Jun 05, 2017

bobby burrage, on dad-time and downtime

We chat with Bobby Burrage, Creative Director of The Click Design Consultants, a branding consultancy and co-Creative Director of Nor–Folk. Father to Stanley, aged four, and husband to Fiona Burrage, we find out how Bobby makes time for both dad-time and downtime.

Bobby's choice of mahabis: larvik dark grey x skien black

"A typical work day would involve Stanley waking between 6-7am. Every once in a while he wakes around 4am and I usually get in his bed for a cuddle and he goes straight back to sleep. We have breakfast, at the moment, that tends to be on the roof terrace as the weather has been so good. We get dressed and are ready to start the day. We drop Stanley at nursery and head into the studio, where I work with my wife, Fiona.

Twice a week I make time to go to PT sessions in the middle of the day and my working days are usually a mix of client projects and meetings. Fiona is usually in charge of the playlist, despite my best efforts to have some say in what she plays! Despite sitting opposite each other, we are very focussed when we work so when we’re in the studio together, we try to make sure we at least pop out for a coffee together (and that we don’t discuss work).

Fiona's choice of mahabis: larvik light grey

Around 5-6pm, we collect Stanley from his grandparents and bring him home. The next couple hours are Stanley time. This could be making sandcastles in his sandpit, going for a bike ride or watching the trains at the station. We share bath-time and books at bedtime. It’s my favourite time of the day. He’s asleep around 8pm. More nights that I’d like it to be the case, I then work when Stanley is in bed, we both do.

We always watch a box-set episode before we go to bed, no matter how late it is. We’re currently watching the latest season of House of Cards, just finished Line of Duty. With Fiona being active on social media, we tend to combine some work photos at the weekends but generally, it’s about family time.

It is hard to balance work and play but I’m better at switching off than Fiona. We do make sure when we are with Stanley we limit ‘working.’ We like to enjoy the simple pleasures at the weekend like a walk in the woods accompanied by Stanley’s diggers, or a trip to the beach with his dinosaurs.

Stanley's choice of mahabis: larvik light grey x borgen blue

For me, football with my friends and regular short breaks are so important. We work hard, so it’s really important that we do get a chance to get away together just us. In under a month, we are going to the Algarve and a month later to the Isle of Wight with my parents.