Optimising

Everyone feeling pretty special at Optimising this week after getting two nominations in the APAC Search Awards in two great categories - Best Small Agency and a Best Emerging Talent for the star herself, Ellie Handberg! We're all very excited to catchup with all our SEO mates at the Awards night in January! 🤞

Can you believe there's only 13 days until summer?☀️ 🏖️ On Friday, we took advantage of the afternoon sun, and tried our luck at lawn bowls! While we decided the actual rules of the game were optional, it was a blast discovering which team members are secretly gifted at the sport, and who might be better off sticking to SEO 😅

Happy belated Halloween from Optimising! 👻 On Friday we had a range of characters in the office - from cowboys, to Men In Black, to Blinky Bill, to MF Doom, to Raygun. The team member taking the cake for best dressed this year was Ashleigh as Alfredo Linguini from Ratatouille (Remy sidekick and all!) 🐀 🧑🍳

It's Friday, and over at Optimising we're now on Day 6 of Nedd's Uncomfortable Challenge! Here's a further peek into how our team are getting uncomfortable. Niamh O'Higgins 🕰️ "It feels a little silly, but I’ve given up TikTok for 10 days. It's definitely nothing compared to what Nedd’s done and what a lot of other people are doing, but breaking the doom scrolling habit has still been tough in its own way! It’s been refreshing to wake up and not jump straight on my phone, and tramming to work feels more refreshing without my eyes glued to a screen (turns out people watching is a lot more entertaining anyway!). The good weather has come at a good time, too, and getting out in the sun in the evenings has been a much better way to wind down and clear my mind than scrolling through videos." Brandon Foster 🍎 "I'm giving up most processed foods for 10 days! For me, this means no take-away, packaged foods, bread (noooo!), chocolate, chips, etc. This is my first time sticking to a strict diet. It's bloody hard, but I love it! I've been shopping every day for fresh fruit and veg, and I've been the acting chef for some wholesome and delicious dinners. Shout out to broccoli and corn—the best vegetables!!" Isabelle Richards ☀️ "I've started waking up before 6:00am every morning! As someone who loves their sleep-ins, I thought this would be a good challenge to get up early and start my day productively. It has definitely been a challenge (since I'm still struggling to get into the habit of going to sleep earlier), but I have enjoyed being able to get things done earlier in the day! I've been able to go on a few morning walks, and my sweet dog has enjoyed the extra time inside before I head out for the day!"

Over at Optimising we're 4 days into Nedd's Uncomfortable Challenge, and wanted to share some of the ways the team are making themselves uncomfortable over these 10 days! 💪 Ashleigh F. 📱 : "I’ve given up my smartphone for 10 days – no social media, no Google Maps, no phone alarms, and no endless entertainment at my fingertips. It’s been really challenging because I rely on my phone for so many day-to-day things, from staying connected to planning social activities. So far, though, it’s going surprisingly well! I’m reading a lot more, having uninterrupted conversations, and noticing small things around me that I’d usually miss. It’s been a bit uncomfortable sitting with my thoughts without distractions, but I feel much more productive and present." Marnie Duncan ✍️ : "For the next 10 days I’ve challenged myself to write in a journal for at least 20 minutes every day. Although I write a lot for work, this challenge will help me reflect on my personal life and take much needed time out to focus on one thing. So far I’ve written about moving out for the first time and navigating living with a partner (so far so good)! Journaling used to be a type of self care I felt was luxurious, but now I never make the time for it. This has shown me that I can and it’s definitely worthwhile writing, as it can help me look at situations with clarity and take a weight off my shoulders (even if my wrist is starting to cramp)." Skye Baker 🏃♀️ : "I've given up transport for 10 days - so that's no car, tram or even cycling. If I'm getting somewhere, I'm either walking or running! It's been a bit daunting upping the kilometres I'm running to get to work and back as I've recently just started running again after injury. On top of that, it's also making me realise how much more time I need to allow when I don't have the convenience of just stepping on a tram and tapping my myki to get me where I need to be."

If you have been living under a rock this past week, you've missed witnessing something amazing. Nedd Brockmann took on the challenge of running 1,000 miles while raising money for our mates over at We Are Mobilise and has been putting in an inspiring performance (Check it out on the livestream https://lnkd.in/gbYjK5Bb) This Sunday also kicks off the start of Nedd's Uncomfortable Challenge. Optimising is going participate in the Uncomfortable Challenge to help support those experiencing homelessness in Australia. Keep an eye on our LinkedIn between 20 - 29th October as we share some of the things the team are doing to get uncomfortable. It's not too late to support Nedd on his run either - to support the cause 👉 https://lnkd.in/exfeb6cD LESSGO!

Huge thank you to everyone who attended Australian Web Industry Association (AWIA)'s AWIA:Offline event last week at 4 Pines Welcome to Brunswick. We were thrilled to sponsor this event focused on agency work in the digital space! The warm spring weather set the perfect backdrop for an evening of networking, and it was a pleasure to soak in the knowledge and insights shared by panelists Marty Drill, Megan Simpson, Kathleen Gunther and Simon Blangiardo. The conversation covered all things agency life, including both positives, and the difficulties many of us are facing today. A big takeaway from the evening that our panelists agree on: adaptability is the key to success, from business management to embracing change and tools like AI and finding ways to use them to our business' benefit. We're looking forward to supporting more events that allow us to foster innovation and collaboration in the industry!

Happy Grand Final Eve Eve, and Optimising Footy Colours Day! We made the most of the day, wearing our footy colours and treating ourselves to some pies and vanilla slice 🏈 For the team, it's almost a unanimous vote for Sydney Swans coming out on top this weekend 👀 🦢

We had an exciting knock on our door this afternoon! Cultivating Community organised a surprise pizza party lunch for the building which was a fun opportunity to meet some of our neighbours and enjoy a bit of lunchtime sunshine ☀️ After working with Cultivating Community previously through 1% for the Planet, it was great to chat with them about initiatives they are currently undertaking to nurture community, wellbeing and a better food future!

Some of the Optimising team got to hear the enlightening discussion in Inlight's offices at the Powerskill Panel hosted by Her Tech Circle last night. After networking over charcuterie boards, we sat down and listened to Jacinta Carne, Mim Bartlett, and Pearl Tang's thoughts, learnings, and personal stories on their own career journeys, with the conversation lead by Her Tech Circle's own Renece Brewster. It was so refreshing to hear these successful women share their take on the topics of the evening! Some of our favourite takeaways were: -Striking up conversation with someone you look up to doesn't have to be difficult, it can be as simple as inviting them for a coffee or a walk -Growing your network is important, you never know who may one day become an advocate for you in the workplace -Asking for feedback for the future matters, as well as knowing how to receive and apply it -Not all career paths are linear, and it's ok to not know where you want to be in 10 years. Being intentional with your work now is what counts Thanks to Her Tech Circle for having us!