A recent post by Stephanie from Not Entirely Perfect inspired me to share my daily routine. I would love to have the exact same routine every day, but unfortunate my life doesn’t adhere to that. It would certainly be a lot less stressful, but often I have to be flexible and fit things in where I can. There are two versions to my weekdays: days when I work on Chicago time and days when I work Arizona time. This is because my work office is based in Phoenix and I work from home in Chicago. I usually work Chicago time on Wednesdays, when I have group training for the Chicago Marathon, and sometimes on other days if I have a running meetup, dinner plans or an appointment.
Version 1: Chicago time
7-7:30 a.m.: Wake up. I actually sort of wake up around 6 a.m. when Graham leaves for work, but I don’t actually get out of bed until anytime from 7 to 7:30 a.m. One habit I would like to break is checking social media first thing, but it has yet to happen.
7:30-7:45: I brush my teeth, put on my contacts, clean my Invisalign trays, brush my hair and change. If I am feeling ambitious I might put on some concealer/foundation, bronzer and mascara. I don’t do my makeup daily. I only wear makeup if I am doing something that requires contact with people.
7:45-8:10ish: Make and eat breakfast and I sometimes grab Starbucks. I have been going there a lot recently, but I plan to cut back by making my own my own coffee. We’re just out of groceries right now. I usually eat two eggs (either on their own with peppers from the garden or in a burrito). If I grab Starbucks it’s either a spinach foldover or a spinach feta wrap. I also feed and water the dogs.
8:10ish-8:30: Check/write in my planner, participate in Facebook group threads and share my blog post on social media. Schedule posts for the day. I also use this time before work to pick up around the house. I like to start the day by putting everything in its place and making the bed. If I have time, I also water the plants now and pick any veggies that are ready to eat.
8:30-12:20ish: Log onto my work network and make a to-do list. Then work!
12:20-1:20ish: I make lunch, which takes me about 15 minutes to eat. If I didn’t that morning, I water the plants. I give the dogs more water and a treat if we have any. I also check the mail. I am someone who loves to check the mail, and I get ridiculously excited when I have a package coming.
1:20ish-5:30: More work. I try to take a 15 minute break in between. I might do the dishes — we always seem to have some in the sink — or I might use the time to watch a Youtube video or read a blog I enjoy. If I am editing, I don’t like a lot of noise, but if I am doing something that requires little bandwidth, such as making graphs, I listen to music or an audio book. I also eat a snack at some point in the afternoon.
5-6:30: Get ready for marathon training, or whatever other reason I had for working Chicago time, such as a running group meetup, dinner with a friend or a Cubs game. On those nights there is no routine. I get home and often go to bed. On Wednesdays, it takes me about 30 minutes to get to our training location because of Chicago traffic, even though it really is only 4-5 miles from my place.
6:30 p.m.-7:30 on Wednesdays: Marathon training. We don’t know what we are doing until we show up. It can be anything from mile repeats, hills, a beach workout to exercise stations.
7:30-7:45 or 8: Drive home and look for parking. Lately I haven’t had trouble finding parking on my street (I like to think it’s because I have had more positive thoughts about it inspired by the book “You Are a Badass”), but some days I have to drive around for 10-15 minutes and park blocks away. Chicago life is fun.
8-8:30: Make dinner and eat. If Graham is home he might feel kind enough to have dinner ready, but if he’s at work I make my own dinner.
8:30-10:30: Shower after my workout and then, if Graham is home, we watch TV, take the dogs out and just hang out. If we have laundry to put away I might freak out and start doing that. If you haven’t guessed by now I like things to be in their place. We also video chat with my niece and mom quite often. If Graham’s at work, I use the time to catch up on Bravo shows, work ahead on blog posts, read other blogs, listen to an audio book, edit a video and do random things like empty the dishwasher. If I am sore I will take an Epsom salt bath.
I try to be in bed by 11.
Arizona time:
7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m.: Wake up around this time. I post my blog link on Facebook groups and then brush my teeth, put on my contacts, clean my Invisalign trays, brush my hair and change. I make and eat breakfast or I sometimes grab Starbucks. I also feed the dogs and water the plants.
8:30ish-9: Check/write in my planner, participate in Facebook group threads and share my blog post on social media. Schedule posts for the day. I also use this time before work to pick up around the house. I like to start the day by putting everything in its place and making the bed. If I have time, I also water the plants now and pick any veggies that are ready to eat.
9-9:30: Work on blog posts and take photos.
9:30-10:30: Get things done around the house, make a plan/to-do list for the day, check email accounts and read blogs.
10:30-12:20ish: Work.
12:20-1:30: Orangetheory on two days a week, usually Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Mondays and Fridays I will catch up on a favorite TV show, practice yoga or do a short run along the lakefront. I then make and eat lunch, which takes me about 15-20 minutes to eat.
1:30-7:30: Finish work. I take a short break to shower during the afternoon if I went to Orangetheory or worked out that day. If I didn’t, I wait until before bed. Sometimes I switch from working at my desk to another room. If Graham gets home from work that afternoon we might take a walk to the beach.
*8: If I didn’t make it to Orangetheory at 12:30 on Thursdays, I might go now.
7:30-8:30: If I didn’t go to Orangetheory, I make and eat dinner.
8:30-10:30: If Graham is not working, we watch TV, take the dogs out and just hang out. We video chat with my niece and mom. If he’s at work, I use the time to catch up on Bravo shows, work ahead on blog posts, read other blogs, listen to an audio book, and do random things like empty the dishwasher or write. If I am sore I will take an Epsom salt bath while using a face mask.
10:30ish-11: Skin care, brush my teeth, take out my contacts, go to bed.
Things that throw me off:
- When Graham works nights he is home until 10 a.m. and he might request that I walk the dogs with him.
- When I have a work meeting that cuts into my lunch hour, that means I have to push my workout to after work.
- If I wake up late I have to neglect cleaning.
- If I have to run to the store, I try to do it when I work Arizona time before work because it’s easier to find parking in the morning vs. evening in Chicago.
That’s all, folks! What do your typical weekdays look like?
