How I work (2025)

Location: Dublin, Ireland

Current Gig: Physical Digital Implementation Engineer at Synopsys.

One word that best describes how you work: juggling

Current mobile device: Pixel 9

Current personal computer: MacBook Air

Work Computer: Windows 11 laptop, No machine to unix workstation (vpn) and Grid engine to submit various tools jobs.

Updating from previous article 2019. Same job different company, different vibe.

I have now 2 type of working day: - Working from home - Office

On a Typical Work Day in the office

The big change from 2019, is the commute which is now a lot longer.

• Wake up at 6:00AM:
• get myself dressed.
• prepare lunch box for the kid.
• Take the bus 11 to city centre then 40D about 1 hour commute, up to 1h30 if bus do not link properly.
  • During the trip, I would be either listening to podcast/music or reading a book
  • Also check Work Email/Teams message and start replying/sorting.
  • List/review tasks and priorities for the day on my work notebook.
• Once I arrive in the office:
  • Start on first task of the day and move on. Usually start with analysing results from overnight runs / review logs and reports.
  • Loop over
  • Multiple breaks (lunch/coffee) so i don't spend all day sit at my desk, I actually need to stand up and move every so often.
  • 10 minutes before end of the day:
  • Review tasks status, write next day task in notebook.
  • Email progress and issues found.
  • List additional tasks for following day.
• On the way home, I may take the luas and pick up the kid from school. I also tend to leave early in the afternoon, in order to be at home for the first evening meeting.
• Prepare dinner, family time, dinner all together.
• 3 days a week I have late meeting.
• 19:00 to 20:00 kid bedtime routine (brushing teeth, wash face, story time, quiet time).
• Reading after that for me.

Appps, software, or tools I use

• Notebook - draft paper.
• Apps/Software:
  • Google Keep for quick capture on my phone.
  • vi/gvim still for me the best editor. NotePad++ on Windows, and been slowly converted to VScodium on Mac.
  • Python whenever I can.

My workspace setup

In the office i have triple screen, with one always on the linux workstation connection, and the other alternating between Explorer (online documentation),outloo/Teams(email) and Onenote. Beside this I have my earphone, and a notebook open. Reduced to single external screen at home ( dual with the laptop one ).

My best time-saving shortcut

Reduce and Prioritize and focus on only one single task at a time for 10 minutes. Basically blocked focused session.

Be intentional with my time and the time of others.

Took me a long time to get it, and I still fall behind sometimes.

Besides my phone and computer, I could not live without a notebook and pen.

On good meetings

Good meetings are late those days, I am missing a clear outcome announced ahead of the meeting, however meetings do tend to last too long.

Listening habits while at work

Depending on the tasks:

• mostly podcasts (Freakonomics, Planet Money, Rationally Speaking, ....)
• if needing more concentration:
  • Online Radio: BBC 6 recommends especially Mary Ann Hobbes.
  • Jazz Playlist.

My Key Strength

Most other engineer are (much) better than me on very specific tasks/areas, but I have a broad array of knowledge in IC design, more fox than hedgehog.

Relaxing and recharging

Getting better at this through the years, I only need a simple walk in nature. What’s your sleep routine like? Are you a night owl or early-riser? Go to bed around 9PM-10PM and read a book. I am more of an early-riser, I feel much better when I can wake up and start the day early. I usually slump in the afternoon.

Best advice I have ever received

One received recently: Do not hesitate to voice your unhappiness about stuff at work, don't wait until you reach meltdown to ask for help or voice your concern and issues.