7:00am – Starting the Day
My mornings usually start in the same way: with the news on in the background while I get ready for the day and make myself presentable. Once ready, I head out the door and jump on a train into town. The commute is my time to ease into the day: catching up on messages, queuing up playlists and staring out the window at the city.
9:00am – Mornings at the Office
Arriving at the office, you are always greeted with a warm chorus of “good mornings” and “how was your weekend?” from colleagues, followed by chats in the kitchen while making our first coffees of the day.
Once sufficiently socialised and caffeinated, I ease into the workday by checking my inbox and reviewing my calendar to make sure I’m up to speed on the latest project developments and ready for today’s agenda.
Then it’s time for our morning project team catch-up in the boardroom. We run through the game plan for the day, align on priorities, and prep for an expert call later on. It’s our time to focus and align as a team, helping set the tone for the rest of the day. Back at my desk, I write out my personal to-do list for the day which I can tick off as I go and will keep me organised!
10:30am – Focused Work Time
Next, it’s time to get my head down. I spend a few hours reviewing slides, reworking hypotheses, combing through interview transcripts, and drafting useful questions to ask the next expert we are speaking to later in the afternoon.
1:00pm – Lunch Time
1pm rolls around, and it’s time for lunch! We head out as a team to hit up one of Oxford Circus’ many excellent lunch spots – Frank’s Café and Dal Fiorentino are frequent favourites! Back at the office, the lunch hour is filled with eating, friendly chatter and always laughter!
2:00pm – Research, Mentor Catch-Ups and Client Updates
Post-lunch, it’s time for the expert interview. For an hour, we dive into the nitty-gritty with a seasoned industry expert, gathering invaluable insights, real-world context, and new angles to explore in our project. It’s one of my favourite parts of the job: intelligent questions, thoughtful answers, and often a few “aha!” moments.
After a quick team debrief, the rest of the afternoon is spent digging into market and competitor research, running analysis, and updating our draft report with the latest takeaways.
Around 4pm, my mentor and I head out for a coffee chat and a stroll around Cavendish Square. It’s a great chance to reflect on recent projects, chat about goals, and appreciate how valuable it is to have someone in your corner, both professionally and personally.
At the end of the day, I send our client an update summarising our progress: interviews done, more on the horizon, and next steps. A reply rolls in with a cheerful “thanks” and a request for a catch-up next week, which I schedule for the team.
6:00pm – End of the Day
6pm rolls around, and after finishing up some final thoughts in the report, it’s time to shut laptops. When someone suggests a quick drink at the local pub, unsurprisingly, most of the team are in! After a pint and a chat with good company, I head home to cook dinner and unwind for the evening.
