It’s amazing how much of our professional success and personal satisfaction is rooted in the seemingly mundane routines of our daily lives. I recently tracked a typical day, and I thought it would be insightful to share these rhythms—the good, the slightly odd, and the truly productive—that shape my work in business finance and capital raising.
🌅 The Morning Ritual
My day kicks off relatively early, courtesy of an 7:30 am alarm.
The first few moments are a digital deep dive: emails, The Times, bank balance checks (a necessary groan), and a rapid fire-through of my many travel-focused WhatsApp groups. Crucially, unless I have an external appointment, I stay put until 8:00 am to check in on the stock market open. It’s a purely habitual check, but one I can’t seem to shake!
☕ Fuelling the Focus
I try to stick to a two-meal-a-day schedule, which makes my “breakfast” a simple affair: a cup of green tea or black coffee. Hydration for the day is sorted with my very large Yeti filled with weak Vimto. For days on the road, my smaller, car cup-holder-friendly Yeti steps in. Efficiency, even in drink delivery, is key!
💻 The Power of the Home Office
One of the undeniable silver linings of the pandemic has been the increased acceptance of remote work. I lean heavily on Microsoft Teams in the winter, particularly for initial scoping meetings with clients. It cuts down on traffic queues and bad weather—a massive win for productivity and time management, even if my home phone signal doesn’t always cooperate!
My home office is truly my sanctuary. The walls are adorned with inspiring prints that I take time to read every day. ‘Desiderata’ is a constant anchor, and a quote from David Bowie—”Aging is an Extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been”— resonates deeply (I even have a personal connection, having given Bowie my ring at a 1973 gig!). Today’s reads were ‘If’ and ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’—they keep me grounded and focused.
💼 The Working Day
Lunch is a quick stop: usually a Cup a Soup and Ryvita at the desk. If I’m out meeting clients, I hunt for the best petrol station sandwich available!
My core working hours are filled with meetings, all centred around a common thread: finance and raising capital. Currently, I’m spending significant time supporting clients through the Start Up Loan process and collaborating with Jonathan Nelson of River Capital Finance to help businesses access NPIF (Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund) loan facilities.
📝 The Wind-Down
My working day officially winds down at 4:00 pm. This is a dedicated two-hour window for completing paperwork, updating the CRM, sending follow-up emails, and revisiting existing cases. I find I’m most productive in the late afternoon, so I deliberately carve out this time for deep, satisfying administrative work.
🌙 Recharge and Rewind
The main mealtime is usually around 7:00 pm, followed by a hunt for decent TV. Like many, I’m looking forward to the latest series of Stranger Things and Night Manager 2, so revisiting the previous seasons has been a great way to unwind.
Finally, I’m generally in bed by 11:30 pm. I count myself lucky to be a good sleeper, usually clocking a solid 8 hours. The rest is just as important as the routine!
