Enric Enrich is a Senior Software Developer for Apple Platforms at Doist, the company behind Todoist and Twist, and also the creator of world time app Veern.
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1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?
My name is Enric Enrich and I’m a Senior Software Developer for Apple Platforms at Doist, the company behind Todoist and Twist.
Initially I started studying graphic design and when I finished I started with software engineering.
I’m also the maker of Veern, a simple world time app that makes it easier to connect with people around the world.
2) What does a day in the life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?
My day starts depending on what I have planned for that day. If I have a meeting in the morning I set a sound alarm to wake up at the desired hour. Otherwise I avoid setting a sound alarm to let my body wake up along with a light alarm.
After taking a shower and having breakfast I start working from my home office. I use the first 10-15 minutes to go through emails and messages in Twist.
After that I spend most of my time coding along with short breaks (when needed) to stretch my legs and disconnect for a little bit to fresh up my mind.
During the day I either do exercise before lunch or go for a walk after my work is done.
3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your life and routine?
Yes, Doist is a remote-first company so our team has been working remotely since the beginning.
Having such freedom is fantastic to achieve work-life balance, but it’s not as easy as it seems from the outside. It can take some time to adapt to this lifestyle and to find the right tools and routines to make sure you are focused when working and that you disconnect from work when you finish for the day.
Working from home and need inspiration? Grab a copy of our Workflow book, featuring beautiful photos and inspiring stories from workspaces around the world.
4) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?
To me, work-life balance means that I have the flexibility to organize my work schedule around my personal life as needed.
The last thing that I do on Fridays is to prepare the work that I’ll have to do on Monday, and organize what I plan to work on the upcoming week. Then, at the end of every work day I plan my next day.
5) In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life?
Yes! I started a routine of doing at least 30 minutes of exercise every day before lunch. This said, I’m not forcing myself to do it if some day I don’t feel like doing it.
6) Do you have any favourite books, podcasts or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?
Books:
- Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking — Susan Cain
- Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility — Patty McCord
- Creative Selection: Inside Apple’s Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs — Ken Kocienda
- Becoming Steve Jobs: The evolution of a reckless upstart into a visionary leader — Brent Schlender, Rick Tetzeli
- Things A Little Bird Told Me — Biz Stone
Podcasts:
7) Are there any products, gadgets or apps that you can’t live without?
Mainly my phone and computer. One allows me to easily stay in contact with friends and family that live far away, and the other one allows me to do the work I love to do.
8) If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be?
Jack Dorsey.
9) Do you have any last thoughts on work, life or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?
Never stop learning. It can either be stuff related to your job, or anything else that you are interested in. The value you get from learning new things and being able to use this knowledge later cannot be measured.
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Working from home and need inspiration? Grab a copy of our Workflow book, featuring beautiful photos and inspiring stories from workspaces around the world.