Published by Leonardo Calcagno
Who are you?
My name is Lavanya Naidu, I am an animator and illustrator and very pleased to meet you!
Your current job?
I am currently working as an animator for children’s based tablet entertainment apps and as a freelance illustrator.
In which city are you located?
I am currently located in Kolkata, India.
A word to define what kind of worker you are :
Zealous.
What tools are essential to your life (app, software, etc..)
I cannot do without my Adobe Creative suite. Also my Wacom tablet, books, my blog, behance and my backup hard-disks. My sketchpad and a good set of pencils are always my best and first place to start.
What does your office space look like?
A happy tangle of wires, post cards from my friends for motivation, stationary, books, my sketchpad, some flowers and a window overlooking a beautiful tree that attracts all sorts of wildlife, from birds to monkeys (serves as a much needed distraction once in a while.)
What kind of music do you listen when you are working?
I love listening to music, but I can’t really do it while working. I do however, oddly enough, work better with having reruns of my favorite shows in the background. Somehow a distant conversation, helps break the otherwise isolated work environment.
Do you have a way to organize your day to maximize your work?
Yes! I usually chalk out mentally the night before, what ground I have to cover the following day, especially if I am working on tight deadlines. I try my best to meet these daily goals, and also incorporate some time to unwind, so that I’m fresh the next morning.
What tips would you give to improve productivity ?
I think that if you put 8 to 9 hours of work into a day, it’s pretty important to get outside, go walk your dog, pick up the groceries, take a walk in the park, play some music, get some fresh air etc at the end of it, to be more productive. I always find that when I can maintain some sort of a balance, the quality of my work is always better and I am more efficient. Sometimes this isn’t always possible, but whenever you can make the time? Nothing like it! Another thing, would be staying inspired, knowing that there is always something new out there for you to learn, and working towards personal and professional always something new out there for you to learn, and working towards personal and professional growth, mini goals etc.
You’re better than your colleagues to:
I’m not sure what this means, but if it does imply what I’m better at than my colleagues or people I have worked with, I’d say everyone has different strengths and you always have something new to learn and it could work both ways!
What is the best advice anyone has given you?
Keep method in your madness. (I think it’s from Hamlet?). My college professor and mentor was the one who made it stick.
What is your best tip for saving time?
Organize your work, make lists and get things done, more now, than later. Keep focus.
What is your routine start and end of the day?
A hot cup of tea first thing; playing my ukulele last thing.
Aside from your computer and your phone, what gadget can you not you go without?
My Wacom tablet!