What A Typical Work Day Looks Like #behindthehourglass

⌛ By Kaylin R. Staten ⌛

I always find it interesting to discover what people do on an average work day, especially when they own their own businesses and a little more control over their workflow. 

I only spent one day, Feb. 28, tracking my day (it takes time to do this, after all), but I wanted to give you some insight into what a normal day looks like for me. Of course, my hours fluctuate. In this particular week, I’ve worked well over 40 hours (which is 100 percent normal for me and any company owner anywhere). That is also why this blog post finds itself on a completely different day -- not its standard Thursday at 3:30 p.m. timeslot. 

Some days are centric to client work, while others, like today, are heavily attuned to my particular career path of public relations. Most days, I am tied to normal business hours because that is the way of most of my client base. So, this night owl sometimes struggles during the daylight hours! 

So, here is what a “normal” day looks like for me, although no two days are the same:

8:15 a.m.: Get up… much later than I wanted!

8:20 p.m.: Make coffee because PRIORITIES.

8:30 a.m.: Event planning meeting for PRSA-East Central District on video (only have lipstick on and made sure my hair is messy BUT chic hopefully?)

9:30 a.m.: Client work (craft and send draft, send updated contract, catch up on emails, register for a free upcoming digital conference, send an updated proposal, media kit thoughts, download new logo for client, organize photos, prep for 11 a.m. meeting)

10 a.m.: Eat an orange and continue to drink coffee + milk -listen to Dateline podcast while continue to work on above items with my first-born cat child on my lap

10:40 a.m.: Read an article about 1990s nostalgia projects (I have a lava lamp from my middle school days on my desk).

10:50 a.m.: Scarf down leftover vegetable pizza while watching the first few minutes of a YouTube video.

11 a.m.: Another PRSA-ECD meeting regarding the upcoming Diamond Awards program (conference call).

11:05 a.m.: I keep getting an error message with the conference call number, so I send an email to the group. I use my OCD perfectionism skills and keeping dialing and quadruple checking the number. LOL. I also call my husband to see if he’s heard of this error message I’m getting before. Because I need his technological genius brain sometimes for Hourglass Media’s benefit. (laughing emoji) #perksofmarriage

11:10 a.m.: Resume YouTube video and write a retirement card to a mentor.

11:20 a.m.: Listen to recap of PRSA’s “Industry Convergence” webinar on 1.5 speed increased + update my APR maintenance spreadsheet; clean my messy office because I can’t stand it anymore! 

11:45 a.m.: Cut quilting squares and text my husband “Arrested Development” gifs while listening to the webinar.

12:10 p.m.: Get dressed in actual clothes and put on makeup.

12:30 p.m.: Start dusting my office because it’s filthy by my standards and I am allergic to dust. 

12:52 p.m.: Eat leftover mac and cheese. 

1:05 p.m.: Start driving to third meeting while listening to more of the “Dateline” podcast.

1:30 p.m.: Discuss award options for PRSA-River Cities’ second annual Tribus Awards ceremony. The awards guy was like, “Now, after this meeting, go do something fun.” WORK IS FUN, I tell myself when all I want to do is nap. This always happens to me from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

2:35 p.m.: Go to Walgreen’s after the meeting to see if they have Expressie nail polish. 0/1.

2:40 p.m.: Go to CVS to see if they have the aforementioned nail polish. 0/2. I have to purchase Tylenol because the entire store smells like a bleach factory, and it gives me an instant headache. Who else is sensitive to everything like me?

3 p.m.: Go to a local bookstore/coffee shop an hour ahead of a 4 p.m. meeting there. I catch up on emails and then Facebook messages for some upcoming newspaper stories and check my to-do list on Asana. It’s always satisfying to check off the boxes on said list. Drink a small iced lavender latte and eat a couple of bites of a brownie. I set my to-do list for Monday and the rest of next week. Client work will take up the first 3 days, and I have to send out invoices. A girl has to get #paid. 

4 p.m.: Meeting with a new potential client. My fourth (well, third, technically) of the day.

5:30 p.m.: Head home; talk to my husband en route.

6 p.m.: Cook dinner and end the work day. I do check emails, though, so my work is truly never done.

What does my dream day look like?

Well, that will vary. Typically, I will say this is my dream day:

I would be sitting in my Paris apartment in the 16th Arrondisement with the French windows open, despite the rainy day, sipping on strong coffee au lait and macaroons. My husband and cats would be there, and we’d spend the day just doing whatever we feel like doing, whether that is taking photos around the city or eating croque-monsieurs at our neighborhood restaurant. 

But, I also dream about adventures in Seattle, New York City, and our future dream house.

Kaylin R. Staten, APR, is an award-winning public relations practitioner and writer based in Huntington, WV with nearly 16 years of professional communications experience. As CEO and founder of Hourglass Media, she uses her compassionate spirit and expertise to delve into the heart of clients’ stories. She is a recovering perfectionist, mental health advocate, wife, cat mom and Leia Organa aficionado. Connect with Kaylin on LinkedIn.