A Day in the Life of a Graphic Designer at Points North

Meet Laura

My name is Laura Byrd. I’m a graphic designer and one of Points North’s contractors. I have around 10+ years of design experience and joined Points North in 2022. Our Creative Director, Jess, helped me adjust from in-house corporate designer to agency designer quickly. My position allows me to work with various clients, industries, and media.

We have a great team here, and I thoroughly enjoy logging in each day.

Mornings

I typically start my day by checking my inbox and Basecamp, our project management system. After that, I prioritize my tasks based on deadlines and the complexity of each need. My favorite part of what I do is taking complex information and making it visually appealing and understandable. I usually check in with my Project Manager, Kendra, about a project or two.

Weekly Routine

On Monday mornings, I review my calendar and project deadlines for the week. I then make a literal list of the projects I have and any outstanding questions I need answered.

We have a team meeting which occurs every Monday afternoon. I enjoy this meeting because I see everyone’s faces, get to catch up a little bit, and hear what they’re working on.

Being remote, this relaxed “face time” is welcomed. It’s also a great time to ask questions regarding projects because we can talk in real-time.

Meetings

Every Monday afternoon I attend our team meeting. Other than that, the meetings I attend are usually project kick-offs, brainstorms, and strategic problem-solving. If a project is getting added to my calendar last minute, it usually means a project has taken a turn we didn’t expect or we need to rethink our approach in real-time.

Lunch Break

During lunch, I try to step away from my computer for a bit to get outside or run an errand. Sometimes, I’ll prepare dinner so it’s ready to go in the oven that evening. Perks of working remotely! My favorite lunch is an Asian-inspired rice bowl with chicken, steamed vegetables, and cashews if I’m feeling fancy.

Afternoon and Wrap Up

In my ideal afternoon, I’m head-down in design and crossing things off my to-do list. Music or a podcast is a must!

My day ends pretty similarly to how it begins. I check my inbox and Basecamp, where I’ll post whatever questions I may have for our team or clients. I then log into Freshbooks and enter my billable hours. Lastly, I’ll grab a post-it and list my priorities for the next day.

Throughout the day, I practice mindfulness by…

I try to be fully engaged in whatever I am doing, whether I’m collaborating with a team member or designing. If I’m struggling to focus, I’ll step away for 10 to 15 minutes and then reconvene.

Naomi Oriol

Naomi Oriol is a Customer Experience Specialist with over seven years in her profession. Her expertise include customer experience design, service recovery, quality and training, customer insights, self-service programs, leadership, and project management.