A Day In The Life Of... Avustaa

There’s something to be said for qualities most entrepreneurs have: resilience, ambition, discipline, and a drive for always wanting to achieve more.

These are what set us apart from others in that our efforts strongly reflect our success. Not to say that those working in the corporate world can’t have these qualities or don’t work hard, but they seem to be on another level for us entrepreneurs. Not only do we power through our to-do lists like no one else, but, and at least for us, we tend to feel our successes more because we know how hard we had to work to get them.

Although there are many more entrepreneurs today than there were a decade ago, it still seems that in our circle of friends, we are not the majority. There is one other entrepreneur in my close-knit friends group and her and I have a very similar experience – “balancing” work and home with kids and partners. So I know she will appreciate this run-through of a typical Avustaa day, as I’m sure it’s quite similar to hers. It’s not only about raising a family at home, it’s also about raising our business!

The Morning:

Our mornings begin around 7am when it’s time to get not only ourselves up, but the tiny human, too. Like her mama, Remi is not a morning person so we usually endure 2-4 meltdowns before we leave for daycare… at 7:50am. Yep, 50 minutes of multiple meltdowns, generally over getting dressed and/or brushing her hair. Luckily, she loves “school” so it’s an easy drop-off and I’m home by 8:10am and then it’s time to take my furbaby out for a walk. This has become my favourite part of the morning as I can pop in my headphones, catch up on a podcast or two, and have some “me time” after the chaotic morning and before my workday starts.

The best part about my days is that no two are ever the same. Different clients need different things done each day which makes it tricky for scheduling, but great for me, as I hate having the same day over and over. Once I’m back home from my walk, it’s time to refuel with another coffee and head down to my office to look at what’s ahead. I try not to look at emails until I’m ready to really get into it, as it just distracts me from whatever else I’m doing (like fighting a 3-year-old to put on shorts!).

Generally, from 9am until about noon or 1pm, my focus is on client work. This ranges from the everyday tasks such as replying to emails and scheduling appointments, to more creative tasks such as graphics and writing assignments. I try to get the “easier” ones (such as emails!) done first thing as it allows me a bit of time to get the caffeine pumping through me before I take on the more creative tasks. That’s just how I work, and I know some people prefer to get the creative stuff done and out first thing, but I take a long time to wake up in the morning, so it’s just not my jam.

The Afternoon:

Once my morning’s tasks have been wrapped up, I’ll take a bit of a break and leave my office for at least 30 minutes to reset. Sometimes, errands or housework will get done in this time, as it allows my mind to reset while still being productive.

I have a “thing” with always needing to feel as though I’m being productive during the day, as then I can justify relaxing in the evening, knowing I busted my ass that day to earn that time. It’s probably not the best framework to have, but it works for me and I get a shit-ton done during the day!

Knowing that I only have until 4pm before having to pick-up Remi, if there are any pressing assignments, social media writing/scheduling, or blog post writing for here, these will be what I tackle first. Client work will always come first (duh!) but on quieter days I will prioritize Avustaa.

As I near the end of my kid-free time, I plan out the next day. Not entirely, as things are always changing, but at least a handful of things I want to accomplish the following day. This helps me the next morning when I’m looking at the day and mapping it out in my mind.

The Evening:

Generally, once that 4pm-ish time hits, we wrap it up for the day. But as we entrepreneurs know, it doesn’t always work that way! There are definitely evenings that we will have to (or choose to!) work and that’s totally fine by me. Once Remi is in bed, I often will come back and work for a few more hours on whatever I feel cannot wait until the next day. We put in a LOT of hours, and a lot of energy into our business to succeed – and it’s worth it. It’s worth it being able to work from my home – all day, every day. Not just during a pandemic and a lockdown. This was my working life before all of that was even a thing. And I wouldn’t change it for the world as it is so freaking empowering being able to know that my successes are a direct reflection of the work me and my team put in. In all my years of my professional career(s), I’ve never worked this hard. And it’s not because my jobs were easy, I just have more passion, grit, and determination now being an entrepreneur.

Do you relate to this type of day? Are you balancing multiple areas and accomplishing #AllTheThings ? Connect with us on social and let’s chat!