Hi all! I’ve got a new series to introduce today which I’m really excited about. Ever since mentioning I had officially made the transition to working for myself/starting my own business, I haven’t said too much else about the topic. That is about to change! The truth is, my mind is in such a different place these days. When I first started Channeling Contessa, is was solely a creative outlet for my culinary creations. Nowadays, I (thankfully) have many more creative outlets on my plate (ie: my work!) that go well beyond the kitchen and occupy my brain all day long. Thus it only feels natural to share more of that here.
My mind is brimming with ideas for this series, but I want to start things off in a simple and organized manner. So first things first, I’m going to break it down for you guys and share what a typical day looks like in my world these days. Here goes!
7:30-8 am: Wake up I aim to get out of bed around 7:45 am each day. I actually don’t set an alarm. I have a crazy internal body clock which can prove to be pretty frustrating on weekends, but gets me up on time during the week.
8-10:00 am: Breakfast and Work Once out of bed I make coffee or tea and start work, which usually consists of emails and blog stuff while I’m still waking up. This is my favorite time of day- I love the morning light that pours into our apartment and I love being able to start my work day from the comfort of my own home. Breakfast usually consists of yogurt with honey and almonds or toast with almond butter.
9:45- 11 am: Prep for the “Office” After taking care of any morning priorities I hop in the shower and get ready to go to the “office.” Yes, office. Last month I started renting shared office space here in Brooklyn. While I love the flexibility of working from home I was starting to feel cooped up and cafés were just too noisy, so now I spend a few days a week here. I love it! The people are so sweet and there’s even a little dog named Sushi who hangs out with us.
11 am- 5:30 pm: Work at the Office These are my usual hours at the co-working space. I’ve found working here to be incredibly productive- more so than any other office I’ve worked it. Not much but work happens during this period- I usually bring something to eat and snack on it at my desk (and pet Sushi from time to time).
5:30-6:30 pm: Head Home & Prep for the Gym The office is a solid half hour walk from my apartment, so I shoot to leave by 5:30 so I can get home and change for the gym, as well as clean up the apartment a bit.
6:30-7:30 pm: Gym Time When I’m not traveling (or suffering from the stupid flu), I aim to make it to the gym 3 weekdays and 1 weekend day. Exercise is so crucial for my mental health, so I really look forward to my workout. Most days I do about 20 minutes of cardio and spend the rest of the timing lifting weights.
7:30 pm- 9 pm: Shower and Prep Dinner At 7:30 I’m hustling to finish my workout and head home to prep dinner. Usually I’m reheating leftovers or making something simple like a big salad and quesadillas, which doesn’t require too much time and effort. We eat around 8:15/8:30 and linger until around 9 pm. Sitting down for dinner is one of my favorite parts of the day- the down time and catching up with Brandon helps keep me sane.
9- 11 pm: Blogging, Light Work, and Prepping for the Next Day The majority of my evening time I spend blogging, but occasionally they’ll be a little work, and often I do a bit more tidying of the apartment and prepping meals, etc. for the next day. Some nights I’ll catch up on my TV shows - I’m currently watching Mad Men, Smash, and Bethenny Ever After (no judging!).
11-11:45 pm: Prep for bed, reading, and lights out! In an ideal world I’m in bed with teeth brushed just a little after 11 so I have a solid amount of time to read. I’m currently reading Spontaneous Happiness. Next on my list- 50 Shades of Grey!
Aaand I think that’s it! Obviously not everyday is like this- at least one night a week I have dinner or drinks with friends or we go out, and some weekdays I’ll take advantage of my work from home schedule and go to the gym in the morning or hit up Trader Joe’s when it isn’t a mad house. As simple as it sounds, this whole work from home schedule took me quite some time to figure out- I just now feel like I’m starting to get the hang of it. If there’s one thing having my own business has really taught me thus far, it’s that I need to be more patient! In time…
I love hearing about how others work out their daily schedules. When my work first gave me the OK to work from home two days a week, I struggled to be productive. Having an outside of the home office space made all the difference.
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Thanks for sharing your day to day with us! It’s interesting to me (as a teen) at eating late at night and “living it up” later into the night. Anyways
I just stumbled upon your site, then your blog, from Makeunder My Life (Jess LC). Excited to read more about your life & business adventures!!