This one was quite a task:
A Day in the Life of, well, me!
So, here goes…
Like many business owners, my days vary, but this is an average day here at B&CHQ:
6.00am Alarm goes off. It’s set to play a tune that’s very similar to the Tales of the Unexpected TV theme tune from many years ago. I chose this one because I’m a nostalgic fool, but also I rather like the idea that each day has the possibility to bring all sorts of wonderful unexpected things.
The easiest way to get myself out of bed is to check my POD sales. Nothing will drag me out of my cozy pit better than seeing that orders have been coming through while I’ve slept. It certainly motivates me to keep on PODDING!
Next we take the dogs for an hour long circuit of the nearest park. There are often paparazzi there, not for us of course, but we stop and chat if we see them. Once, our little dog, Ted, cocked his leg on one of them. Maybe he thought he was a tree!
When we get home I feed the dogs and have a cuppa and breakfast, then wander down to the office.
First on the agenda is checking emails and social media for any client queries and course enquiries, and, more recently, catchups from the new B&C Team, and typing out replies.
I like to check in with the Alumni Group, the private Facebook group that’s only accessible to current and former Branded & Covered students and clients – at least once a day. We have a group chat, too, so it’s great for keeping in touch, sharing updates etc.
Depending on which day it is, I either do social media scheduling, a blog post or email newsletter. I try to do one of these things for one of the sites each day, rather than overload by trying to do it all at the same time.
Next is usually a Zoom call with a VIPPOD or a 1-1 client. Depending on who the Zoom is with I might spend the rest of the day actioning the POD work we discussed. I usually limit it to one Zoom a day (unless B&C is in Launch Mode!) as I get so distracted that I don’t do everything else, which isn’t fair on me OR my clients!
At some point I grab some lunch. I tend to get engrossed in what I’m doing and so lunch is often quite late. The day is also broken up with trips to the garden to let the dogs out and also flicking on the kettle or firing up the SodaStream.
I do an hour on my own POD sites, either researching, creating or uploading. This could mean products or books, or both.
Once all of the above is done, I give myself at least an hour on one of the courses I’m doing. At least, that’s the plan. When there’s another project going on, like the recording of the training videos at the moment, then this gets pushed down the list.
I love learning new stuff – why is it that we see the things we enjoy doing as guilty pleasures? Though in typical Shiny Object Syndrome manner I am currently juggling 3 courses, alongside running Branded & Covered and my own POD sites and presence on platforms, Amazon, etc. So I probably have no one but myself to blame!
I usually work until around 6.00pm, though my goal is to cut this down to a 28 hour week. Until recently, there were live training sessions as part of the Create Your Own Merch course every Tuesday evening – these are being replaced by the course we’re currently filming. Not because I’m a lazy cow, but because I genuinely think they will be far more digestible for the CYOM students.
Then it’s either TV and food then more TV, or we walk up to a restaurant for dinner. There’s so much in walking distance that resisting is tricky!
I FaceTime my mom every evening to have a chat and usually discuss Wordle, which I’ve sneaked in at some point during the day.
We AIM to go to bed at 10.00pm but that NEVER happens… best intentions…
What would I LIKE/LOVE to add in to my day?
I would love to spend an hour at least writing. There are two books currently fighting for space in my brain, one a How To POD book to complement and introduce people to Branded & Covered and the magic of print on demand, and the other bringing some of my short stories together to form a novel.
Podcasting.
YouTubing. (Come and subscribe to my POD Queen YouTube Channel here - from Wednesday the 30th June I'm going to challenge MYSELF to film and upload a YouTube video EVERY DAY for 21 days - so that it becomes a HABIT!)
I’d also like to use the cross trainer for something other than hanging things I don’t want to get dog hair on.
Things I DON’T want to add or would like to remove from my day?
Cooking (already gone!).
Cleaning*.
Gardening*.
*Neither of which happen daily whenever possible!
So there we are. My day. It’s been quite a task figuring all this out.
Have you ever tried to write out your day?
What’s in your day?
Furthermore, what would you LOVE it to look like?
I’ve learnt rather a lot from this one!
Thank you, Lisa! @LisaJohnsonStrategist #VisibleLisaJohnson