6:00 am: I surprisingly jump out of bed before my alarm starts buzzing. I am going to make use of this “once in a lifetime” pleasant event and hit the gym in my building for a30 minute run.
7:00 am: I have a big bowl of chopped fruits for breakfast and get into the shower.
8:30 am: Come into the office already thinking about my to-do list for the day. I could never describe a typical day in my life as a graphic designer. Everyday is a different different day with different new assignments. And I simply love it!
8:30 am: Check my e-mails. Around15 new e-mails mostly from the client servicing department, inquiring about graphic corrections, invitation cards, banners and logos for current projects.
9:00 am: All my e-mails have been answered. I will spend no less than4 good hours working on my pending project for a regular customer (a leader in the distribution sector). I am working on2 different company logos, a brochure and a website. I always make sure to provide the clients with more than one option so that they don’t feel tied up to my own design preference and I’m always experimenting with different styles rather than claiming one signature style.
1:30 pm: File is ready and sent to client servicing. I am quite content with the end result, and am geared up to indulge myself in a gigantic hearty meal. I run down to Burger King and relish my favorite SubMarine combo. Are those French fries heavenly or what?!
2:30 pm: I walk into the meeting room on the22nd floor. This is a daily one hour ritual between our2 departments of client servicing and graphic design, in order to ensure a solid base for internal organizational communication. The senior client servicing officer briefs us about the new account they have acquired. I have never heard of this company before (although he’s stating that it’s a prominent multinational). We will be working on its new corporate identity (which will include practically all the ranges of service we provide).
3:45 pm: I walk out of the meeting room straight back to my desk. I Google the new client and am impressed with the actual size and scope of the company. I am honestly surprised to not have heard of it before (well, then again, I guess I never was that much into FMCG companies anyway). We have a month to finish this project so I have quite a while to come up with interesting ideas for their new corporate brand identity.
4:30 pm: Grab a diet soda from the floor vending machine and still have one tiny thing to finish up today. Honestly, after wrapping up with my pending project from this morning I feel fulfilled and very much at ease. My last project for today involves developing a new logo for a small computer services company. The brief I have received from Michael in client servicing states “simple and clear”. (To my great relief, simple and clear it is).
6:00 pm: I put the finishing touches on the graphics, save the PhotoShop file and send it to Michael. Take a final glimpse at my e-mails before heading out.
7:00 pm: Get to the mall. Summer sales in Dubai are an absolute marvel, but I guess constant fast food munchies at my desk all month with little exercise have not served me well! I must have gained over3 kilos this month alone. No dinner out for me tonight: that is my penalty. I browse some new software packages and design books at a monolithic bookstore and head home.
10:00 pm: Back home. Shower, get my tea and Low Fat biscuits and crawl to my couch. It’s the second time I watch “cold mountain” this week and I really hope I don’t fall asleep before it comes to an end this time.
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