Hi, I’m Robert and I’ve been on board at Vast Forward as a developer and Green Coding Specialist since 2023. Before joining the company, I had already worked closely with the team for many years, which helped me to settle in quickly.

I recently moved from a small rural town to Hamburg – a big step for me, which brings new challenges and adventures. But today I want to take you with me and show you what my typical working day looks like.

My day starts early, usually between 6 and 7 am. I don’t need an alarm clock because my internal clock has adjusted perfectly to it – and if it fails, my cats reliably ensure that I don’t sleep any longer. Their demand for something to eat cannot be ignored.

As soon as the cats are fed and the coffee is ready, I enjoy the peace and quiet in the morning. I sit down with my cup, let my mind wander and start the day mindfully. No smartphone, no emails – just me and my thoughts. Sometimes I manage to spend a wonderful hour in silence. On other days, I let myself be tempted and read the news. It’s a habit that I enjoy.

Around 9 a.m., I’ll be making a small update to a dynamic sidebar banner. In case you’re wondering what that is: A sidebar banner is an ad that is displayed on the side of a website. Dynamic means that the content can change depending on user interaction or other criteria. For me, it’s important that these updates are done early because I have a call with the client at 9:30 a.m. to discuss feedback.

The call goes well and it turns out that my update has already solved many of the issues raised. There are still a few small things to do before I wait for the final release. Everything is ready in time, because our internal check-out call is at 10:00 am.

A chat with colleagues

At Vast Forward, we work completely remotely. That’s why our weekly calls on Monday and Friday are particularly important to stay in touch outside of projects. The Friday call is a recap of the week and a preview of the weekend. We chat about what everyone has planned – it’s a nice way to feel close despite the distance.

We continue with banners and muesli

After the call, I get approval for the sidebar I’ve been working on. So I can get straight to work on the two motif variants.

It’s now around 12:45 and I send off the two banners for approval. Time for my first meal of the day! Thanks to intermittent fasting, my daily routine has become so regular that I don’t eat breakfast until lunchtime. A muesli with lots of fruit and soy yogurt is my favorite. I also have a second coffee and a short play and cuddle session with the cats.

Urgent projects and closing time

Freshly invigorated, we move on to the next project. A mailing with seven different motifs has to be delivered to the customer today. The project drags on until the end of the day, but I don’t mind – I like the challenge and the feeling of having achieved something.

Of course, I’m actively supported in all of this by my cats. This means that one of them regularly sits on my lap, while the other meticulously makes sure that the monitor always has enough paw prints. It’s particularly helpful that they occupy my chair in a flash as soon as I get up – as if it’s a coveted spot that they have to defend. Sometimes I wonder how I could ever manage these projects without their “help”.

By 7 pm, everything is finished and sent to the customer. And that’s when I finish work and the weekend begins.