A Real Day of a Marketing VP, Professor, Husband, and Father of 4 Young Children

Including why you should let your kids interrupt your meetings sometimes

I’m fascinated by how people spend their time and money. It’s a great insight into their decision-making process. This interest is what literally drove me to work for 5 years in consumer insights, where I spent time watching people cook, running focus groups about pet food, and camped out in Home Depot with eye tracking glasses. I even started this website where you can see how marketers spend their workdays. 

But what about a REAL picture of the whole day? Not just the work part. All of it, including how you think through decisions, people, and how to react when your 3-year-old bursts in on you working.  

Here’s my typical Tuesday:

Jason’s calendar on a Tuesday, which includes personal, work, and family time

I’m going to “double click” into a few of these time blocks and provide some useful takeaways for why they are prioritized and how I approach them (e.g., what it’s like teaching a class). Let’s now tackle some of these blocks!

Tuesday: Why I Wake Up Before My Kids

One of the keys to happiness is to have control over your day. I do everything important in my day before 8am. This includes exercise, reading/listening to a book, and spending time with family (including eating breakfast and dropping my kids off at school). Anything after that can blow up and I’ve already won the day. 

Contrast that with being woken up by your kids and having to start parenting literally the minute your eyes snap open. It just doesn’t work well for your own sanity. You want to start your day on your own terms without having to parent. This is easier said than done; the average parent of a newborn loses 2 hours of sleep per night in the child’s first year of life. Make time for yourself and master your day before it starts. 

Takeaway: Tomorrow, get up before your kids! Even if you’re dead tired. 

PS: For me, it helps to be training for something. I trained for and ran marathons with this type of schedule. 

Professor Life: A Glimpse into the Classroom

The Brigham Young University classroom where Jason teaches, empty before class

I teach a popular MBA course on Storytelling with Data. I have been teaching as a professor for seven years, and many people ask me how I manage this with my workload. The secret isn’t much of a secret - this is something I truly enjoy doing so I allocate time for it. 

That being said, I’ve been very intentional with my class setup. When I show up to class, students are randomly chosen to present their homework assignment to the rest of the class (I don’t grade the assignments, but rather their preparation when they’re selected). I then often share a piece of unsolicited career advice, like sending a pie after an interview or the power of pre-wiring. Then I have a topic I cover in-depth with heavy student participation. 

As a professor I value my students’ participation and to see they are understanding the concept. I can see this when they do assignments or work on their capstone project. I make time to meet with every student and ensure they’re getting what they want out of the class. I learn every student’s name. Through my eyes it’s less of a class and more a discovery journey. I’d say most professors are the same; we have grades since the university mandates it, but we’re really there to see students’ learn and grow. My motivation comes from seeing this growth. 

Takeaway: Being a professor (or any other hobby) should be intrinsically rewarding. 

PS: You can read a crazy story about me becoming an adjunct professor here. 

Drive Time: Have a List of Who to Call

Most executives calendars are packed, so drive time is a rare chance to move the ball forward on important topics like recruiting, connecting with other companies, or working through complex problems. I keep a running list of people I should call, and then when I have drive time or other availability I’ll work through my list. One of the most effective CEOs I have worked with did this masterfully and was always building connections. 

In my calendar I spent the time calling a prospective hire to follow up on his progress and answer any questions. Hiring the right people is one of the most important things executives do, and I’ll always make time for it. (If you’re curious about hiring, here’s 9 tips to hire like a pro).

Takeaway: Keep a list of people who you should call; that will maximize your ability to stay on top of things.

Meetings: Be the Most Prepared Person

I remember early in my career being so excited to be invited to meetings. My average day had about one meeting, and I’d count down the minutes to it. Perhaps because I looked forward to them so much I would over-prepare for them - pulling any data, insights, or reports to make the meeting even more valuable. As a junior employee I was consistently surprised that (a) this information was used so heavily and (b) how many coworkers just showed up to the meeting without preparing. 

I’ve kept this habit up; I’ll review my meetings for the week and prepare beforehand. For example, if we’re meeting to discuss a new ring concept (disclaimer: I work at a wedding ring company), I’ll pull together sales of similar products or pull together competitive data. 

You’ll be surprised at how helpful this is and how it differentiates you professionally from your peers. 

Takeaway: This next week prepare something in advance for each of your meetings. 

Family Time: Make Time for Distractions

As a father of four young children I know this time in their lives is invaluable. Similarly I need to consistently be dating my wife. There’s times when I need to work from home or take care of other commitments, and one of my rules is to treat their distractions like any other work distraction.

At work people will drop by my office all the time, I’ll talk with people in the hallway, or grab lunch. At home it’s no different. When my 3-year-old bursts into my home office to show me his picture, I treat him just as if a coworker came into my office to show me a juicy report. This helps frame any distraction in a positive light. 

Takeaway: The next time a child or your spouse interrupts you, just embrace it. 

Jason with his family on a bike ride

In Conclusion 

Most people’s schedules are busy and they wrestle with how to prioritize their time. I would argue that by waking up before your kids, finding a hobby that you can do regularly, keeping a list of people to call, being the most prepared person in any meeting, and making time for family distractions will lead to a more full life.