Working Hours with Gaby Solis
A brand-new series for Desert Prose profiling community members!
Welcome to a new series by Desert Prose, where I profile various freelancers in the community and find out more about their daily work routines.
First up is Gaby Solis, a Dubai-based freelancer who primarily works for a Mexican daily newspaper, but also a variety of US-based and global publications.
Where do you most enjoy working from?
I like working from home, from a desk I have in my room. I like how the light filters through the trees in the afternoon. I’ve made the space cosy so I feel I can really focus there. However, there are days I feel like working from a café, just to change scenery.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
Typically, I drop off my daughter at 7.30am, head to the 8.30am gym class, shower, have breakfast and start writing around 10.30am. I’ll work a few hours until it’s time to pick up my daughter from school. I’ll typically work another hour in the afternoon (usually 5pm to 6pm) and then again from 8pm to 10pm, as I cover news in another time zone.
What kinds of tools, techniques or rituals, if any, do you use to help structure your day?
I need to get better at structuring my day! That’s one of the downsides of having a flexible job - sometimes it’s hard for me to stick to a schedule because I know I have that flexibility.
What does your desk say about you?
It’s quite tidy because I don’t like a messy desk full of papers. When it comes to my work, I’m very structured and organised. I keep most of my ideas in a Word document or in the notebooks I keep in my drawer.
What’s the hardest part of working from home?
It can feel isolating. I like working with people and being part of a team. I do talk and discuss ideas with my editors, but mostly over Google Chat, so I miss the human interaction.
What draws you to walking in cafés, libraries or co-working spaces?
I like the buzzing noise of cafés. Sometimes it helps me focus better. I also like the feeling of being surrounded by other people and not only the four walls of my room.
What are three items you always keep on your desk (or nearby) while working?
My physical calendar, a pen and a notebook (besides the laptop, of course!).
What do you do when you feel stuck or distracted?
I go back to reading things related to what I’m writing so that I get in that mindset again. It also helps to change scenery, even in my own house. If I can’t focus in my room, I go to the dining room.
What advice would you offer to someone setting up their first freelance workspace?
It must reflect your personality. Even if it’s a corner, personalise it with things that make you feel like you want to spend time there. Something as simple as a vase with flowers in some colour you like will help make the space feel like yours.