Back in 2015 a few months after I’d gone full time with YouTube I wrote How Many Hours Do I Work Per Week? It was a lil’ experiment where I tracked what work I was doing when. Read that if you want the juicy details but spoiler alert: even though my hours were sporadic I averaged about 8 hours per day (over a 5 day week).
Fast forward to 2019 and in my “You Assumptions About Me” video, someone assumed that I work more than 40 hours per week. So here we are again, tracking my hours to find the answers.
My note-taking this time round was also way more detailed than in 2015 so you can get really nosey about what I do each day!
DISCLAIMER TIME
- I tracked everything in a digital app so I’m afraid there’s no nice pics of handwritten notes in this blog. Sorry.
- I tracked two weeks instead of one! This is the first week where I was mostly working from home. The second week was more out and about. Let me know if you’d also like to see that blog post.
- I somehow picked weeks that are maybe the busiest I’ve ever been. You will see that I worked a lot of hours but it’s safe to say that whilst I do work a lot. Perhaps not this much.
- I do not want to glorify “the grind” or “the hustle”. Yes I worked a lot but I also had time off that I spent with friends, my partner Dan and chill time. Look after yourselves, people!
RULES TIME
(I didn’t do this last time but thought it was important to clarify a few things about what I consider to be work and what I don’t)
- Hair & makeup on days when I’m filming is work.
- Lunch break – it depends on where you work whether you get paid for your lunch break or not. I often work through lunch but if I don’t and I actually take a break then I won’t count it.
- Travel – if I’m commuting in/out of central London that doesn’t count. But once I’m in central and I’m travelling between meetings and events, that is on the clock.
- Filming videos – it may seem like it takes a long time to film a 12 minute video. This time includes – preparation, setting up equipment, filming, transferring footage to editor, inputting edit notes into spreadsheet for editor.
Without further ado here is everything I did and how long it took me!
WEEK ONE
Monday 27th May (bank holiday) – 6 hours 5 minutes
Catch up with assistant
Emails
Went through notes from Clamour Summit & created actionable list
Call with A about Buffer video
Prepping YouTube video for tomorrow, sending link to Patrons & Channel members.
Mailing list prep
Call with assistant
More podcast social media. Feedback on new Patreon designs.
Taking pictures of receipts and watching YouTube videos.
Posting podcast announcement on personal instagram.
Tuesday 28th May – 9 hours 20 minutes
Wednesday 29th May – 9 hours 25 minutes
Thursday 30th May – 8 hours 55 minutes
Friday 31st May – 8 hours 30 minutes
Saturday 1st June – 4 hours
Sunday 2nd June – 4 hours 5 minutes
The results
Average per day over a 5 day week: 10 hours 4 minutes
Like I said at the beginning. This was an extra busy time for me with launching my new podcast, the Patreon revamp, newsletter and Dear June. And I’d just gotten back from my trip to California where I went to Clamour Summit and recorded a bunch of podcast episodes so I worked that Monday bank holiday to catch up on everything once I was back. Under normal circumstances I try my best not to work bank holidays.
So there you have it! Certainly, a lot more than I was working in 2015 but let’s perhaps pick a number in the middle of the two that’d probably be more reflective of my normal.
Hope this provided some insight for you in what goes on behind the scenes at Witton HQ!
![I bloody love London. I’m not sure if I’ll ever leave. [skirt gifted from @pocheposh]](http://scontent-frt3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/5ab32db6d940a735e7aee68c5215837a/5DB3C561/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.180.1440.1440/s640x640/66526628_987911064933965_2773216116778810581_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-frt3-1.cdninstagram.com "I bloody love London. I’m not sure if I’ll ever leave. [skirt gifted from @pocheposh]")
![During all my travels this month I went to a yoga class with my family in Manchester. The studio had some work out clothes for sale and I saw this two piece and tried it on, bought it there & then and wore it to the yoga class!! 🌻🌻🌻💛💛💛 (the top bit is so small and only works over a sports bra on me, not sure if I could get away with it as a normal top over a normal bra) hmmmmm 👀 what is your one weakness when it comes to impulse purchases? Mine is sunflowers 🌻 [EDIT: actually a THREE piece! Can you see the scrunchie??]](http://scontent-frt3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/1c8dfeff8e0db1e89e85ba30cf23a9c7/5DCAB6C8/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.180.1440.1440/s640x640/62589196_2079529185686293_2207866588124861769_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-frt3-1.cdninstagram.com "During all my travels this month I went to a yoga class with my family in Manchester. The studio had some work out clothes for sale and I saw this two piece and tried it on, bought it there & then and wore it to the yoga class!! 🌻🌻🌻💛💛💛 (the top bit is so small and only works over a sports bra on me, not sure if I could get away with it as a normal top over a normal bra) hmmmmm 👀 what is your one weakness when it comes to impulse purchases? Mine is sunflowers 🌻 [EDIT: actually a THREE piece! Can you see the scrunchie??]")
![On a train back to London after lots of travel back & forth. I’m very hungry & forgot to fill up my water bottle - which, if you watch my new video you’ll know IS NOT GOOD IF YOU DON’T HAVE A LARGE INTESTINE. I get dehydrated very easily so will have to buy a plastic bottle damn 🙈 I’ve not been very active on insta whilst travelling & filming (except posting #latergrams) but hi this is me now. My new video about what I eat with a stoma is now live 💩 how are you??? 💛 [earrings gifted from @eejewellery, use code HANNAH for 10% off #affiliate]](http://scontent-frt3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/c877ba61d3a6dd454c3f1d2a9755f6fe/5DE80C3F/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.180.1440.1440a/s640x640/65911927_146026423145613_6746642612021401548_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-frt3-1.cdninstagram.com "On a train back to London after lots of travel back & forth. I’m very hungry & forgot to fill up my water bottle - which, if you watch my new video you’ll know IS NOT GOOD IF YOU DON’T HAVE A LARGE INTESTINE. I get dehydrated very easily so will have to buy a plastic bottle damn 🙈 I’ve not been very active on insta whilst travelling & filming (except posting #latergrams) but hi this is me now. My new video about what I eat with a stoma is now live 💩 how are you??? 💛 [earrings gifted from @eejewellery, use code HANNAH for 10% off #affiliate]")
Which app did you use?
I don’t know what she used but I use Toggl and it’s great as website, desktop or phone app.
Ooh I’ll have to check that one out then.
I work fulltime in a traditional setting, but I’m constantly trying to freelance on the side, and I’m always trying to strike a good balance between all work and time for me. I feel like if I tracked it more, I could really optimize that time.