My Quarantine Routine: Mayah, a publicist working from her walk-in wardrobe

Mayah in her garden, and her office in a wardrobe
Mayah is figuring out a routine for lockdown (Picture: Mayah Riaz)

Mayah Riaz is a celebrity manager and publicist, who is also teaching business owners how to do their own PR.

During lockdown, she is working from home, in a desk set up in her walk-in wardrobe.

She thinks it’s very important to keep to a routine during lockdown, fitting in exercise, learning and keeping in touch with people.

She says: ‘We don’t know how long this is going to last, so important to still create structure. I’m learning more so that I come out stronger and better when this is over.’

For My Quarantine Routine, she explains how she is spending the day.

7 am

I woke up, having to think really hard if it was a bank holiday or an actual lockdown working day. The days are just rolling into one. I actually took time out from working over the bank holiday so it was all back to planning. But first a selfie in my favourite PJs.

Showing off her favourite PJs
Showing off her favourite PJs (Picture: Mayah Riaz)

I decide to straighten my hair and put on some makeup (as I have a few Zoom calls planned). I also grab my first cup of coffee as I write my to-do list for the day (I usually do this the night before). I usually don’t eat until around midday as I like to do a 16 hour fast – but a black coffee is allowed! 

8 am 

As I grab a second coffee, I start working from my walk -in wardrobe. It sounds like it’s crammed but it’s a decent size. I had a desk put in, so I could work from there – as I like working from small places. It has a window in it too, so light does come through it.

Her office in a wardrobe
Her office in a wardrobe (Picture: Mayah Riaz)

As I work from the wardrobe office, I tune into Good Morning Britain – I quite like a dose of Piers Morgan in the mornings. I may not always agree with him, but I find I am agreeing more with him during lockdown – definitely strange times!

9 am

The hour passes by quickly as I work through my emails. I hold off the urge to grab another coffee so soon. I am starting to plan my Publicity membership for small businesses, so I had to get focused on the offering there. It doesn’t feel like work, so it’s great to see what I could offer the members in terms of helping them with their PR. 

10 am 

I have my Coffee with Mayah call with the members of my PR Facebook group. It is something I have decided to do regularly, as I’m seeing so many miss the office environment. I decided to take my MacBook to the lounge for a change of scenery on the Zoom call. The chat is meant to last 30 minutes but it ends up being an hour-long! 

11 am

I make a quick coffee as I am on my second Zoom call of the day and it was with Shaa Wasmund as I am in her membership. It’s really great hearing others in similar positions going through similar things in business. It’s a 30 minute call, by the end of it, I get hungry and decide to make a Tuna salad for lunch. 

12 pm

I get distracted and decide to make my friend Sabrina as it’s her birthday. I had sent her a present through the post, but I wanted cake, so it was the perfect excuse to make it. As my card and present would take a couple of days to get to her, I decide to write her one that she could read via Facetime! It’s hard to see a friend celebrate via facetime and you cannot hug her. It’s great to see her but it seems too distant with someone you know really well.

1 pm 

Holding a Zoom birthday for her friend
Holding a Zoom birthday for her friend (Picture: Mayah Riaz)

I do some more planning of my membership package and work on my website. I’m teaching myself how to design websites, so I thought I would build my own and put it into action. It’s taking longer than I thought, but it’s coming together. 

2 pm 

I usually have my last coffee of the day at 2 pm, so I go to the kitchen in search of biscuits to accompany the coffee. I decide to watch some training videos, so today wouldn’t be so mundane. 

3 pm 

I have a call from a journalist for the Toronto Sun, who wanted me to comment on a piece for her article. It is a great chat about TikTok and Instagram and I really enjoy speaking to her. I was asked by a PR if I would be the expert voice of the article and was happy to comment on it.

I really lovely to speak to someone across the world, that is going through the same as we are in the UK.

4 pm 

Zooming her friend
Zooming her friend (Picture: Mayah Riaz)

I have a Zoom chat with my friend Claire and her daughters Darcey and Belle. Claire had taught her girls sewing and I remembered how I enjoyed sewing at their age! Darcey has made amazing hair scrunchies and a phone cover, I am so impressed. I said I would send one to Meghan Markle on her behalf. She definitely got her entrepreneurial skills from her mother and it’s so great to see from a 10 year old.

5 pm

I don’t feel like I have done enough work, but I move to my bed as I watch the daily political briefings from Downing Street and I work on editing my website. I make sure I tune into the daily briefings, just so I am kept up to date. The website is really taking ages, so I get bored and give up. 

6 pm

Working in the garden
Working in the garden (Picture: Mayah Riaz)

I decide to grab a hoodie and work from the garden. It is getting a little chillier but still feels fresh. So I take my Macbook and start planning out my podcast.

I decide I need to start setting deadlines for things I have in place. I have lots planned, but without a deadline, I feel there is no urgency. I am the queen of spreadsheets, so I create a spreadsheet and set a personal goal for myself to reach some crucial deadlines. Working from the garden helps as it gives a change of scenery too. 

7 pm 

I tend to make dinner more of a substantial meal as it will avoid me snacking late at night. I don’t need to cook as I have some chicken fajitas from last night. I re-heat that and had that as my main meal as I do some more work, write my to-do list and set more targets for myself. 

8 pm

I am trying to do more exercise. I decide to do some via Davina McCall’s Own Your Goals website. I’m really enjoying it, as I am not putting any pressure on myself. It’s literally just really slow and at my pace. It also is great for calming my mind.

After the exercise, I put a meditation app and decide to play that as I just sit on a cushion on the floor, eyes closed and just concentrating on my breathing. It’s not something I’m a natural at, but I think the more times I do it, the more I am going to be able to take it in. 

9 pm

Relaxing at the end of the day
Relaxing at the end of the day (Picture: Mayah Riaz)

I am really relaxed for a change as I lay on my bed. I usually work into the night, but it is nice to be relaxed and to not do anything. I contemplate if I should sleep, but it seems too early to do so.

I start reading a business book. I’m also finding reading quite nice. I have the Audible app, which means I listen to books rather than read them. 

10 pm 

I am annoyed I haven’t taken my make up off already. I can’t ever sleep with makeup on, so I have to always take my make up off – by double cleansing and with a hot cloth. I drag myself up and spend ages cleansing, putting serum on my face, then an oil. It feels luxurious to actually spend time and not be in a rush when doing the daily routines. 

11 pm 

I read some more, make notes for the following day on my phone and found I was in bed much earlier than I usually have been. I’ve been going to bed in the early hours as I find I am best suited to working at night. I naturally stay up working, but I was actually ready to sleep. I always sleep with an audiobook playing on a timer.

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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/05/21/quarantine-routine-mayah-12736416/
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