you have a project you liked to discuss with me I’d love to chat! Or if you’d like to take a closer look at the studio (not too close, mind!) get in touch with me - rich@richcstudio.co.uk
