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Elliott MoodyWORKING FROM HOME with Singapore-based studio Foreign Policy
The Coronavirus has sent a shockwave through our industry, with studios, agencies and freelancers being forced to adapt their business and work remotely as we wait for the outbreak to subside. For the seventh part of our WFH mini-series, we spoke to Yah-Leng, Tess and Dandy from Singapore-based studio Foreign Policy.
Yah-Leng Yu, Principal
EM Have you got a daily routine going?
YLY I try to wake up at the same time everyday usually around 8 am, will cook lunch and dinner in between. We have a stand-up call at 4 pm for everyone to update on what they are working on. One of our team is based in the UK so the time works out quite nicely. I work better at night so the overlap is working out pretty well.
EM Are you dressing up for work or keeping it cosy?
YLY I definitely don’t wear my PJs as I do want to feel like I am working so I’d say it’s a super casual look sans shoes. It’s a little weird not to be in my shoes for a while… since I do have a thing for sneakers.
EM Whereabouts in your home do you like to work from?
YLY My favourite spot is on my couch at the coffee table near the windows. Light is important to me. Thankfully my home is filled with windows and good lighting all around. Sometimes I have to work in my bedroom when I need to ‘hide’ from my 19-month-old toddler to take calls or be on ZOOM.
EM How do you stay motivated while at home?
YLY I keep myself alive by reading books and magazines that I have bought but unread. Music helps a lot – but I also am re-looking at all my old notebooks to see if there are any good ideas that have not been executed or that can be re-hashed this time round. I am watching a lot of LIVE TALKS/DESIGN TALKS (and organising one lol, follow @DesignDiplomacy on IG). I am also planning to take some time off (hopefully) for learning. Also, cooking helps me a lot – I normally get creative and that’s really therapeutic for me.
I have found that having a dedicated space to work helps to set me in the right mindset to start (and end) my working day.
Tess Sweeney, Senior Designer
EM Have you got a daily routine going?
TS I am based in the UK at the moment, whereas the rest of the team is based in Singapore. My working day starts with our daily 9 am check-in over Zoom. To make the most of the eight hour time difference we squeeze most of our individual projects or client meetings in after that. I tend to work through until early evening, then I’ll go for a walk around the neighbourhood or to the park, which helps to mark the end of the day.
EM Are you dressing up for work or keeping it cosy?
TS Sometimes, I need to harness the motivation which comes with wearing something a little more dressed up. Although most days I opt for a more casual get up, I am definitely trying to make the most of not having to reach for the ironing board every morning.
EM Whereabouts in your home do you like to work from?
TS I have set up a humble office space in a large landing area in my house, with a desk and a bookcase so all my books and design references are within easy reach. I have found that having a dedicated space to work helps to set me in the right mindset to start (and end) my working day.
EM How do you stay motivated while at home?
TS I give myself regular screen breaks, and some days I catch up with a friend around lunchtime which really helps to keep me on track. If I’m feeling a little low on motivation in the afternoon and in the absence of any colleagues to chat to, I usually put on a podcast, I’ve found that listening to others chat keeps my mind focused.
Generally, we are lucky in that since the start of the lockdown, our workload hasn’t changed too much, so staying busy has been pretty essential for keeping up with our internal and client deadlines.
Looking at the greeneries makes me feel calm and kinda releases my stress.
Dandy Hartono, Junior Designer
EM Have you got a daily routine going?
DH My roommates (all of them working for a different studio) are all also working from home. We unconsciously try to follow the routine that we have before WFH. We wake up at different times, eat our lunch at different times and different places (I tend to eat my lunch on my work desk while watching Community), and each of us also works in a different part of the house. We try to build a system where it feels that we are legitimately working in our own office. We’ve even made a makeshift signboard with our studio logo. The only thing that we share during the day is one Google Home Mini playing some Indonesian 70-80s pop music.
EM Are you dressing up for work or keeping it cosy?
DH I felt bad to all of my clothes, so I definitely try to dress up like a normal office time. I also try to groom my hair, I need to hear that noisy hairdryer sound in the morning, it really wakes me up. One thing I definitely miss and felt bad for is all of my socks and shoes. Every time I want to go out, I feel horrible looking at all my unused socks and shoes, I can feel them shouting right to my ear wanting to get stepped on.
EM Whereabouts in your home do you like to work from?
DH I’m the type of person who needs an allocated space for my work. So I take over our living area and just plop this huge Ikea table on the corner of the space. I also choose a corner where I can face the outer world. It really helps to keep me sane. Looking at the greeneries makes me feel calm and kinda releases my stress. I also put some forest/flower field kind of essential oil to replicate the feeling of outdoor indoor.
EM How do you stay motivated while at home?
DH Going for a walk outside really helps me a lot. Never in my life, I feel thankful for Singapore’s blazing hot sun. I also try to surround myself with all of my books, which is kinda messy but it definitely brings that creative vibe that I really missed from the office. We are currently working on our Design Diplomacy initiative, and I really adore all of the Zoom calls that keep happening every single day. It just fills in my need for social interaction for the day.
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