My desk in the middle of a giant book project!

What is a day in the life of a copywriter like? This is actually a question that I get asked a lot. I’ve decided to take some time to write it up as a blog post and then I can point people to it whenever they ask.

I will say this before we begin: If you’ve seen a day in the life of one copywriter, you’ve seen a day in the life of ONE copywriter. When you get down to it, any copywriter’s day is going to be as unique as that copywriter.

How I’m Unique

Mine just might be a bit more unique than most. As a heart-centered copywriter, my day is going to look a bit different from your average copywriter.

I’m different and I run my business differently, and this is what works for me.

If you’re reading to get an idea of how to structure your own day, keep this in mind, but know that everyone is different. The beauty of working for yourself is that you have the freedom to structure your day however you want.

If you’re reading because you’re just curious, know that my day may look a bit different than that of other business owners. For me, the whole point of being an entrepreneur is that I have the freedom to live my life in the way that suits me best.

I’m going to take you on a little journey through a typical weekday for me. Ready? Let’s go!

a day in the life

A Day in the Life: Morning

7:00 A.M. – I wake and wake up two of my school-age children who take the bus. They are independent and self-sufficient, and typically are already awake from their own alarms but I like to make sure (and to say good morning to them).

7:05 to 8:30 A.M. – This is time for morning reading, meditation, visualization, and other quiet activities. And sometimes, I go back to sleep. If I was up late the night before, a quick nap can make all the difference. I no longer feel guilty about the ways I choose to take care of myself.

8:30 to 8:50 A.M. – Get my youngest son up for school and drive him to school (no bus available). The school is only about a mile away so this trip doesn’t take long but I like to get their early and be at the front of the drop-off line. We sit for a few minutes waiting for the doors to open so I will talk to him if he feels like it, or read a book if he doesn’t (he’s not a morning person either).

Late Morning

9:00 A.M – I’m back home by 9 (usually right before) and this is when I grab some coffee and head to my office. I tackle the hardest work first. Next, I also focus on writing tasks during this block, rather than bookkeeping or checking messages. I can go back later in the day and edit the things I write, but this time is for dedicated, creative flow.

11:00 A.M. to noon – Exercise. Sometimes I go to the gym, go for a run, or both. I also do workouts at home, yoga, weightlifting and cardio. I typically do this BEFORE eating my lunch, but I might have a light snack like a piece of fruit before the exercise hour.

day in the life

A Day in the Life: Afternoon

Noon to 1:00 P.M. – If eating lunch alone, I sometimes take it to my desk, although I have been trying to be more mindful of that so I don’t do really hardcore work during this time, but I might check up on emails or social media, or read something for research.

1:05 – 3:00 P.M. – This is when I block out the work I need to do completely undisturbed. Things like client calls, or deep writing sessions, strategy sessions, and content/copy planning go in this block. Kids start getting home at 3, so this is my last block of completely uninterrupted time. It’s also the best time for recording videos or audios for my courses.

3:05 – 3:30 P.M – I need to pick up my youngest from school. In the winter, I drive my car, park early in order to get a space, and usually read a book or answer emails from my phone while I wait. In the warmer months, I walk there and we walk home together. It’s just under a mile from home to the school, so it doesn’t take too long but is some nice additional exercise, and also bonding with my son. He loves to tell me all about his day.

Late Afternoon

3:30 – 4:00 P.M. – This is when I check in with my older kids, make sure homework is done, ask about their day, take any forms that need to be signed and that sort of thing. This is just a flexible window where I may sit back down in the office and look over work, but they also know that I am available to them during this time as well.

4:05 – 5:00 P.M. – My last hour of “official” work. I try to keep basic 9-5 work hours for my important stuff, but I do work after hours. Keeping all client calls in the 9-5 window is another priority.

Therefore, I don’t commit myself to anything in my downtime. I will, however, work on personal projects, blog posts, my books, or sometimes client work after 5 if I feel inspired. The key for me, is not to commit to things that I HAVE to do after time. I want that time free for myself and my family.

6:00 P.M. – Dinner time

7:00 P.M. – After dinner walk, workout, or gym time again. Sometimes I walk or job alone. This gives me a lot of time to think – about projects, family, friends, or anything else I have going on. Sometimes I walk with one of some of the kids and we talk about their day and what’s going on in their lives. Some nights I have fitness classes, and some nights I go to the gym solo.

A Day in the Life: Evening

8:00 P.M. to midnight – This is my free time. I may work on personal projects (fiction books I write under a pen name), playing video games, reading, watching Netflix, relax with great music, or whatever. If I make it to sleep before 1 a.m., then it’s an early night.

day in the life

That is a typical weekday for me. My weekends look different since I don’t work on the weekends and I have a lot of personal time and family time on Saturday and Sunday.

Importantly, I still make time to do the things I enjoy. There’s time for play and for talking with friends. I try not to overbook or overwhelm myself with each day. I’ve learned the hard way what can happen with overexerting myself.

Burnout has put me in the hospital – more than once!

I work for myself so that I can take it easy when I need to. Only YOU can decide what working for yourself means for you.