Meet Emily Tiemeyer | Senior Graphic Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Tiemeyer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
When I started my first job (a typical 9-5 workplace) I stayed late almost every evening because that’s just what everyone else around me did. There was definitely an overall feeling of guilt or even laziness for leaving at 5pm since everyone else was still there. We didn’t get overtime and the volume of work always stayed the same despite everyone constantly staying late. I think the only thing I learned from doing that was that I had unknowingly set an expectation for my managers and other clients that I would always be available and accommodating for other peoples’ timelines.

I had to learn how to shift that expectation and actively protect my own personal time, because very few managers will do that for you. I think one of the most helpful things to finding work/life balance is simply turning off work notifications or closing out of work apps after hours. With remote workplaces becoming so common, you can get notifications directly to your phone at any time. It’s a slippery slope from just one more “quick response” when you can see there are questions and DMs waiting for you, to suddenly being reachable at any time.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think my start was lucky- I got an internship position that I happened to find online, and that turned into full-time 4 years of experience. I think the biggest thing I’ve learned so far is that imposter syndrome is silly- almost everyone you know is out here winging it too. I learned a lot from some really talented people in the foreign policy world in D.C., but the biggest takeaway I had was that I realized I would rather dedicate my time to something that I personally felt passionate about. For me, that was helping communicate the importance of climate science and environmental conservation.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
In D.C. the first spot I’d take someone would probably be an evening picnic on the National Mall- sunset and snacks with a bottle of wine and a view of the Capitol on one side and the Washington Monument on the other. Throughout the rest of the week we’d make stops at:

1. El Camino: a Mexican restaurant in Northeast D.C. with sidewalk fire pits and an excellent Happy Hour that gets to know it’s local residents.
2. Dupont Farmers Market: a Sunday morning walk through stands with fresh produce, breakfast, flowers, and more. Get there before 10am or else it’s mobbed,
3. Gravelly Point: a small boat ramp in between D.C. and Virginia where you can get out on the water for free. My friends and I get out on our paddle boards while planes land right over us into DCA airport.
4. Fletchers Cove: a park out past Georgetown. Perfect for weekend cookouts, kayak rentals, and picnics spots right on the Potomac River. An easy paddle over to hiking trails on the Virginia side, or up to Great Falls on the river.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My first professional opportunity was as a design intern position at a well-known D.C. foreign policy think tank called the Center for Strategic and International Studies. At the time, the only other graphic designer on the creative team was Caroline Amenabar. She pretty quickly became my sole design mentor, and I learned more from her in 6 months than a full 2 years in design schooling. Besides teaching me the internal politics and professional culture of the organization, Caroline had such a talent for being able to break through the visual standards of such a rigid workplace and show me how to push the design boundaries in even the most mundane situations.

I highly encourage others to take a look at her work: www.carolineamenabar.com

Website: https://emilytiemeyerdesign.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-tiemeyer-21089513b/