A Day in the Life
Come along for a peek at what work typically looks like for me...
Whenever I tell people what I do, even the people who know what I do, they always ask me what a media trip entails and then the follow up question of “How do you fit it all in?” comes along. I find it kind of weird to describe in passing conversation as I think, do people really want to know? How much detail should I go into? Nonetheless, I figured that since I am asked the question enough, it’s about time to answer it – so let’s see how much people are really interested!
I’m currently on a trip in the state of São Paulo, Brazil to explore the industry of lemons here (the state of São Paulo is responsible for 80 percent of Brazil’s citrus, of which the country is the world’s second largest citrus exporter). I had the idea of bringing you along as a “day in the life” with me prior to touching down here and it turns out to be the perfect trip to do so as it’s jam packed to give you the best sense of Instagram versus reality. Though I can’t say exactly who I’m in Brazil with (yet), this is a vague overview of my first day here…
6 am: Most days I like to wake up at the crack of dawn, have a coffee and get some work done or catch up on emails in bed. I typically leave the curtains slightly open to literally wake up with the sun.
6:30 am: Next up, is a workout. I usually don’t have too much time for a lengthy workout but I give myself grace on work trips and validate any type of movement from a 10 minute stretch to 30 minute quick cardio. I love Future for tailored workouts to keep me on track and when a gym isn’t available (hello, Europe) or I only have 30 minutes and want to optimize my time, I opt for an-room workout, usually using inspiration from Keoni Hudoba. He has an entire workout library from the pandemic which actually helped me get through quarantine with his aptly named COREntine — effective and positive-fueled workouts, some of which can be done with no equipment.
In addition to movement keeping me on track with fitness goals whilst traveling (I do eat everything I post) it’s also great for jet lag and regulating the circadian rhythm, plus an excuse to be in the moment with my body before turning “on” work mode aka my extrovert.
7:15 am: Shower, get dressed and turn on work mode for the first activity of the day. While not every trip starts as early as the itinerary I’m currently on, they usually aren’t far off. Once the day starts, I am taking notes, asking questions, networking, and kind of have to be keen for anything that comes my way. I’ve mastered my “get ready” routine to about 10 minutes, of which I’ll spare you the “get ready with me details” but it helps to have a routine and planned outfits ahead of time.
7:45 am: Meet with colleagues and depart for the day. I typically skip breakfast and instead take a coffee to go — this isn’t for diet reasons or anything but I’m not a big early morning eater.
8:30 am: Group activity or activation. Every trip varies but the day usually starts with a tour of some type and in this case it took place on a lemon farm. Other activities can include icebreakers, group bonding, physical activity like a hike or sometimes (and my favorite) a breakfast wine tasting.
10 am: Photoshoot, interviews or content opportunity. On my current trip, this slot was all about the content.
11 am: Group activity. Now, it was time to pick lemons. We split into teams to pick the most lemons we could in 30 minutes.
1 pm: Lunch. A sit-down, traditionally lengthy lunch with the group that’s also typically boozy. This is why I need to get my workout and work done first thing when I wake up otherwise my mind isn’t exactly clear in the afternoon should we have any down time (truthfully, a rarity).
3:30 pm: A long car ride to a new hotel. Media trips tend to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. Sometimes, and in my current case, I’m at a new hotel every night (other travel journalists will relate that a true luxury is staying in one place for consecutive nights so that we can actually unpack and *gasp* put away our suitcases). This was a 90-minute drive and I’m not afraid to admit I nodded off which was probably best for the winding dirt roads we traversed to get to a farm hotel in seemingly the midst of nowhere.
5 pm: Check-in. When I’m traveling with a hotel client, this is usually when I get a tour of the property. Even when I’m not technically with a hotel, I still use this time to get my bearings, scope out the property and of course, snap some photos for the ‘gram.
6 pm: Freshen up and prep for the evening. Getting ready for dinner is usually a whirlwind but also somewhat easier than events at home as I have a limited wardrobe to choose from. Black, non-wrinkle is my go-to on trips then I accessorize with unique or fun jewelry that always becomes a talking point.
7 pm: Dinner. These tend to revolve around pairings and multiple courses so they can span four+ hours easily. It’s always fun to reflect on the day’s activities, lessons and watch as strangers turn into friends in a matter of a day.
11 pm… or later: Retire to my room. No matter when I call it a night with the group, I am usually wired from the day’s activity still and instead of listening to Headspace or Calm like a normal human, I will scroll through the day’s images, deleting ones that aren’t up to par, editing them and taking notes on the day’s activity. If my brain is still going, then I revert to scrolling social media until I usually nod off. A weird thing about me is that I usually don’t turn on the TV in a hotel.
This puts me at about 1 am (if I’m lucky) for my unofficial bed time. Yes, if you have any recommendations for sleep rituals, I’m all ears as I know this isn’t healthy but it’s also why I don’t do back-to-back trips anymore (the above is certainly not my routine at home).
Some recent clips:
This Luxury Resort Outside Nashville Is Drawing Well-Heeled City Slickers to a Working Farm
We Asked 10 Bartenders: What’s Your Favorite Chain Restaurant Cocktail?
Loved this walkthrough! So insightful. ☺️