A Day in the Life (S)ummer 2020

Tanya Patrice here to share a “day in the life.” Since March, I’ve been completely home based – no longer traveling for work every other week. So a day in my life this summer, is a day balancing working from home, spending time with my family … and not yelling anyone for walking in on my video calls despite the door being closed!

Thursday – 7 AM // Get Up and Get Out. Typically I get out of bed at 7-ish. This morning, I head outside to water the plants and new sod / grass (I’ve neglected it for the last few days and it’s looking pitiful). I do this a few times a week.

At the same time, I’m listening to the audiobook of Survivor Song, Paul Tremblay. I’ve only recently started – but it’s very suspenseful. The audiobook is from Scrib’d (subscription service) and I’m using the JBL 650 Noise Canceling Headphones.

8:30 – 11:30AM // Work. I make myself a cup of Brew La La Organic Moroccan Mint Green Tea together with Caribbean Dreams Unsweetened Ginger Tea and head upstairs to my office to get the work day started. My son gets up around 8AM because his morning chore is to brush down the pool, and then he has a 9AM Zoom workout with his swim team this week.

I work with for a food manufacturing company, and today is spent reviewing quality policies and wrestling with my inbox. There are only 2 meetings today – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I do take little breaks throughout the morning though – to stretch, talk to my parents and my brother and to connect with the hubs and son and see what they’re up to … and put in a load of laundry!

(Goal Getter Desk Pad – Target)

12 – 1PM // Lunch. I take an hour for lunch today because it’s a gorgeous sunny day and my husband is grilling and relaxing by the pool (he’s retired). He makes grilled chicken and steak skewers – and I have too many … they are so yummy (see 10 (R)ecipes On Our Summer Menu). I usually completely disconnect from work at lunch time.

1PM // Work. Back to work for another few hours. I have an extra monitor in my office which is super helpful – but I need a change of scenery, so I head downstairs and work from the patio out back where I can see and interact with the family.

4PM // Pool Time. I’m over just watching my hubs and son lounge around in the pool and decide to sign off work early and join them for an hour or so. We float and just splash around and chit chat.

5PM // Work. While my husband cooks dinner, I log back on to work for about 45 minutes – just to catch up with a few things that popped up – mostly from the West Coast since they are 2 hours behind.

6PM// Dinner Time. The hubs grilled some burgers and whipped up a salad, so I jump on this since I’m starving, and also crack open The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanne Collins. Anyone else love to read while eating? Or do you hate that it tends to leave food marks in the book?!

7PM // Pain Cave aka Exercise. Down into the basement I go to hit up the treadmill for a 55 minute walk with a few running intervals thrown in. At the same time, I listen and watch some of the Verzuz battle on Instagram with Rick Ross and 2 Chainz.

8:30PM // Games. After a shower, the fam wants to play some games. It’s always winner’s choice, so my son chooses Rummikub and Azul.

10PM // Reading & Bedtime. I read for about 30 minutes … more of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes before turning the lights out for the night.

I’m working on getting into a routine where ideally, workouts would be in the morning, but one thing I try to make sure is that my days are not just focused on work – and that I get enough time outside, with the family and for myself. What are some of the things you do to keep your head above water during the pandemic and uncertainty?