Karen Beddow, Editor of Travel Blog Mini Travellers, takes us through a week in her working life. To suggest another senior media or creative figure for A Week In My Life, please email david@prolificnorth.co.uk.
Monday
Kids wake up at 7am, regular as clockwork. I check my phone notifications and emails before getting up (scary how many of us do this) and if I’m feeling organised I post an Instagram photo. I make a coffee before I check a scheduled blog post was auto published at 6am on my blog as well as on Facebook and Twitter.
Breakfast chaos ensues with three kids under eight who all want some help getting ready for school, last minute book reading, homework or more forms to sign. I often work out a plan for the day after all of this is done and before heading out for the walk to school. I manage most drop off’s and pick-ups now though, the major benefit of working from home.
Post school drop off I head out for a run on the beach, trying to get back up to a regular 10k at least three times a week, but only manage 7.5km today. I’m home and showered by 10 and ready to start writing.
I write solidly for most of the day as I tend to publish a new blog post every day. I like to write in blocks if I can and schedule content for the next week or two.
Today’s jobs are writing a review of the Family Holiday we took to Crete in August with Simpson Travel, writing a piece for the Asda Money Hub that they commissioned for their website, editing a piece written by another member of the team about 10 Things to do in Northumberland with kids and creating some content for a cottage company. I usually get side tracked along the way with some social media discussions and replying to countless emails.
Later in the afternoon I head into Liverpool to attend a Board meeting for Prima Commercial, the Commercial arm of Prima Group, a local housing association I’ve been on the board of now for 5 years. As I was a lawyer for 20 years before I changed careers, I enjoy using my experience to support and challenge the direction of the organisation.
Home and binge watch The Bodyguard (like everyone else it seems) with Matt whilst interacting on social media on my phone. I realise I’d agreed to post a sponsored post for a brand the next day and finish that off whilst packing school bags for tomorrows school trip.
Switch off from social media by listening to The High Low in bed and fall asleep debating in my head whether Serena Williams was treated fairly or not.
Tuesday
It’s a day out of the ‘office’ so to speak today and I drive to Burnley to meet up with other bloggers Sarahand Colette for a gin tour at Batch Brewery. Social media coverage is all I’ve agreed to do but I’ll inevitably write up a blog post too. I’ll pay for the day out doing nice things later on in the week when I have looming deadlines, but what I love about working for myself is the flexibility to change how the week looks on a week by week basis.
A flexibility that wasn’t afforded to me in private practice with client demands and work to be recorded in 6-minute units. I really don’t miss that time recording way of life.
I leave Batch Brewery with a feeling that there are a lot of good companies out there and feel uplifted by the story of the apprentice, Ryan, who told us that being an apprentice at Batch had changed his life. He’s passionate about the role and they’ve even let him create his own bottle of botanical vodka.
Wednesday
I manage the 10k after the school drop off and the sun is shining so it feels like the day is going to be a good one.
I spend some time in the morning emailing children’s literary agents about a book idea I’m hoping to progress. There is a first draft book and a pitch, and some interest but it seems I may need an agent to push it over the line. I then get distracted from that job in hand when the opportunity to possibly take the family skiing in the New Year presents itself, and I decide to focus on that instead.
Articles are written, photos are processed, and an exciting brand campaign with is agreed. School pick up always comes around too quickly and I run out of the door.
After school on Wednesdays it’s straight down into the village for a combination of kids activities that involve writing class, football and dance two of which start and finish at the same time in different places. Deadlines loom for Thursday so I write a few articles and answer some legal emails from the Legal Consultancy I work for when the work comes in.
Thursday
We are both at home in the office today. I have the office with the window looking out to the garden, Matt the one that faces the wall. It works really well but we don’t really talk much when we are working except when I am complaining that he never makes me a cup of tea.
I finalise the details of the African Tourism workshop I’m speaking at in London on how to work with influencers, and book car parking for the press trip we are going on at October Half Term to Italy.
The school working day goes too quickly. I try and answer a few emails whilst they play outside on the trampoline or in the playroom, but it doesn’t really happen. I cook tea and answer a phone call from a PR who wonders if I can get something out for tomorrow.
I’m out tonight with some friends for a couple of Gin and Tonics and a good catch up. It’s too late when I get to bed but it’s been a good day and deadlines have been met.
Friday
It’s finally the weekend. We have friends for dinner tonight, so I do a last-minute shop at Aldi for all the bits I forgot to order in the shop that arrived last night. I fit in a quick run and its lunchtime before I know it.
I do my accounts, check the accounts and spend hours chasing over-due invoices like every small business owner. Even for someone who spent their life litigating over large sums of money, I don’t enjoy this side of running my own business.
It’s sunny on the school run (and all the kids are happy) so when we get home from school I persuade the kids (well bribe them) to get changed into some clothes we’ve been sent to review, and I take photos of them in the garden. They actually enjoy this at the moment and appreciate the treats that come with the job.
Friends arrive for dinner at around the same time, so we crack open the Batch Gin I got earlier in the week. We chat for so long that I forget I haven’t actually enforced the kid’s bedtime much to their amusement.
I’ve ended the week with a to do list that is longer than when I started but I wouldn’t change my weeks for anything.
