Home Office Life: Michael Bauer/ M.O.B. Design

This is a series of interviews with people who work from home and share their great (and not so great) experiences. If you would like to get featured, please fill out the short questionnaire here.

What is it you do?

I’m a Berlin-based art director for motion and web design.
You can find my work at https://mob-design.de

Are you employed or a freelancer?

I’ve been a freelancer for 9 years now.

Any project you want to share?

My personal favorite is a video, which I did as an event teaser and a short music clip for an album launch for a Berlin music label. I was given complete creative freedom and had a lot of fun coming up with the world and style. You can check it out here: Solar Heart

Can you think of a time you were really happy to be working remotely?

I have a home office, which I enjoy immensely every time I’m working creatively and don’t have a boss peering over my shoulder. This always makes me think of the movie Office Space.

Was there a time when you wished you weren’t working remotely?

You do miss the little perks of working in a cool office, such as hanging out with colleagues or being invited to company events. But I like to focus during the day and go out in the evening.

What is your biggest struggle with working remotely?

When designing communication, the communication within the team or with the client is key. Working remotely means you’re usually not in the room with others relevant to the project. Therefore it’s essential to quickly establish good personal communication to avoid misunderstandings and false assumptions.

What do you do to deal with it?

Be proactive in your communication. Get on the phone and don’t hesitate to ask questions about a brief, a contract or which person you should report to. Most people will appreciate this level of professional commitment and get on board with it.
Communication after the project is also important and should be maintained, since you want to be on board for the next job. Use the trending media channels at you disposal, and keep others in the loop about what cool things you are working on.

Do you think working remotely reduces your stress?

Yes, very much so. Choosing your own hours gives you the option to balance your personal and work life the way you want. I even put up a pull-up bar in the next room. So whenever the going gets tough, I can do a quick 1-minute workout, which is a very natural way to reduce stress, and then I’m good to go again.

Was there a specific reason why you wanted to work remotely?

I completed three internships with different agencies prior to my graduation as a designer. During this time realized that I wasn’t able to enjoy my free time on the weekends, since the countdown to Monday was stressing me out. As a freelancer I may be working more hours than I would in an agency some weeks, but just the fact that I can plan my own time and get paid by the hour motivates me immensely and I can relax in my free time.

Are there any essential apps or tools you use daily?

Whatsapp. Communication is key.

Apart from your computer, what’s the most important item in your office?

I enjoy rocking out on my Beyerdynamic DT880 headphones.

What’s your favorite 90s jam?

‘What is love’ by Haddaway