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5.00am
It’s a warm Tuesday in June and I’m awake long before my alarm is due to go off. I stumble out of bed, literally, badly stubbing my toe in the process. I hobble downstairs to make myself a cup of tea, trying my best not to wake the rest of the house on my way to the kitchen.
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5.20am
I’m a few weeks away from such much-needed annual leave and my pre-holiday to-do list is on my mind from the minute I wake up. I resist checking my emails while the kettle boils, throwing open the doors to the back garden instead.
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5.25am
Once my tea has brewed, I grab my Kindle and a blanket and park myself on the sofa outside. I’m reading {and loving} Part of Your World* by Abby Jimenez. Occasionally, I pause to work on some draft posts in Instagram.
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7.00am
Carl appears and I moan about not getting enough sleep. He consoles me with a fresh cup of tea before heading upstairs for a workout. Our youngest son, Jesse, finished his GCSEs last week, and we’re still not used to our new routine. We won’t need to get him up and out in the morning again until mid-September.
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7.30am
I head inside to make breakfast. I start by throwing frozen spinach and fruit into the Nutribullet for a smoothie, chopping mushrooms while the motor spins. I make myself another cup of tea, fry some cauliflower hashbrowns in a little oil, and throw the veg in alongside. Once they’re cooked, I top my plate with kimchi and sesame seeds before heading back into the garden to eat. Usually, I’d snap a photo of my food and post my first Instagram Story of the day, but I’m too tired to bother.
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8.00am
With a full belly, I return to the kitchen to tidy up. Once the counters are clear, I grab my towel and take a quick shower.
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8.20am
I pour my fourth cup of tea of the day and take it upstairs, leaving it to cool while I pull on some comfy clothes. I decide not to bother with makeup until later in the day. Jesse appears while I’m getting ready, awake much earlier than the day before when he slept until noon.
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9.00am
I make my way to the attic office and open my laptop. I have some amendments I want to complete before checking my emails. I approve most of the client’s changes to their About page, respond to a few questions, and begin rewriting the opening section. They’re unsure about a word used in the first line of copy, so I suggest a few alternatives. I completely rewrite the following paragraph before amending another section below.
The copy is much improved by these changes, so I email the client for approval. Once this page has been signed off, their project will be complete. We’ve been working together since mid-April and I’m going to miss checking in on a regular basis.
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11.00am
I read an email from my VA, Emma, about her being unable to access Substack, so I log-in to remove and re-add her as an editor. I work through the rest of my inbox and add some appointments to my planner.
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12.00pm
Emma responds to say my draft is ready in Substack, but the platform is being glitchy. She plans to revisit it later, so I decide to give it 24 hours before attempting to add my copy.
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12.30pm
I eat leftovers for lunch while watching Darling Desi’s latest YouTube video. The 90s rom com format is so fun, and I briefly consider whether I could make something similar. I’m still too tired to post anything on Instagram Stories and I realise just how badly I need our upcoming break.
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1.30pm
I should be writing a blog post, but I decide to take a nap in the garden instead.
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2.30pm
I check my emails and make a note to follow-up on a proposal I sent last week. I don’t feel like I’ve done enough work today, but I’m exhausted. I spend some time with Jesse before getting ready to leave the house.
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4.30pm
I have some errands to run, and Jesse has a drum lesson, so Carl offers to drop me in town. After he pulls the front door closed, we realise a key has been left in the lock, meaning the door can’t be opened from the outside. Carl drives Jesse to his drum lesson while I call a locksmith. I send Jesse a bus ticket so he can make his own way home
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5.45pm
The locksmith earns an easy £80, and we make it back into the house. I start dinner while Carl does some more work upstairs. Jesse arrives home and we all eat together. The boys tuck into burgers while I have roasted asparagus, potato wedges and a huge salad.
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7.00pm
I leave Carl and Jesse clearing the kitchen and run myself a bath. Glancing down at my foot, I realise how badly bruised my toe is after knocking it this morning. I finally upload an Instagram Story to moan about my rubbish day. I receive a few DMs in response and feel better for sharing.
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8.30pm
I contemplate pouring myself a gin but settle for herbal tea and my favourite dark chocolate sour cherries. Carl and I watch some TV before I head upstairs for an early night, hopeful that tomorrow will be better.
- Love Audrey xxx
P.S. How I Run My Copywriting Business with a Chronic Illness
