Experiments in Lifestyle Design
A Typical Day in the Life of Benjamin
Here is a general day from 2012. I was pretty busy! Hard to believe I got so much done, but I loved every minute of it! I plan to pick up the pace of my schedule again soon. This occurred while studying for my Master Certificate in Six Sigma- an amazing program and analytical tools.
Here we go…
4:45 AM – The alarm goes off signaling the start to another day.
5:00 AM – Severus begins his unique song and dance, telling the world that he is awake, ready to the start the day, and most importantly, is hungry.
5:15 AM – After either feeding Severus or passing it on to my fiance, I am up and in the shower. Showers in the morning are always refreshing.
5:30 AM – Quickly pack my lunch and give Severus a life lesson for the day. He usually quietly listens while staring intently on the food that I am packing. Good boy!
5:35 AM – I am off on my walk into the office. 1.3 miles, mostly down hill. I like to take advantage of this time and listen to one of several audio books that inspire me and get my creative juices flowing.
6:05 AM – Arrive at the office. Put my lunch in the fridge and settle down at my desk. While my computer boots up, I take advantage of that time to check personal email, my entrepreneurial venture email, along with skimming a vast array of business articles from around the globe. I like to have multiple viewpoints.
6:30 AM – Respond to any urgent requests or fires to put out. Then look at my Priority To- Do List created the night before.
7:00 AM – Breakfast consisting of oatmeal and a fiber bar. And plenty of water. (Usually 6-8 24 oz bottles throughout the day.)
7:15 AM – Begin the work day.
11:00 AM – Lunch time. My favorite. A chance to catch up and see what others are working on in the office. According to top executives, this is a rarity across the corporation; that is, people coming together to eat and talk story. I like that it is unique to Hawaii, but am sad that it is not that way everywhere else.
11:45 AM – Quickly check personal email and take care of any personal errands, if any.
12:00 PM- Back to work. The day is half way over.
4:00 PM – Time to begin the walk home. Another favorite part of the day. I set my iPhone to play my current audio book, grab my celery, and off I go. Another 1.3 mile trek, up hill this time. The heat used to be unbearable, but after a little over a year of walking to and from work, I am used to it. Listening to audio books helps me to take my mind off of work and re-focus to the second half of the day: my own projects.
4:30 PM – I am greeted by a jumping, circle-turning, excited fur ball known as Severus. I talk to him, asking him how his day was.
4:35 PM – Off on our afternoon walk. Another enjoyable and humorous part of the day. Sevy tends to lead the way, often with me nearly running behind him. I’m sure it is a sight to see.
5:00 PM – Back from the walk, it is time to gear up for the second half of the day: school and my entrepreneurial venture.
5:05 PM – I start by jumping online to continue watching lectures for Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. I have been studying Six Sigma for the past 5 months. I have completed Lean Six Sigma and Six Sigma Greenbelt. This last course is the longest of all three, 16 weeks, and is pretty intense with exams, required reading, lectures, and an interactive project. Once I complete the course, I will be a Six Sigma Black Belt. I will then test to be certified. The course ends January 20, 2013 and I plan to take the test in February.
5:30 PM – Interrupted by the almighty Sevy-saurus, he informs me it is dinner time by bouncing around, gurgling, and a whimper as if he has never been fed. Pausing the lecture, I go to feed Sevy and calm his nerves.
6:00 PM – Jacki comes home! Both Sevy and I partake in excitedly saying hi and that we are happy to see her.
6:10 PM – We make dinner for ourselves, usually a creation of ours that we have come up with through experimentation. Another favorite part of my day- making dinner together.
6:30 PM – We sit down to eat, discussing our days and settling in for an episode of X Files. Who knew this show was so good?!
7:30 PM – Back to work. At this point, I try to either close out a week of lectures and take an exam, or get to a good stopping point.
8:30 PM – Time to relax by working on my entrepreneurial venture. Developed over the last 7 year or so, this concept has turned into a framework which has turned into a method for entrepreneurs and business owners. I am diligently going through the process of incorporating, applying for trademarks, and getting everything in place for a true launch. The products are coming together and initial market feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. I am excited for what this venture can become and how it can help others increase the quality of their lives and their companies.
9:30 PM – We take Sevy out for his evening walk, discussing ideas and plans for the week and the future. A great time to reflect.
10:00 PM – In bed, reading any number of books that answers one of the many questions I have about business, sales, marketing, entrepreneurship, psychology, Six Sigma….the list is endless and ever-expanding.
11:00 PM – Falling asleep from the day’s activities, it is time to dream until tomorrow.
