Sevenzest

Babble

28 July 05

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Food and Design

My diet intake and design skill are accustomed in arousing the other one in very predictable ways. What’s a basic diet got to do with doing fabulous, mind-blowing “big-tick” piece of work? Or more importantly, what’s it got to do with time-consuming layouts that piss the shite* of my employers/clients because I haven’t had that creative spark to create something impressive. Lets take a today as an example …

6.45am: Wake up by my alarm. Turn off and go back to sleep. TOO TIRED to wake just yet
7.20am: My man’s alarm goes off. I’m feeling crappy from several things. I was in the woken in the midst of a dream resulting in a foggy brain, chocolate and wine hangover from indulging the previous night, and DAMN, no time to make myself a salad for lunch. “Grrr…” my tummy tries to persuade, but I insist no breakfast

9.20am: Feeling a bit hungry, bored and restless… It feels persistently dreary to be working on this project. I find myself procrastinating and pondering over snappy comments at my fellow designers. So I guzzle a chocolate milk from the vending machine, probably a little too quick to satisfy me. Might as well grab some chocolates. PROMISE I will only eat one, or two or a handful…

9.45am: Opps all the chocolate is gone. I’m still getting no where with this visual. The internet appeals somewhat more than my creative procrastination and I stumble across a website about Ayurvedic health – my ultimate saviour, it seems. I decide I’m pitta and vata: movement, burning nervous energy, and heat. Suddenly I notice how hot my face gets after eating chocolate!

10.30am: I need a walk – thankfully a routine programmed into my body that IS healthy! The air feels light and fresh, and despite my lingering chocolate laden burps I begin to feel revived.

12.10pm: Time has passed quicker, the visual is beginning to take on an attractive form, encouraging me to finish it before lunch.YAY I’m getting over my guilt from the mini-chocolate binge.

1.10pm: Nothing for lunch not very hungry but buy a packet of pretzels, JUST IN CASE.

2.45pm: Uh oh, my head is fogging up again! My visual looks good, though it takes me minutes to hold my brain together to focus on working fast. My pretzel packet is now half empty from mindless snacking. Damn those rock salt sprinkles are addictive! $1 grants me Diet coke…. Mmm fizzy fullness.

4.00pm: Energy levels are stabilizing. I feel a bit tingly in the face, and proceed to another 15 minute walk around the block.

The last hour: Wow I’m feeling really alive now, I finish my visual that I started this morning (tsk tsk shoulda’ woulda’ coulda’ been completed much faster) – and finish another 3 in the last hour. Home time, and I have energy to do some freelance work too.

So there you have it. The vicious notoriously know “crash and burn” energy cycle seems to mirror, or dramatically influence my creative performance at work. I could blame other factors such as a slow computer system (can I pretty please have an imac G5 flat screen 2.8 ghz with 512 ram?), distractions from other colleagues, air-conditioning heat, or a plain dumb excuse like “this project bores me”. But hey, perhaps I should really listen to my body and drop the all-too-regular surrender to chocolate cravings. Maybe?!