Published by Leonardo Calcagno
Who are you:
Leah Procko
Your current job:
Acting Head of Creative at Sydney Opera House
In which city are you located?
Sydney (soon to be Melbourne)
A word to define what kind of worker you are:
Calm
What tools are essential to your life (app, software, etc..)
My mac, creative cloud, spotify, my wacom and coffee.
What does your office space look like?
Pretty corporate unfortunately, although I try to bring a little more joy to the space by sticking up random object trouvés I’ve collected.
What kind of music do you listen when you are working?
It’s a bit of a mix bag but at the moment I’ve got Future Islands on repeat.
Do you have a way to organize your day to maximize your work?
Write lists! Sometimes you can get so overwhelmed by everything you have to do that you don’t know where to start. Writing a list, and prioritising it, helps give you focus.
What tips would you give to improve productivity?
Recognize and work with your body clock. I know I’m not productive late at night, I’m a morning person, so I set my alarm really early to get the most out of my day. I have this quote on my phone whenever I feel the urge to hit the snooze button! “Life is about getting up earlier to live an hour more.”
What is the best advice anyone has given you ?
Have fun. At times I get so caught up in deadlines and stakeholder feedback that I forget that what I do as a creative is so much more fun than some other careers. We’re so lucky to be in this industry and earning money for doing something we love – so why not enjoy it?!
What is your best tip for saving time ?
Ask questions. Lots of them. I’m lucky enough to get pretty detailed briefs from my clients but I still like to further interrogate aspects and ideas so we’re 100% on the same page before I start. Assuming could lead you down the wrong path.
What is your routine start and end of the day ?
I don’t really have a routine, but I do make sure at some point in the day I do some sort of exercise either at the gym or outside if the weather is nice. I think it’s so important to stay healthy. Oh, and coffee. I have to have a coffee.
Aside from your computer and your phone, what gadget can you not be without ?
I do love my iPad for watching TV series in bed. I’ve just finished House of Cards – totally hooked!