James Douglas Wilson, Founder and Principal at Overdrive Design Limited.

Who are you :

James Douglas Wilson. Founder and Principal at Overdrive Design Limited.

Your current job :

Chief cook and bottle washer.

In which city are you located?

Toronto

A word to define what kind of worker you are:

Hyper.

What tools are essential to your life (app, software, etc..)

• Usual life apps – weather, news, music and social.

• Usual designer tools – pencil, paper, camera, Adobe everything.

• Most important tools – bicycles, cutlery.

What does your office space look like?

What kind of music do you listen when you are working?

Punk to classical and everything in between except country western.

Do you have a way to organize your day to maximize your work?

Get up early. Make to-do lists.

What tips would you give to improve productivity?

• Less email, more phone.

• Block in the day – an hour for this, an hour for that (including social) to minimize randomness and distraction

You’re better than your colleagues to:

Own more bicycles.

What is the best advice anyone has given you?

• Treat all humans equally.

• Never lie to a client.

• Can’t cut your hours, only your rate.

• The more painful something is the faster you should deal with it.

What is your best tip for saving time?

Ride your bike to work – double up on commute and exercise time.

What is your routine start and end of the day?

5 am – whenever.

Aside from your computer and your phone, what gadget can you not you go without?

Portable drive/brain