5:50 AM: I wake up ten minutes before my alarm goes off. I shouldn’t be surprised, this happens every day, but I still groan audibly and roll back over for just a little more sleep filled bliss.

6:00 AM: The alarm goes off, even though it seems it’s only been 3.2 seconds since I closed my eyes. I’m more groggy than I was ten minutes ago. *Note to self: stop trying to go back to sleep for ten minutes, it’s absolutely useless.* I grab my phone to banish the terrible noise, and start perusing Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat and replying to any texts or messages I received in the night. Phone addiction is a real thing.

6:45 AM: Social media has no more to offer me this morning, so I suppose I should get out of bed. I wander to my bookshelf and pick out something to post about on my #bookstagram account, becsandherbooks, later in the day. I open up my windows to let the natural light shine in, snap a few pictures, then return to the edge of my bed to edit with my favorite app Afterlight. I start the coffee pot so it can brew while I’m getting ready for the day.

7:15 AM: Raise your hand if you’re a skincare junkie like me! Some of my favorite products recently are the Nion Beauty Opus Elite for gentle daily exfoliation, ZO ® Skin Health’s Rozatrol serum to help with skin redness, The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum for hydration, Bioderma’s Cicabio Creme moisturizer and Biossance’s Squalene + Vitamin C Rose Oil to lock in moisture and protect from free radicals. Once I’m done with my skincare routine, I swipe on some concealer, line my eyes, apply mascara, and call it a day.

7:45 AM: Time for breakfast. While cooking, I usually listen to a podcast, music or an audiobook (lately I’ve been listening to Harry Potter again). Once I’m done eating, I grab my pre-packed lunch out of the fridge, pour coffee in my to-go mug, brush my teeth and head out the door.

8:30 AM: I arrive at the office and head directly to my desk. Once my computer is up and running, I immediately check my emails and delete anything that is spam. I flag any email that needs my response or I need to return to to read so that I don’t forget to come back to them later on. I then go through and read the news emails I get every week day (my favorites are The Skimm, The Hustle, Creativity Daily, SmartBrief on Social Business and Marketing Day from Marketing Land). These newsletters keep my brain sharp and up to date on world news, tech news and what’s happening in digital marketing. I then check my dictionary.com app for the word of the day. (I personally think every copywriter should do this, it’s great to keep adding to your vocabulary!)

9:00 AM: I check my to-do list for the tasks that are high priority or are going to take the most creativity, and start with those first. (I find that my creative brain works best earlier in the day, closer to when I have consumed the lifeblood that is coffee.) These tasks range from writing copy for email marketing campaigns, writing and scheduling social posts, writing copy for website banners and online advertisements, crafting blog posts and working on SEO copy for a variety of different clients.

After I complete each task, I give my brain a break and take a walk around the office, refill my water, and chat it up with coworkers. I take this time to check that I don’t have any new emails that need responding to and respond to any Slack messages I got while working. I’ve also read that you should look up from your computer at a point at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. That is a lot of looking up when you’re in the writing groove, but it’s something I’m working on to avoid going blind.

12:00 PM: Lunch time, followed by round two of coffee.

12:30 PM: To get my brain going again, I start with researching articles about what is new in digital marketing, learning more about SEO, and reading sites like Byrdie and Into the Gloss to stay up to speed on what’s happening in the beauty industry.

1:15 PM: Time to get back at it. After lunch and my afternoon research session, I double check my calendar for any client meetings that I need to prepare for. I then go back to my to-do list and finish off any writing that needs to get done.

Once I’m done writing, I move on to any editing work that I have on my plate. I find editing to require less creativity and is an easy way to wrap up my day in a productive manner.

5:00 PM: As the day winds down, I take ten minutes to prepare my to-do list for the next day. This is an easy way to set myself up for success in the morning and prevents me from overthinking what I have to do the next day when I’m out of the office. I double check that there are no emails that I need to respond to before I leave, and then close my computer and pack up.

5:30 PM: As soon as I get home, I either listen to a podcast or one of my carefully curated Spotify playlists while whipping up dinner. After I eat, I usually go for a walk through the neighborhood and more often than not end up at Target. Upon my return, I usually grab a book or turn on a movie and get cozy on the couch.

10:00 PM: Time for beauty sleep!