Inspired by this repo by Gidi Morris and this article by Cassie Robinson.
I like to work in a social environment, where people are able to ask questions and work together. Having said that, I'm also a big fan of independent working and being able to "knuckle down" and get into a project or problem on my own for a little bit before resurfacing to discuss and collaborate.
Regular breaks for cups of tea or short walks help me to regroup and collect my thoughts, meaning that when I come back I'm back to full productivity rather than being burnt out.
I never realised I was a morning person until I started getting up at respectable hours, so I now try to get in to the office before 9:15 and then will be around until 17:15-17:30. (These hours are me preparing to have a dog in my life...)
I try not to look at or answer e-mails outside of working hours so that I can maintain a good work/life balance.
If I'm deep in a code hole, probably with my noise-cancelling headphones on, it's worth dropping me a message if you want to chat, mainly so I can drag myself out of the hole and re-adjust which I'll really appreciate. If it's an urgent request or I've forgotten about a planned meeting, please just grab me and I'll get straight on to it!
In terms of actual communication, I'm a fan of gentle bluntness - it's a very Yorkshire way of doing things. If you can be direct and polite about something I generally much prefer it. I also tend to practice what I preach, so if I am being a bit too direct feel free to tell me and I'll make sure I dial it down.
Frequent feedback as close to the time as possible is generally my preferred method but I'm also very open to new ways of doing things! If you think there's a good way to give me feedback that I'm probably not aware of, please let me know and we can try it out.
Despite possible appearances, I'm an introvert and having time to recharge between extroverted activities - pair programming, meetings, stand ups etc. - really helps me to make it through the week without feeling burnt out or stressed. A key indicator of this is if I move from verbal floods to short sentences within a short period of time. All it takes is a cup of tea and 5 minutes breathing space and I'm back to normal.
My VARK learning tool preference is as follows:
- Kinesthetic (hands-on)
- Reading & Writing
- Visual (diagrams)
- Auditory
I know that this isn't always possible, but it's always useful to know in case an option is available!
I'm terrible with names, so I'm really sorry if I forget yours. I promise I know who you are, just not what to call you. If I look like I'm struggling with a name, please be kind and help me out! It saves me from the eternally British fear of social embarrassment.
On that same note, having to stand up and introduce myself to a room alongside a fact about myself is easily one of my biggest fears. If I can introduce myself to people one-to-one or in a small group I'd much prefer it.
I worry I'll forget tasks or ideas when they occur to me, so I'll try to immediately complete them or talk about them when I think of them. This might mean that I'm switching topics or task quickly. If you notice me doing this and it's frustrating you, feel fully comfortable in calling me out on this. I try to carry a notepad and pen with me now so that I can write these things down. I just might need reminding to do that.
Whilst I'm not deaf, I do struggle a lot with background noise. If we're having a meeting or a social occasion somewhere like a pub or a loud restaurant, I'll probably look a bit vacant. I'm not being rude I just really can't hear you and I'm yet to find a solution other than going somewhere quieter. It's something I'm trying to figure out and I'll update this if I find a better way through it.
I like putting things in the bigger picture. Working on a project in isolation is less interesting to me than seeing it as part of a whole. It also helps me to join the dots between it and the other work that is going on.
A supportive work culture is great. I like to try and support other people where I can, and like to be supported as well. This also applies to supporting people in feeling comfortable at work. I'm trying really hard to check my privilege and if there's anything I can do around that flag it up to me straight away!
When I get stressed, I often tend to turn inwards emerging to occasionally dump information or ramble about something.
If this happens, 5 minutes breathing space and possible a cup of tea (Is a pattern emerging yet?) will help me to get back to a healthy working level.
I'm from Yorkshire and as a result have an accent that can be difficult to parse. I'm very proud of my background but at the same time, if you can't understand what I'm saying don't hesitate to ask me to repeat something in a more understandable way. Tea wise however, Yorkshire is the only way.
I like creative outlets and in my spare time I do a lot of writing, as well as hosting a podcast about The Umbrella Academy TV show with my fiancee.