This post contains affiliate links – I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. ❤
Come along for a normal day in my life! I work four days a week, so I’m sharing a look at a typical work day. I didn’t time stamp anything – I trust you, but I thought it might not be the best idea to tell the whole internet where they can find me at any given hour of the day. 🙂
I get up, shower, and head to the kitchen where my coffee is waiting. I lay out my breakfast, start a load of laundry and empty the cats’ litter box.
Coffee in hand, I sit down at my desk to work on blogging tasks. I share new blog posts to social media, work on upcoming posts, edit Reels or an Instagram post, and answer email. While I’m working, Paul gets up and starts getting ready for the day.
Back to the bathroom to get ready for the day. I listen to my Bible reading plan, stop to write my “God shot” in the note on my phone, and listen to The Bible Recap podcast for that day while I’m getting ready. Paul comes in to kiss me goodbye before he heads out the door.
Before breakfast I put the laundry in the dryer. While I eat, I look back over verses I highlighted during my Bible reading. I make sure the kitchen is tidy before I leave for work.
While I’m on my 25 minute commute, I listen to my Southern Gospel playlist on Amazon music or a book on Audible (I just finished Love Centered Parenting) and try not to get annoyed at people who drive too slowly.
When I arrive in the parking lot, I always send my sister a good morning message on Snapchat (we currently have a streak of over 1,600 days with continuous snaps).
Time to start my work day – I’m the Office Administrator at a Baptist church.
I provide support for three pastoral staff members, work on church wide emails, create graphics for the announcement slides and social media, post to the church social media accounts, answer the phone, greet church members when they come in the office and handle all the behind the scenes things that help church services and events run smoothly.
Lunch break! I always bring my lunch to work. I take it to the unused-class-room-turned-break-room and watch a show or YouTube video while I eat. Every once and a while I treat myself to my favorite salad from Panera, the Green Goddess with Chicken. I love that I can order it in the morning and pick it up on the way to work.
The second half of my work day is more of the same – but sometimes being an office administrator is like being the “mom” of the office. I close cabinet doors, put things away, order supplies, answer lots of questions like “do we have…” or “where could I find…” and periodically tidy the kitchen. It’s a great job and I truly love it!
I always fill out the next day’s to-do list before I leave. It gives me a great place to start and keeps me on track if things get busy.
Time to head home! It takes a little longer to get home in the afternoon, so I listen to something fun like The Michael Scott Podcast Company or country radio. At least once a week I have to stop at Target and the grocery store to pick up my orders.
When I get home I begin by putting away everything I bring in the door with me. Thelma Lou greets me at the door and Peggy comes trotting down the hall from wherever she was napping. They demand their usual treats and then follow me down the hall for a drink out of the bathroom sink.
I usually have a little snack and put on comfy clothes. I work on household chores like folding the laundry, dusting, or cleaning the bathrooms.
Paul comes home and we talk about the day. While I work on supper, Paul showers and does his daily Bible reading. He’s working through the Chronological Life Application Study Bible.
Paul and I sit down at the table to eat supper. We share more stories from the day and discuss our schedule for the next day. Paul helps clear the table and I finish cleaning up the kitchen. I pack my lunch for work and get the coffee set for the next morning.
*During the school year, Paul referees high school and college sports and comes home later a couple times each week. I either leave a plate in the fridge for him to heat up or I pull everything back out and heat up his supper when he comes home. Depending on how late it is, I usually sit in the kitchen and talk to him while he eats.
Chill time! I stay busy from the time I get up until this part of the day, but I take advantage of our stage of life that allows this luxury of a quiet evening.
Sometimes I have home office tasks to work on, like submitting paperwork for our adoption process or helping someone in my family with an administrative task. I put away the clean supper dishes and tidy the living room. We watch a show or catch up on social media and it’s lights out at 10:00.
Although I really like this stage of our lives, of course there are things about it that I wish were different. I find so much hope and relief in the truth that to everything there is a season.
If things aren’t the way I like, I just have to hang on because it’s only a season. If things are exactly the way I like, I need to savor it because it’s only a season. It also reminds me that I don’t live in a perfect world – but I’m headed to one some day.
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11)
Read More:
- How To Stay Connected To Your Spouse When Life Is Busy
- I Can’t Do Everything, But I Can Do Something {Homemaking Encouragement}
- How To Stay On Track With Your Bible Reading Plan
Come Home For Comfort 
Good post! I like hearing about someone else’s routine who also works an outside job. I am in a different season of life, in my 60’s, but I work full-time, 5 days a week. It definitely takes lots of organization to make things run smoothly. I am transitioning from working from home the last 2 years to being back in the office, so have been struggling with re-establishing a good routine. Question, what time do you get home each day? I don’t get home until between 5:30 and 6, so making supper has to be my priority – which means household tasks like you are doing after you arrive home can’t be done until early evening, and by then, I’m tired. I definitely don’t like to spend my entire Saturdays on groceries and housework!
LikeLike
This was a wonderful blog post. I especially liked the part about seasons. Savoring the happy seasons and knowing that the not-so-contented or more challenging ones will pass. God sees our future and we can learn from each season so we’re prepared for the next one that comes along. Thank you for the work you do and for sharing your life and faith. Your love of God shines through.
LikeLike
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Penny! You’re right – God is always at work in our lives. ❤
LikeLike
I love this post! Thank you for sharing your day. I also work outside of the house. This post is a great reminder how helpful it is to do tasks throughout the week so you do not have to do them all on the weekend. Allowing time to spend with your family! I am also jealous of your spring weather as we had snow this past week.
LikeLike
Thank you for your kind comments, Anne Marie! I hope your weather has warmed up a little bit this month. 🙂
LikeLike
What a fun glimpse of your days! Do you work the same days every week? I bet the entire staff is thankful to have someone as organized and helpful as you on staff. All of your tasks sounded perfect for you! I didn’t realize you had a 25 minute commute. It sounds like you’ve found great ways to pass the time. Do you do grocery pick up on the same day or does it vary? I’m trying to figure out a good routine for my pickups. I’ve learned that weekends are not fun days to schedule pick ups here because they are so busy. Thanks for sharing your days with us 🙂
LikeLike
I’m glad you enjoyed the post! I do work the same 4 days every week, which I like. My commute is not bad for the size of the area we’re in, and it’s all back roads with pretty scenery. I drove a super busy interstate every day for lots of years, so I’m thankful for my quiet 25 minutes. 🙂 I recently switched from picking up groceries on Thursday and started getting them on Monday. It’s working well – the stores are well stocked and I don’t have to wait long at the store. I actually try do my Target pick ups on my way to work, if I can get out the door in time. The pickup section is empty first thing in the morning and I’m out of there in a few minutes.
LikeLike
Great post, Whitney! It was encouraging to me to see how a working woman maintain a home/work balance. While I work full-time from home, there’s definitely some things I’m going to try adjusting in my daily flow!
Curious, what do you mean by “God shot”, following your daily Bible reading?
Praise God for your blog! Looking forward to your next post!
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Tania! It is definitely possible to keep your home in good order while working, but it takes intentional action.
This year I’m using The Bible Recap plan for reading the Bible in a year. I have a list in my Google Keep app where I’m recording what I learn about God or how I see Him at work in each day’s reading. Every morning after I listen to that day’s Scripture, I add a sentence to my list. It has been so helpful!
LikeLike
This is a great idea! That way it is always at your fingertips. I’m a notebook/paper kind of girl, but I can’t always have that with me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a great post, Whitney! Thank you for sharing. And what a great reminder right there at the end — whatever stage of life we are in, it’s only a season. And we’re headed to a perfect world someday!
LikeLike
That truth always encourages me! ❤ Thanks for coming along on my day!
LikeLike
I really needed that reminder that to everything, there is a season. Thank you for sharing, Whitney.
LikeLike
I know I need that reminder, too! Hugs!
LikeLike
The green goddess is also my favorite from panera! Such beautiful pics of you Whitney and I LOVE that you send your sister a daily snap and have a streak! I should start this with my kids…it’s their fave way to communicate.
LikeLike
Our daily snap really helps us to feel like we’re connected and in each other’s lives when we can see what we’re wearing and a little bit of the surroundings. If we know it’s going to be busy we’ll just snap a picture and say “Placeholder!” so we don’t lose our streak. 🙂 It might be our proudest accomplishment. Ha!
LikeLike