‘HOW I NAIL MY 9-5’
Could you cut it at a tech start-up? Georgia Sanderson-nash, head of customer success at Picasso Labs, reveals how she pulls it off…
‘I WAKE UP AT 7.30AM and, before anything else, I make my bed. It might sound like a small thing, but this means you can’t crawl back in and you’re up for the day. I occasionally work from home, and I never work in the bedroom as I want it to stay a sanctuary.
‘I’ll try to squeeze in at least 15 minutes of yoga – a few sun salutations help me to start my day relaxed and get my body moving. I’m not great at eating breakfast this early, but I start off with a big glass of lemon water. The vitamin C is great for my immune system and skin, and it’s just super-refreshing first thing.
‘I live a 35-minute walk from my work – which is the perfect way to clear your mind in preparation for the day. I’ve tried a few podcasts, but I prefer to listen to music as it can change my mood and get me in the zone. My current fave is Indie band Sundara Karma, but nothing gets me feeling more upbeat than Bruno Mars.
‘I get big tasks out of the way in the morning, so I’ll organise client meetings for the afternoon. My productivity hack? Ditch your to-do list and start dividing your day into big blocks. Devoting longer periods to specific things helps you to work efficiently and not get distracted.
‘Eating lunch away from my laptop is something I’m getting better at. I like breaking up my day with a natural rhythm. At home I’m even stricter with structuring my day to stay productive. If I don’t take a lunch break, I end up grazing all day and not getting as much done.
‘I’m often hopping from meeting to meeting and I prefer to get the bus as it means I can tether to my phone’s internet and do emails or prep en route, so I’m not wasting any time. My meetings normally consist of educating customers on how to use our technology and ensuring they’re getting the most value out of it. I love being able to apply a scientific way of thinking to something more creative.
‘I normally spend my evenings out seeing friends. When I have an extra hour, I like to practise the saxophone. I started learning a few years ago and I’d like to become the smooth saxophonist I’d always imagined myself as.