Over the past two years, I’ve shared bits and pieces about commuting and how I break up my day but today I’m going to share what a typical day looks like for me. Below is my Tuesday. I apologize for being incredibly vague about what I do at work – it’s not because it’s super confidential or anything, but because I really like keeping it separate from the blog.
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5:57 am
Alarm #1 on phone goes off; I hit snooze.
5:59 am
Alarm #2 on phone goes off; I hit snooze. Again.
6:04 am
Alarm #3 on my phone goes off. It’s a crazy sound so I finally get out of bed.
6:05 – 6:50 am
I get ready for work – which basically means I take over the bathroom. My routine is pretty standard – pop in my contacts, fix my hair, put on make up, and brush my teeth. You know, standard stuff so I don’t go out in public looking like a hot mess. Then I go to the bedroom and try on at least 3 outfits – tossing the losing items onto the bed or dresser – before finally settling on something I like. I end up choosing a dress I bought at TopShop (when Joe and I were on our honeymoon), a cardigan with a teal belt, leggings and my tall boots. I’m seriously pushing the boundaries for business casual but I’m okay with this decision. The photo above was taken at work because the shots I took in the AM were all blurry.
6:50 am
Time to head out! I lock the door to our apartment and start walking to my bus stop. Today I got lucky and caught the express bus! It is crazy bright out this morning.
7:10 am
The bus pulls into ferry terminal. I hop off, thank the bus driver, and walk down to the waiting area. Thankfully, the doors to the ferry are already open so I can just walk right on.
7:15 – 7:45 am
Today I’m on the John F. Kennedy, which is my least favorite boat because the seats are not the most comfortable. Regardless, I find a seat towards the front of the boat and spend a few minutes catching up on Twitter and approving any comments from the blog on my phone. Then I spend the remaining time napping. On the days I don’t sleep, I’ll use this time to read, crochet, or write things down in my planner. It really depends on how I’m feeling and my mood.
7:45 – 7:50 am
When we pass Governor’s Island, I wake up (thanks to an announcement over the loudspeaker) and head to the lower level of the boat. It feels like the ferry takes forever to dock, but eventually it does and then I’m caught in a stampede of people. Imagine cattle being herded because that’s exactly what it looks like during rush hour.
7:51 – 7:59 am
I catch the R train and take it uptown to my stop while trying not to take another nap. Since it’s so early, the train travels much quicker than normal.
8:00 – 9:00 am
I usually get to work anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour earlier than I should. I typically have a full plate when it comes to my work load and I’ve found that it’s easier to tackle it when no one is in. If I’m able to get the big tasks done, I proofread the day’s post for the last time before it goes live and try to catch up with blogs.
9:01 am – 12:30 pm
The mornings tend to go by quickly because I’m typically so busy. I start by touching base with the coordinator on my team on what’s the plan for the day. Our IT consultant stops by my desk and we talk about an issue, resolve another problem, and update my boss on the status. At the same time, I’m doing a lot of paperwork and data entry (so much data entry).
12:30 – 1:30 pm
For my lunch hour, I quickly eat some left over noodle soup that I brought in and then head out to the local library. I have to return two books and check out four more. It’s nice to get outside and get a change of scenery so I spend the whole hour walking around, even if it is a little chilly out.
1:30 – 5:00 pm
Sadly, nothing glamorous – just more work.
5:01 – 5:30 pm
I power walk to the subway and wait for the next train which pulls into the station after a minute or so. My train is too slow so I have to wait for a few minutes before I can transfer to the 4/5. Today I just miss the 5:15 ferry so I end up having to wait until the 5:30. It’s not a total loss because I end up getting the Barberi, which is one of my favorite boats. There may be no outside seating, but it’s warm in the Winter and the seats are the most comfortable.
5:30 – 6:00 pm
During my ferry ride, I spend my time reading one of my new books, but in the past, I have also used this time to nap, write down ideas for posts, and play games on my phone. Like Doodle Jump (which is an amazing game if you don’t already have it).
6:00 – 6:20 pm
Back in Staten Island, I hop on the bus and jump off a few blocks before my street. It’s finally nice out so I’m excited to walk home. This is a pretty uneventful part of day but worth mentioning because it’s one of my favorites.
6:21 – 6:22 pm
As soon as I get home, I immediately drop my bags, hang up my coat, and throw on sweats. The whole process usually takes less than a minute. Not that I’m planning on working out or anything… business casual is just too restricting and I’m ready to be cozy.
6:23 – 7:30 pm
Since Joe gets home so much earlier than me, he’s just about finishing making dinner at this point (we’re having salmon, broccoli, and black beans – all delicious). We usually spend this time catching up with each other to see how the other’s day was, eating dinner, and watching How I Met Your Mother reruns.
7:30 – 11:00 pm
I hunker down on the couch and usually start working on the next day’s post while Joe is busy working on school stuff.
11:00 pm – 12:00 am
Now that my post is ready for the next day, I jump in the shower and get ready for bed. I’m very happy to curl into bed and fall asleep very quickly.
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Alright – now that I’ve spilled the details of my day, I’m curious about what your days look like. Do you have seriously long commutes? Does your commute involve mass transit or do you drive or walk in? Anyone able to sleep past 7:00 am? 8:00 am (if so, I am forever jealous of you)?
