Rhythm

Originally, it was just meant to be a diary entry, sharing an unformed idea, but I didn’t expect friends to share it widely. Thank my old friends for the attention and support.

Because of that, 81 new friends joined. For a small account that’s been around 4 years and hovered around 350 followers, having this many new friends is big. It makes me a bit anxious. What to write in today’s entry? Will I lose followers after posting? I think I will. After some thought, I decided on a principle: record the present, record the truth. I think with sincerity and true love, some will stay.

What’s on my mind today? What’s the next step?

At the moment, I don’t have new clients. Although I won’t be out of resources, this phase needs to end soon. My strategy: keep creating, keep sharing, and wait for business to come.

Continuing creation means, on one hand, realizing and perfecting old ideas one by one. Like this set of animal designs below, or the long-unupdated ‘Weibo Speed’ (anyone remembers ‘Weibo Speed’? 😄), or creating some new fun things. On the other hand, for interesting projects, projects with room to grow, or friends’ projects, I can offer discounts (even free). In short, don’t idle.

This was from around 2015, I should make it a series.

Keep sharing—sharing what? I struggled with this. My design skills and management skills aren’t top-tier in the industry, seems like there’s nothing worth sharing. But being honest with myself (neither arrogant nor self-deprecating), looking back, I found my thinking, methods, and experiences are unique. They’re valuable for the growth of a new generation of designers. Jokingly speaking, from being part of the early startup phase of a company, using design to grow the company and leading the design team until the IPO—how many designers have that experience? 😊

One takeaway is rhythm is crucial. When there’s work, keep a rhythm; don’t get too busy. When there’s no work, keep a rhythm; don’t lose direction. I plan to use strict routines and relevant time management tools to find my rhythm.

Here’s the schedule I’ve been following for two days now. It requires deliberate practice.

Morning

• 6:00 - 6:30 Walk/Run
• 6:30 - 7:00 Worship with wife (sing hymns/read Bible)
• 7:10 - 8:00 Breakfast (at home/on the way)

Morning

• 8:00 - 9:00 Reading: Faith-related
• 9:00 - 12:00 Work

Midday

• 12:00 - 13:30 Lunch/Rest

Afternoon

• 13:30-14:30 Learning: Finance/Investment
• 14:30-15:30 Work
• 15:30-16:00 Outdoor exercise (with kids)
• 16:00-18:00 Work

Evening

• 18:00 - 19:00 Dinner
• 19:00 -20:00 Family time (reading, board games, chatting, drawing, etc.)
• 20:00-20:30 Couple Bible study (as kids fall asleep)
• 20:30 - 21:00 Reading
• 21:00 -22:30 Write diary, wash up & tidy, sleep