Every week in the climate, science, social justice, and environmental spaces is as diverse as Uproot’s membership. Field Notes, our week-in-the-life blog posts, are snapshots of the varied experiences that make our community so vibrant. 

A Week in the Life

Monday:

My Mondays typically start a little earlier than the rest of my week. I normally use Mondays as an admin day to catch up on emails from the weekend and plan out my to-do lists for the week. Mondays are also one of my days where I have standing meetings and 1:1s with my manager to check in and update him on everything Uproot. I work at a local, woman-owned bookstore twice a week, so I sign off a little early on Mondays to work my closing shift and scope out all the newly released books I want to add to my TBR list!

Tuesday:

Tuesdays are meeting-heavy days for me. I have a weekly check-in meeting with my team so we can make sure we’re all on the same page and can plan the upcoming Uproot programming for the next few months. I also have a standing 1:1 with one of my direct reports and the Uproot board chair. Tuesdays are also the days when I have a little panic about everything I added to my to-do list on Monday. After work on Tuesdays, I try to decompress by reading one of my book club books or just hanging out on the sofa with Ollie, my tri-color corgi.

Wednesday:

Wednesdays are always a toss-up of what they will contain. Sometimes I’m heads down working on a proposal or drafting a project plan, other times I’m meeting with funders or potential Uproot partners. I really enjoy that some days of my week are very routine and others contain multitudes. Depending on the weather, I also try to make sure Ollie gets at least two walks a day, if not three because he’s such an energetic pup. In the evenings, I, typically, am either grabbing Wine Wednesday with some of my friends, hanging out at one of my neighborhood haunts with a book, or just relaxing and listening to Taylor Swift on vinyl.

Thursday:

Most Thursdays are dedicated to wrapping up any non-admin work that’s still on my to-do list for the week. Mondays and Thursdays are also the days where I tend to consume the most caffeine, and therefore, am in brainstorming mode. The amazing thing about the Uproot team is that we all have great ideas but varying strengths, which allows us to work really well together, including when I need to be reined in during my brainstorming frenzies. Depending on the week, Thursdays are also book club night! I host a romance book club at the bookstore where I work, which is so much fun. It’s a really nice way to decompress and meet new people while also edging closer to my reading goal for the year.

Friday:

Fridays, like Mondays, are my admin days. I try to use Fridays to catch up/follow up on emails from the week, finish any editing, and get any lingering meetings scheduled for the next week. I also have therapy every Friday. I think of going to therapy as a form of self-care. It’s really hard for me sometimes to slow down and take care of myself, but I have to remember that I can’t pour from an empty cup, and any type of self-care is important. Friday nights are what I call “fancy dinner Fridays.” Each Friday, I try to cook a recipe I wouldn’t usually make for myself during the week. It’s a fun way to treat myself and try out a new recipe.

Saturday and Sunday:

I try to unplug from work during the weekends. I open the bookstore on Saturdays and use that as an excuse to get a little treat from a local coffee shop. I love opening the bookstore when everything is quiet and calm, and I’m surrounded by books and the smell of my coffee. Sundays are my reset days, where I clean my apartment, run errands, and try to set myself up for success for the week ahead. Sundays are also typically when my other book club meets. Sunday nights are for my current TV show obsession and Ollie time playing and cuddling on the sofa.

From the Wild:

What’s your current beverage of choice?

Scotch on the rocks

What would your animal companion be if you were a cartoon character?

a corgi, obviously

What do you never leave home without?

my phone and a book

Interested in writing for Uproot’s Field Notes blog? Send us an email at info@uprootproject.org!