A Very Average DIML

Life lately has been very busy and at times, felt very monotonous. When that happens (and frankly, when I’m at a particular point in my cycle), my creativity feels lacking. Add in a seemingly never-ending winter (I know, I know, I’m talking about that again!), and some days, some weeks, it just feels like I’m moving through mud. Fighting an uphill battle. All those things.

But when I feel this way, I really try to hone in on the little things. Go for a walk. Call a friend. Snuggle my son on the couch. Kiss my daughter’s perfect cheeks. Actually talk with my husband after a long day.

I’ve felt particularly inspired lately by friends who are able to make the simple, the mundane, the “normal,” feel special. There are lots of examples here on Substack too, of course. In particular, I’ve really been loving peeks into friends’ days and weeks, what corporate girlies wear to work, things that make you feel good, elevated basics. Things that maybe we take for granted in ourselves, but that others can appreciate, relate to, and maybe even draw inspiration from too.

So with that, here’s a peek into a normal weekday for me.

6:15a: My Hatch Restore rise-to-wake alarm clock goes off. I really love this thing. It was gifted through a client partnership, but I genuinely love waking up to the light. I haven’t used the bedtime features (which it’s also touted for), but want to. I’m not ready to wake up yet though and I can tell I’ve finally succumbed to my daughter’s cold, so I snooze it.

6:38a: I get up. The house is uncommonly quiet. My husband has a work photoshoot at our house today, which means that unlike every other day, he’s not going in to work. He’s clearly taking advantage by still snoozing. My son is miraculously still sleeping. So is my daughter, but that’s pretty normal for her. I throw on my go-to set of sweats (this + this), brush my teeth, and do my normal morning skincare routine, which currently consists of this face wash, this serum, this moisturizer, this sunblock, and this tinted moisturizer.

6:45a: I’m downstairs. Alone! Our puppy is at a puppy boot camp for a couple weeks and though I miss him, I’m relieved. I swear puppies are harder than newborns! They don’t sit still. They don’t wear diapers. They bite. I hope he learns lots and lots! I heat up some water for my usual hot water + lemon before coffee.

6:48a: I sit down to write a little bit. I honestly had fully planned on taking the week off from Substack because I wasn’t feeling it, the creative juices were decidedly not flowing. But then for whatever reason, I started documenting my morning and here we are. Let’s see how far we get.

7:01a: I hear rustling upstairs. A cry from my daughter. Shuffling feet from my son. Is my husband awake? I will stay downstairs.

7:07a: I hear my son coming down the stairs. Time to get him a snack. Usually sliced apple with cinnamon and peanut butter plus a Hiya vitamin. I pour myself a cup of coffee too. Full disclosure, usually this is when we let him watch a little TV while we get ourselves and school bags together, but today he asks to read a book. He snuggles up to me on the couch and we read one of the new library books we checked out together yesterday evening on our “Mama-Lukey” date. Hazel (and my husband, Austin) are still sleeping and I let them.

9:12a: Phew. The morning chaos is wrapped. I walked my son to school per usual, despite the “feels like” 11 degrees (truly my favorite part of the day) and Austin drove Hazel to daycare. Luke and I called my brothers on our way — it’s their 30th birthday! And yes, they’re twins. They’re spending the day together. How sweet is that?! I leave a couple of voice notes for friends on my walk back home before getting myself some breakfast (Greek yogurt, granola, fruit), and assume my spot in front of my computer. Time for a few emails, catching up on Slack, and booking a couple days of “camp” for my son over Spring Break before my first (and only!) meeting of the day at 10.

9:21a: I check Instagram. I haven’t posted to my grid all week and I feel fine about that. I’ve been trying to grow on Instagram since starting my account this past summer and consistency is key to doing that. But frankly, I have not felt inspired this week and it’s once again freezing and I just have nothing to post! I think one way to deal with burnout on the platform is to only post when you feel like it / feel inspired. I do not feel like it and I do not feel inspired. I’m still in my sweatsuit and haven’t showered. I’m hoping to work out after my 10am, so I will stay as I am.

11:05a: I wrap my call catching up with and (always a joy) and revise an event outline for a client before quickly changing into bike shorts and a sports bra for a 20-minute Peloton ride. I don’t feel like working out (I feel like taking a nap or becoming one with my bed). But I always feel better afterwards and I’m someone who needs dedicated movement every day for my mental health, even if it’s just 20 minutes. I choose a low impact ride because that’s all I can muster and turn the volume down. I tee up the final episode of this season’s Southern Charm and get moving. Twenty quick minutes, followed by a five minute cool down, and a five minute stretch.

12:08p: By this point, I’ve wrapped my ride, showered, and dressed into real clothes. I’m in one of my winter uniforms: this tee, this sweater, these jeans. Like many people, I do some of my best thinking in the shower and while in the shower, I drafted the intro for this post in my head. I quickly “write” it down before I forget and get ready to move on to more client work — this time, an award submission for an executive comms client.

12:38p: Ah, I haven’t eaten lunch and I’m hungry. I should go do that. My husband’s still in the kitchen with his team doing their photoshoot. He works in the grocery industry and they’re shooting catering content, so here’s hoping they have lunch for me! (They did!)

1:41p: One of my clients wants a whole new thing for tomorrow’s meeting. Okayyy then! Yes, ma’am, coming right up. Before doing that though, I quickly try to go through my texts on my computer. I have been drowning in texts lately and have not been doing a great job at responding to people in a timely fashion. I’ll give myself five minutes to respond to a few and then get back to work.

3:03p: While I wait for client feedback, I allow myself a few minutes to peruse some pretty spring things. I wonder briefly if I could muster up the energy to put together a quick collage for this post later tonight but no, a collage is never quick (for me). I’ll settle for calling out a few things that catch my eye instead:

• THE taffeta shorts

• These fringe satin pants (would wear casually with a tee and sandals like I saw a v cute gal do on IG yesterday!)

• This pointelle cardigan in a new green

• This cutie patootie knit

• Too expensive, but I can’t with these are you kidding me?!

• This dress - so classic!

• This cream bag my pal has

• This adorable cardigan for Hazel (reminds me of the little girls in The Holiday!)

• These shorts (for both kids)

• These clogs

4:08p: It’s time to go pick up the kids. It’s my day to do double pickup so first will be Hazel (she’s further), then we’ll swing by and get Luke on our way home. I better show up with snacks they both like or I will be in trouble!! To be honest, weekday solo parenting evenings are not my favorite, so I’m a little anxious. They overstimulate and dysregulate me. But I’m trying to just roll with it more, keep expectations low, focus on the little things, etc.

5:17p: We arrive home. Obviously, we had to take our time, wander the school halls, and play on the playground a bit before departing. Luckily Austin got us dinner things before he left, so that’s settled! I’m not too hungry, so I feed the kids and will plan to feed myself after Hazel goes to sleep so I can actually sit down. Hazel insists on eating on the floor and then “washing” her own dish. I.e. making a huge mess.

6:10p: We enjoy ten glorious minutes of TV before Hazel makes it known she needs a diaper change (I’ll spare you those details). We all head up for “two kids, one bath.” Most nights they bathe together. It’s chaotic, but so cute. I wonder how much longer they can do this and mentally note to appreciate the moment.

7:00p: I have Hazel in her room at 7 o’clock on the dot to read books and snuggle. Her bedtime routine used to be straightforward, but now she’s learned to draw it out considerably. We read several of her current favorites (a cat book, a dinosaur book, and her baby book), before I turn off the light and try to rock her. She won’t settle and twenty minutes later, I’m over it so I kiss her goodnight and put her in her bed, before closing the door. She cries, but only momentarily. Then she talks herself to sleep.

7:45p: I get my dinner together and Luke and I watch a bit of a documentary on service dogs. Ever since we got our new puppy, he’s been more interested in dogs. I tear up learning about dogs who have pulled people out of rubble after an earthquake. Luke says the show is getting a little too sad, so we turn it off and head upstairs to read.

8:00p: Luke is learning to read! And it’s so so cute and we’re so so proud of him. He can read basic Dr. Suess books and other early readers. He chooses one and reads to me. Then it’s lights off and I lay with him for about fifteen minutes until he asks for water. I get it for him and then tuck him in rather than getting back in bed with him like I usually would. He says he’s scared of zombies, but I assure him there are no zombies and I will leave the hall light on with the door open. I need to finish a little work, but I’ll do it upstairs where he can hear me.

8:40p: Soon after I’ve left Luke’s room, Austin arrives home and goes in to say goodnight before filling me in a bit on his evening.

8:50p: I log back on to my computer to check on a deliverable for a client tomorrow and ping my good friend who I’m sharing the account with. Luke is asleep and it’s actually earlier than normal. I take it as a win. I respond to another client’s Slack and check my emails again. Nothing big has come in. All the rest can wait til morning. Phew! I see that Credo has sent me a gifting request via ShopMy — this does not get old!! It’s for their new Saie collection and I am PUMPED because I love Saie. I do a little research on which colors would be best for me and submit my requests. Thank you so much, Credo + Saie!

9:42p: My eyes are getting droopy. It’s time to get ready for bed. I was right — I in fact did not have the energy for a “quick” collage. Goodnight, goodnight. Sleep tight!

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