15 Dec 2017

Time Well Spent


 Time well spent - Moments in Atkinson's Coffee at Mackie Mayor, with VOID Watches



Jacket + Knitwear by Whistles | Gilet c/o Lavenham | Denim Trousers by Weekday | Sneakers by Vans | PKG01 Watch c/o VOID Watches | Tote Bag by Universal Works

If I was to look back over my diary from 2017 it would quickly become clear that my time has been spread evenly between being at home and on the move. Sometimes the trips away become tiring, and I'll long for a few days at home to collect my thoughts, but being in the position to travel so frequently has contributed hugely to why this year has been so fulfilling.

The train ride from Blackpool to Manchester has been a route which I've become more than accustomed to. The same seat, on the same train leads to the same walk into the city's Northern Quarter. I visit to catch up with friends, meet new clients, brainstorm ideas with regular collaborators, or to spend time on my own, catching up with work. This change of scenery gives me chance to focus on current tasks, and helps me fill my notepad up with new ideas. It's all time well spent - nothing is wasted if you're leading yourself towards something productive. 

This post is in partnership with VOID Watches.

Which brings to the title of this post, "Time Well Spent". When I'm working from home I battle with time management issues (too many attractive distractions), so, I see the days in which I set up in a coffee shop or cafe as just that: time well spent. This time my camp was the newly opened Atkinson's coffee shop, inside Mackie Mayor. I'm sure this place was made for me; the stunning rich blue wood, against the marble countertop + copper fixtures, topped off with genuinely friendly batistas, puts Atkinson's high on my list.

 Checking in at the newly opened The Patron bar + restaurant
Coat c/o Jigsaw | Down Vest by Uniqlo | Sweatshirt by Reigning Champ | Chinos by Folk | VO3D Watch c/o VOID Watches | Beanie by Topman | Sunglasses by Moscot 

VOID Watches was started as a side project by Swedish designer David Ericsson, in 2008, with the simple concept of creating a product that represents something greater than the hands on a clock face. How we can use our time to create meaningful ideas and improve ourselves is a message the Hong Kong-based team live by. VOID's design message certainly resonates with my feelings towards time, and has given me ideas with how I can improve my productivity while I'm working from home.

Filling the void of those long journeys between cities has never been a tough task for me. It gives me a chance to step away from my work - to catch up with new podcasts, push through a few more pages in a book, or simply to process my thoughts from the day. The urge to clear my inbox is strong, but on these occasions time away from work is a positive thing.

My second visit to Manchester this month led me to visiting the newly opened bar + restaurant, The Patron. These guys are on to a good thing here - I'll be back to try out their own beer soon. By choosing to step out of the "same-old-same-old" routine, it can give you a different outlook on your city; sparking conversation with fresh faces and reaffirm your love for the community.

Are you happy with how you've used your time this year, and how do you plan to move forward in 2018?

Photography by Jake Millers.

This post is brought to you in partnership with Void Watches. Your support of the brands + businesses we work with helps make this blog happen.

5 comments:

  1. Two gorgeous spots - love all the wooden textures and blue tones.

    2017 has been a crazy year - trying to balance school, a research assistant position, work, my freelance work, and the rest of life! My time management somehow worked, but was never very peaceful for me. That's a good goal for 2018, to manage my time in a way that feels better for me! Maybe I need me a nice watch too... the Swedes and Danes design such beautiful watches huh? (Thinking Skagen).

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  2. That is one beautiful watch!
    I love finding a good coffee shop to set up in. I'm shallow, but the atmosphere is important to me haha.

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  3. Damn they are aren't they. Yeah it matters, and the design adds to that. There's a lot of crumby places where we are, you guys are spolit when it comes to coffee.

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  4. Two beauts indeed! The wood and blue tones are just so up my street.

    I have no idea how you ever balance all those things though, you sounds like a superwomen. Time managment is so important, but so easy to get out of whack. I need to get back in! They do do them well, Skagen is a good choice, but I'd say VOID has a more minimal approach.

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  5. My coffee spots is alaways someting that I am looking to write a post about them! This is one of my favourite place from now haha pictures look so nice!
    Kisses from Athens
    Teo Michael
    Euframe.blogspot.com

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