how I get work done

Welcome to clipboard, a weekly newsletter about clothes, hospitality, and, this week, stationery, by Reilly Hodson. This week: the tools I use to be productive at work, and my favourite magazine’s latest issue.

Reilly Hodson’s Work Essentials

This week, I’m going to have my one month review at my new job, and over the 3 and a bit weeks that I’ve worked this new gig, I’ve been working at developing a productivity system to help me to get used to the routine of the 9 to 5 (or 8:30-5:30, most days). As readers will know, I love to research and get the best possible thing for everything in my life, and going about my work week is no different. You can read about my work week uniform here. This week, we’re working through some of the things that help me stay on top of my work.

a good notebook

A good notebook is the most important part of my work day. I sit in a lot of calls and meetings through the day, and taking notes is the best way to ensure that I keep paying attention right through, and that I remember what we talked about afterwards. The notebook I use is this one, from MD paper, a brilliant Japanese stationery brand which uses high quality paper in a considered way. I currently use this one, but next time I want to get one of their 365 page journals because I go through pages like nobody’s business. As well as taking heaps of notes, I also do a pseudo bullet journal full-page daily spread with my appointments and to-dos. I could use an app, I suppose, but it’s so satisfying to cross something off physically, a feeling which is never replicated by tapping a screen.

I need to find a pen which is available in New Zealand to be my daily driver, at the moment I’m using some brilliant ones I got in Japan in 2019 but my supply is rapidly dwindling, hit me up with your favourite pens.

apps

My workplace runs on Microsoft products (I know, not chic) so I’m mostly spoken for in terms of the software that runs on my work computer, but I do try to have nicer apps on my phone. My favourite is my calendar app Fantastical which is not cheap but is brilliant because not only does it look great, but it also has a feature where you can type in an event in a full sentence and it will put it right in your calendar, very convenient. It also has a great home screen widget which I fill almost my whole screen with to see all my upcoming events on my phone, as well as on paper.

fun things

I bring my things to and from work in this new Checks Downtown tote, which is great unless you need to carry other things in your hands, because the straps are a little too short to put it over your shoulder. Otherwise, it’s the perfect bag, with great interior organisation, and two hands is plenty for this bag and a cup of coffee, which I get in a Kinto thermal keep cup which I bought from Daily Daily. Having nice things like this at the beginning of my day make me feel that little bit more organised and put together, and helps me start off on the best possible foot.

clips

• This week in Checks Downtown making big moves: a merch tee for Camper Coffee, a bottled iced coffee with Kōkako that launches this Wednesday, and bringing back other brands in their Pitt St store with the launch of New Balance 99X series shoes starting with the 991 on Monday.

• An interview with the kings of fit pics, Laurence Schlossman and James Harris of the Throwing Fits podcast, about taking pictures of your outfit, a topic near and dear to my heart.

• The Spinoff just started a new podcast called Remember When… which is just short episodes featuring various Spinoff staffers reminiscing about growing up in New Zealand, it’s good stuff if you’re a nostalgia junkie like me.

• A great comic about spending the whole day at Midnight Espresso in Wellington that gets at the heart of why cafes are such vital spaces without being too corny about it. More all-day cafes and hospo venues, please!

• The funniest man in NBA media, Jason Concepcion, has a new podcast called Takeline, co-hosted by WNBA legend Renae Montgomery (who just bought part of the Atlanta Dream), I can’t wait for it to start this week. There’s also a YouTube channel where Jason will host a weekly show. Wins all round.

one good thing: Metro Magazine Autumn 2021

Every week, clipboard highlights one good thing that I’ve bought, eaten or otherwise interacted with during the week. This week: my favourite magazine’s latest issue.

I am a sucker for locally produced media. I truly think that New Zealand is home to world class writers, editors, designers and photographers, and any way that they can get paid to do cool shit is something I am extremely on board with. One excellent example of this is Metro magazine, almost certainly New Zealand’s best magazine, and I’m not just saying that because they’ve paid me to write for them in the past.

Their latest issue is a tour de force. It’s packed to the gills with brilliant writing, like Donna Chisholm on the dramatic increase in inequality post-Covid, or Alex Casey on neighbourhood Facebook groups, brilliant restaurant reviews, hilarious horoscopes from Tayi Tibble, and more. It’s a big mag, and something you’ll want to have sitting on your coffee table for ages. Buy a copy, or better yet, subscribe, and read it cover to cover.

That’s all for clipboard this week, thanks so much for reading. If you enjoy the newsletter, send it to your friends and spread the word, it means a lot. You can follow me and clipboard on Instagram for daily updates and content, and you can always email me with suggestions or questions (I’ll never turn down a request for recommendations). See you next week!