105. Designing for Thriving: Making Your Space Work for You with Olga Trusova

Overview

Today, I’m in conversation with Olga Trusova, author of the new design book, Calm Living.

In this episode, Olga introduces us to design thinking principles and exercises that we can use to design our spaces and experiences so they work better for us and support us in doing our best work.

She offers accessible ways to shape your space and how you work to really work for you, not against you, and to create calm instead of chaos.

This is an invitation to make simple, accessible design choices to make your days more sustainable. Olga shows us how to do this with intention and experimentation.

Let’s step into Calm Living with Olga Trusova.

More About Our Guest

Olga Trusova was schooled in the principles of business innovation at Stanford Design School and while working as a consultant with global design firm IDEO and then as VP of Innovation for AAA. An expert in design thinking, strategy and innovation, she has worked with Starbucks, Nordstrom, Stanford Technology Ventures, Sutter Health, and Hiscox, among others. She is the author of a new design book, Calm Living, and founder of the innovation consultancy, Bluefig, and the lifestyle company, Airis Mer.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

  • The very real impact of our surroundings on our mental and physical wellbeing

  • Why calm isn’t a static state, but allows us to reassess and recalibrate what we need to do our best work and live our best lives

  • Three key principles of design thinking

  • Two ways to assess and experiment with the energy in your space

  • Ideas for reframing how you work based on your intentions

  • How to take advantage of vertical space to declutter your desk and organize your ideas

  • The value of a “calm-down corner” and of having meaningful objects in your space

  • What human-centered design can teach us about going from resilience to thriving

Learn more about Olga Trusova:

Thanks for Listening!

  • Send me a voice note, ideas for what you’d like to hear on the podcast, or a question that might be read and answered here on the podcast! Go to https://bit.ly/sapodcast-ask

  • Or simply email a question or comment for future episodes here

  • Get my curated bi-weekly Sustainable Ambition Forum newsletter. Sign up here