A Day in the Life of a Food Blogger

One of the most common questions I get is, what do you do exactly? Since leaving my job in the corporate world and working on my food blog full time, I now expect the question! I thought it might be fun to give you a sneak peek into a typical day of work. While every day looks a bit differently, here’s a pretty standard day.

I try to get a workout in as soon as I wake up. I typically use the Tone It Up Studio app because working out at home saves so much time! After that, I shower and get dressed right away. Even though I’m working from home, it makes me feel more productive if I look somewhat presentable. I don’t work from my pajamas, but I do tend to wear yoga pants nearly every day. #perks

I generally start work as soon as Alex leaves, around 8:00. I usually start by writing down a list of everything I need to get done that day. I check deadlines to make sure I don’t miss anything, and I check the weather to see if it’s a good day for food photos. I prefer shooting my photos in natural light on an overcast day. If it looks overcast, I’ll usually plan for pictures. If it’s too bright out, I’ll usually wait to take photos for another day.

I find I’m most productive in the morning, so I try to get my “thinking” tasks out of the way early. That might be pitching brands, writing a new post, doing keyword research, or working on a course for Virginia Bloggers. I try not to plan calls or meetings in the morning because I really want to get “heads down” work done.

If I’m making recipes, I try to do at least 2-3 at once. I’ll make a huge mess in the kitchen, but I only have to clean up once. Plus, it means that I can multitask. While one thing is in the oven, I can have another thing on the stove. I generally make 4-5 recipes each week. I am for 2-3 new recipes and 2-3 remakes of new recipes to retest. I try to write down all the instructions the first time and then remake it, so I can think of anything that might go wrong or questions that someone might have along the way.

I generally take a break for lunch around noon. If I’ve photographed a recipe in the morning, that typically becomes my lunch. If it’s not a day I’m cooking or taking photos, I try to keep my lunch quick and easy. Sometimes I’ll grab a Trader Joe’s meal from the freezer, or I’ll throw together a quick salad.

While I’m eating lunch, I’ll usually scroll on Instagram or schedule pins on Pinterest. I try to do the fun tasks while I’m eating, so it still feels like a break!

In the afternoon, I try to answer emails, research new recipe ideas, work on SEO projects, and finish up admin tasks. I try to use time blocking to keep myself focused, especially for tasks I don’t enjoy. When it comes to things like invoicing or accounting, I’ll set a timer for 30 minutes and knock out what I can in half an hour.

Each week, I set aside a couple of hours for training activities. Whether it’s watching a webinar or reading a business book, I like to carve out time to learn something new. I also try to set up at least one coffee date per week. It’s nice to get out of the house, and it’s a great way to connect with bloggers and friends. I enjoy getting out of the house when I can!

Around 4:30, I’ll start thinking about dinner. Usually, what I make for dinner is a recipe I’m working on or something I’m retesting. I don’t try to photograph recipes before dinner because I find that I end up rushing it, and then I’m not happy with the results. This has definitely helped me improve my photography.

Depending on the night, I may do some work in the evening. I typically do general social media scheduling, Pinterest, and Instagram stuff in the evening. If I haven’t hit my 10,000 steps, I try to work on the treadmill desk. Since these tasks don’t really feel like “work,” it’s a good time to get them done!

Every day looks a bit different depending on deadlines and meetings, but this is a pretty typical day! If you’re interested in more blogging posts, let me know in the comments below!