Today’s post is a lot lighter and fun, and it’s a Sunday. I’m not going to unload a lot of business jargon on you, but I am going to tell you what it’s like in the day in the life of a Digital Marketing Maven. That’s my business title in case you didn’t already know. For someone like me who works in a home office, it’s easy to get distracted and not stay on task, not to mention staying motivated and focused as a small business owner, especially if you’re the boss…the chief bottle washer…the employee…the mother…the wife. I could go on and on.
So how do I do it all? Here’s a glimpse into a day in the life of a Digital Marketing Maven…
I’m up and out of bed by 5 AM, letting four out of the five dogs I own out to go potty.
I make coffee for my husband, while I prepare a hot tea for myself.
I sit down at my desk and catch up on emails and/or social media. If it’s a day I need to write a blog post, then I’m preparing it to publish later. It depends on my day…if it’s a super-busy day, then the blog may get pushed back till later in the afternoon or evening.
I prepare lunches for both my husband and daughter. Chloe is still in high school and loves taking her lunch because what they serve there is not always suitable for her to eat. I also feed my five fur babies and let them out again after they eat.
By 8 AM, everyone leaves for work and school and I’m able to focus on me and my work…well, mostly. Remember, I have five fur babies to entertain and let out to poop and play throughout the day. Haha!
At this time, I usually go for a run or I work out inside, depending on the weather. I love to run when it’s cold, so I do more of an outside workout than I do inside.
By the time I get settled back at my desk for client work, it’s usually around 10 AM. This is where time-blocking and focusing is crucial to me getting anything done, relating to client work.
I do allow myself breaks every couple of hours so I can eat lunch or a snack. Sometimes, I will take a few minutes and plan and prep what I’m cooking for dinner. Do I find myself wanting to stop and reorganize or clean or get distracted by something else? Of course I do! That’s when I have to stop and remember I’m needed on a project and it needs to get done. One thing I didn’t mention is my office is a shared open space in the family great room. It is a doable working space, but there are times I long for four walls to keep out the noise and distraction. Once we move, my next house will have its own space for an office…for me.
Aletha’s Workspace
I try to end my work day around 5 PM, but sometimes I push it to almost 6 PM if I’ve been working on one client project all day and need to jump on another client task to finish before the end of the day.
Between 5:30 PM and 6:00 PM, I’m preparing dinner for mainly my husband and me. My daughter usually eats out or she’s working at her after-school job. My son usually eats out too or he’s working.
Oh and I’m feeding my dogs around 6 PM as well.
After dinner, I like to wind down and relax, watching TV with my husband. We love watching shows on Netflix! If I’m not watching TV, I’m catching up social media, liking watching the posts from one of my favorite groups, “The Ultimate Blog Challenge”.
Usually I’m off to bed by 9:30 or 10:00.
Sounds boring, right? I wish everyday was like this! Sometimes, life happens and everything I listed above doesn’t always occur when it should. There are days I need to be present for my kids and my client workload gets pushed back to where I’m working a couple hours at night instead of enjoying time with my husband. It happens. Or I have a client issue that needs immediate attention, so it takes more time than I anticipated. Again, I’m pushing back my time-blocked schedule and need to rearrange my day to accommodate those little hiccups. But it’s okay. That is why I allow myself to have a flexible schedule so I can work around situations that may come up. It’s a family-work life balance, but it’s never easy. I would not have it any other way. I love what I do and would never trade it for another corporate job where I felt underutilized and bored.
I would love to hear how your day starts and ends. Do you enjoy the quietness of your day? Or do you crave the hustle and bustle of a family life or work life? Let me know. Drop your comment below.
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Good morning Aletha…thanks for sharing your day with us. It sounds similar to mine with regards to the fur babies (we have one, but that’s enough!) One thing I should have included in my UBC post of the day today was – when I’m sitting at my desk crafting or doing genealogy – I have music playing. I’m not a huge tv person (but do have a few favs I watch from time to time). Back in the day, when I worked a full-time job, I thrived on the hustle and bustle, not anymore. I can’t stand the traffic of DFW…but say road trip, and my bags are packed!!!!
Have a GREAT day!
Nancy, sometimes I enjoy some music…something upbeat so I’m not falling asleep at my desk. LOL I love to travel too!!!
My day is crazy. I’m a middle school assistant principal. If I don’t have evening duties at school, I absolutely crave and love my quiet evenings at home to read or write.
I certainly don’t blame you, Carrie! And you’re a great writer! Just read your Faith in Fiction article. I’m intrigued!
You seem very well organized on your day Aletha! My days vary since we semi-retired last year but still get up early. Hubby’s up by 4am, I usually come down between 6-7. If Lia spends the night, she wakes up about 8, I make breakfast for the three of us then go outside for fresh air. Back inside I try to get to reading some blogs and post mine if I wrote it during the night. Yes, DURING the night! We usually retire around 10pm but my brain is in full swing until about 2am so that’s when I get a lot of my blogging done.
Oh my goodness, Martha! No way I could be up writing in the wee hours of the morning like you do! I’m a morning person and start to shut down around 3 PM ish.
Thanks for sharing your day. Sounds a lot like mine!
Some differences – I have a dedicated office – I like to go in and close the door when family members are home. I am not a morning exerciser, so I prefer to go out at lunchtime. Usually from Noon to One, I hit the gym. Fortunately for me, it is a class, so I have to sign up for it (extra accountability).
Many folks like us (folks that work online) like to go to the local coffee house – I never got into that!
And, thanks for the shoutout of the Ultimate Blog Challenge!
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Oh how I long for a closed door! I’ll get my chance when one of my children move out and I take over their room. LOL And you’re welcome…glad to feature a great blogger! There has been a rare opportunity I’ve went to my local library to work, but it’s been a while.
You are a busy person! Lots to do in a day! Thanks for sharing it with the readers!
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Thank you, Anne! Busy, but I enjoy my crazy life! LOL