At Buffer, we’ve lengthy had teammates who’ve facet tasks along with working at Buffer. It’s fairly widespread for our workforce to run their very own weblog, we’ve got a number of printed authors on the workforce, and lots of of our engineers run apps that don’t have anything to do with their common work.

Although some firms favor that anybody on their workforce not have facet tasks and actively discourage it, that has by no means been our approach at Buffer. In truth, working at Buffer means you get a free Buffer account, making it even simpler to advertise any facet tasks you is likely to be engaged on.

The advantages of facet tasks

• You possibly can work on one thing you’re obsessed with. Possibly there’s one thing you’re significantly obsessed with and though it doesn’t appear more likely to be your full-time job, you may nonetheless really feel fulfilled and work on it as a facet venture. We’ve a number of teammates who work with nonprofits they’re obsessed with.
• Gaining new abilities. Engaged on new tasks offers you the prospect to study new abilities outdoors of your common work. I realized edit a podcast with my facet venture and finally it turned helpful in my on a regular basis work as nicely.
• Make new connections. Engaged on a facet venture is a chance to attach with and study from a brand new group of individuals outdoors of your common connections. It’s an effective way to broaden your community and construct some new and lasting relationships.
• Get a way of accomplishment outdoors of labor. Personally, I believe it’s wholesome to have one thing else in life you’re getting a way of accomplishment from along with work. This is likely one of the causes I’ve had facet tasks and hobbies for years.

find time for facet tasks

• Select one: When you’ve got a ton of facet venture concepts, this one is for you. As an alternative of beginning them , begin only one to see the way it goes earlier than you resolve so as to add in a second and even third.
• Get pals concerned: It may be simpler to work on one thing if in case you have a number of individuals pushing it ahead and it will probably add some motivation to maintain going as nicely.
• Deal with pressing, not excellent: Keep away from specializing in getting all the pieces completed completely and attempt to simply create or ship no matter you’re engaged on.

The 22 Facet Initiatives the Buffer Group is Engaged on

Right here’s what our workforce works on outdoors of labor. Hopefully you would possibly spot some cool facet venture concepts for your self, or take a look at a number of the issues our workforce works on.

Apps

Andy: Alpenglow, F1 Calendar

• Alpenglow: An app to verify dawn, sundown and golden hour instances in addition to high quality predictions. Additionally sends out notification reminders and with Alpenglow Professional will notify you if the subsequent forecast is wanting good in comparison with your required threshold. The app will be doing on each iOS and Android, usually featured by Apple and consists of over 35+ localizations.
• F1 Calendar: Taking up the event from a number of buddy, I rebuilt F1 Calendar as a straightforward technique to verify Components 1 Session instances in your timezone in addition to making the information out there by way of Calendar subscriptions. The positioning has been going for 14 years and has lately been expanded to function different motorsports.

Mike: Carpeta
Carpeta is a project-management device for inside designers, architects, and industrial designers to assist them centralize all their conversations, budgets, and information, and higher handle their time whereas managing their tasks.

Freelance

Mitra: Social media supervisor for The Used, Atreyu, and Thrice
Mitra is the social media supervisor for bands The Used, Atreyu, and Thrice. She’s been working with these bands since 2017.

Mitra: Mitra Mehvar Photography
Mitra does dwell music pictures, primarily for rock bands.

Music

Brandon
Brandon writes, produces & releases music under his own name (previously beneath the alias Sophomores) from his small house studio. He lately launched his newest album, a rock opera referred to as THROW MYSELF INTO THE BAY.

Nonprofits

Amanda & Gabi: SheSharp
Amanda and Gabi run SheSharp: a non-profit basis primarily based in The Netherlands that makes it simpler for all ladies and non-binary individuals to enter, keep, and develop within the tech trade. We host occasions, facilitate mentorship programmes and provides out funding by way of scholarships, and a plethora of different initiatives.

Sofia: Nosotras Hablamos Design
Nosotras Hablamos Design is a group the place Spanish-speaking ladies come collectively to apply English and discover the world of design by way of partaking conversations and workshops.

Small Companies

Adam: Amity Flower Co
Adam and Amber are within the strategy of getting a small flower enterprise up and working. They’re regulars at native markets, present flowers for events and occasions, and likewise supply flower subscriptions to small enterprise that need to have contemporary, stunning preparations adorning their house.

Andy: Woof Warehouse
Andy works on a Shopify retailer that sells canine bandanas and equipment. He focuses totally on the tech facet of issues, customizing the shop, plugins, and branding, whereas additionally caring for and photographing the lovely pups.

Nathan: Riftgate
Board recreation and pastime store. Nate runs a brick and mortar retailer at 5444 S 900 E Murray UT 84107.

Mike S: Otter
Mike co-founded Otter. Primarily based in Spain, Otter helps individuals make customized furnishings by connecting them to native carpenter’s that go well with their wants.

Sophie: The Lull Home
Sophie manages The Lull Dwelling, a villa targeted on enhancing the human senses. It’s situated on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. At present beneath building and set to open in early 2024.

Podcasts & Writing

Hailley’s personal blog
Hailley has been holding a weblog for years and writing about distant work, private techniques, and public relations.

Hailley: MakeWorkWork
Hailley co-hosts a podcast and creates sources about creating purposeful workflows full with customized Notion templates.

Jess: Pinecone Papers
Jess has an exquisite weblog about mindfully journal and monitor signs when you’ve a power sickness. She’s additionally engaged on a downloadable printable journal that will probably be out later this 12 months.

Joel’s personal blog
Buffer’s CEO Joel Gascoigne retains a web site that features articles, posts, and notes with what he is engaged on and what’s prime of thoughts for him.

Kirsti: The Anonymous Marketer
The Nameless Marketer brings on trade specialists to reply burning questions despatched in by (you guessed it) nameless entrepreneurs. Kirsti took over internet hosting from Nick Bennet in September 2023.

Lexi: The Burden of Joy
Lexi’s debut novel will probably be printed November 1, 2023, from a brand new small press.

Mike: Building Better
A weekly podcast the place we replicate on constructing higher companies and relationships contained in the hectic startup and digital enterprise world.

Nate: Almost Heretical
A podcast by Nate (a former pastor) and his spouse Shelby (a Bible scholar). They reimagine and revisit the Bible for these deconstructing Christianity.

Phill: Nudge
The UK’s #1 advertising and marketing podcast devoted to behavioural science. Phill determined in 2018 that he wished to speak with specialists in advertising and marketing & psychology so arrange a podcast to host these discussions. Nudge has been working for nearly 5 years with over 140 episodes printed.

Over to You

That’s sufficient about us, we’d love to listen to from you, too! Are you engaged on any facet tasks? Be at liberty to drop a hyperlink within the feedback! If you’re, how do you find time for them and keep motivated, are you engaged on multiple?