I’m Abby Pinor and This is How I Work
Location: Duluth, MN
Current Gig: Student at the University of Minnesota Duluth in the Labovitz School of Business and Economics majoring in Marketing and Graphic Design
One word that describes how you work: Efficiently
What apps/software/tools can’t you live without? Why?
Google Apps, Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft Office, Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat
These are my main apps/software/tools that I use on a daily basis. I use social media to connect with my friends — espeically ones from back home, Google Apps/Adobe Creative Cloud/Microsoft Office for almost all things school related, and Spotify because I believe you need a killer playlist for all things you do in life.
What’s your best time-saving shortcut/life hack?
Don’t waste “free” time. If you have a break inbetween classes or activities, don’t waste it. You would be surprised how much stuff you can get done in just a short break. When I started utilizing the free time I had, I became loads more productive and efficient in my work.
What everyday thing are you better at than everyone else? What’s your secret?
I’m very organized. One secret I have is that I have two planners. Between school, extracurricular activities, and work, I have to try and keep up with my fair share of meetings, practices, and stuff to do. I have one planner that I update as a daily to-do list. This is where I keep track of all my homework (what I need to do, when the homework is due), chores, and other daily tasks. For this I prefer a paper planner. For me personally, I think it’s easier to move tasks around and update. It’s also super satisfying to manually cross off completed tasks. I use Google Calendar as my second planner. Google Calendar is where I put all my upcoming activities. This is a nice way to update activities as they arise, invite other Google users if you’re doing an activity with them, and share your schedule and availability with people.
What do you listen to while you work?
What I listen to depends on what kind of task I’m doing. If I’m doing a task that requires a lot of memorization, like studying for an exam or reading a textbook, I’ll most likely be listening to a playlist with alternative and soft rock songs. If I’m doing a more creative task, like my design work or writing, I like listening to something more upbeat like pop, top hits, or hard rock.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t just work to get it done, work to be satisfied with what you’ve done.
“Hard work without talent is a shame, but talent without hard work is a tragedy.” -Robert Half
Where do you find inspiration and new ideas?
Mostly, I find inspiration and new ideas from the media. I feel like I’m always coming across interesting and intriguing ideas, art, and articles scrolling through social media or browsing a magazine. I also love to people watch, so I also get inspiration and ideas from my observations of others.
What’s your favorite quote?

