A Day in the Life of A Solopreneur

I'm constantly being asked about my schedule. What does a typical day look like, is usually the first question that comes to mind when people find out I run a public relations consulting company. Runner up, "you seriously get paid to do that?" Answer, yes - yes, I do.

To be honest. There really is no "typical" day and a set schedule is out of the question. BUT after working in the world of consulting for 2+ years, I've started to get into the flow of focusing my efforts based on the day of the week. So, this is my attempt to sum it up as best as I can!

6:45 a.m. – Wake up and make a cup of hot chai tea or coffee. If I’m going to a morning workout class (usually ballet barre), I head straight to the gym. From there, I get dressed and go straight to my studio (a spare room in my house). 

7:40 a.m. – Check emails for anything urgent and answer only the most pressing messages first (usually between 10 to 20). From there, I list out my to-do list for the day in my agenda - definitely a pen-to-paper girl. I write down the top (4 to 5) daily tasks I need to accomplish and then list the items I ‘want’ to do. From there, I prioritize the order of items I want to tackle first, usually starting with the more challenging assignments (like length proposals, writing assignments and campaigns.) Sometimes, I have an early coffee meeting or TV segment for a client, so emails get pushed to the side in place of these obligations. 

8:15 a.m. - Get ready for the day. Putting on a makeup and an outfit always makes me feel good.

9:00 a.m. - Hop on social media to make sure any morning posts for my clients (and personal account) are scheduled. I typically handle 8+ social media accounts including multiple platforms at a time, which can be a lot to juggle. Having content calendars and scheduling weekly posts for each client is crucial. I often have to check-in to respond to comments and engage with followers and make sure my posts are up on time.

10:00 a.m. If I have morning meetings, I head to those around this time (I usually have two full days spent at meetings, networking or client events and photo shoots each week - preferable Tuesday and Thursday's). If I’m in the office, I keep working on my to-do list and get to work on any pressing deadlines, projects or writing assignments. Think press releases, event outlines/schedules and social media campaigns. I get my best work done in the early afternoon, which is why I prefer to either be in my office or grinding away in a local coffee shop.

12:00 p.m. I try to prep a healthy lunch at home three to four days out of the week. Key word: try. The other days are spent enjoying lunch with a friend or at a networking lunch. Breaking for lunch is still a challenge for me. Making sure I take a bit of time away from the computer (and not working through lunch) is important. This is also around the time I check in with my assistant to make sure she is caught up on assignments for the week.

1:00 p.m. If I have any strategy sessions on the books (one-on-one consulting clients), I generally schedule around this time. The late afternoon works best for these intensive meetings because my mind is more focused when I know my pressing deadlines and all social media content has already been accomplished for the day.Plus, it's never smart to schedule meetings that require strategic thinking before lunch! Lesson learned. Strategy sessions either take place on-site at the business I am working with or via Google hangouts. 

2:30 p.m. I like to wrap any conference calls and meetings by this time. This includes any calls with my clients, potential partners (speakers, sponsors and brands) for Go Blog Social or touch-base calls with my team or interns.

3:00 p.m. I start to get antsy and hit the late-afternoon slump. my coffee has usually worn off and I've likely put in 7 or so hours of work. I like to take a "brain break" and get out to refresh and reset my mind. This is when I'll take my dog for a quick walk to clear my head, re-focus and of course, get in a workout!

4:00 p.m. I make sure any emails that were not addressed in the morning get responded to by this time. I try not to send email (especially to clients) after 5:30 p.m. This sets the tone for my "working hours" - even if I truly work late into the night. There is something to be said about setting email boundaries. 

4:30 p.m. At this time, I’m usually finishing up the bulk of my work and crossing off the last tasks on my to-do list. I either head to fitness class (my favorite is PoundFit) or get ready for a Happy Hour or evening client event. 

6:30 p.m. Many of my team conference calls and meetings for Go Blog Social and KCFW take place in the evening, as well as an volunteer projects or Junior League gathers. If I don’t have any meetings or get-together's, I’ll take this time to cook dinner with my husband or relax on the couch and catch up on Netflix. This is also my favorite time to scroll through my personal social media, like Pinterest and Instagram.

7:30 p.m. Sometimes I get a second wind - or inspired from taking a mental break from work. If I feel motivated, I will hop on my computer to plan out any big ideas or projects. This is also a time that often goes toward business development. Anything from listening to podcasts or webinars saved throughout the week, to updating my website and hashing out new services for clients. I try to focus this time of day on work and business growth that I am passionate about.

8:30 p.m. I read a few chapters from the book I’m reading at that moment (my goal is to read one per month) or watch a movie with the husband - if he is home. I also like to hop on social media one last time before unplugging for the evening.

10:30 p.m. I’ll usually prepare for bed around this time (I know, I’m not a night owl) to mentally prepare for the day ahead. I like to think through what I have scheduled for the next day and plan out any last minute details – like setting out an outfit or making sure my computer is fully charged.

There you have it. A somewhat "typical" day. Not an ordinary schedule, but I would be lying if I said I didn't love it.