My Working Day – Carrie Osman – Founder & CEO at Cruxy & Company

As the leader of a company, you are there to set an example and to lead and inspire a team of individuals to achieve a series of business goals. But how do these business leaders go about their daily routine? We spoke to Carrie Osman, Founder & CEO at Cruxy & Company, about her working day.

What time do you wake up?

5:45 am.

What do you typically have for breakfast?

Greek yoghurt with protein, and a double macchiato. I’m a double macchiato fiend and can’t start my day without it.

What is the rest of your morning routine?

I go to the gym. I have a systematic sweat every morning, with functional weights, exercise bike or pilates. They’re my 3 chosen exercises.

Before the workout begins though, I sit in the gym with my notebook (and macchiato, of course) to figure out what I’ve got coming up.

What is the first thing you do at the start of your working day?

I guess my “working day” starts with that notebook pre-workout. I think about what three things I’ve got and whether they are right, whether there is any feedback I need to give to the team and then look forward to the day ahead.

How do you prioritise your day’s work?

It’s structured around meetings, with time blocked out before so they’re always productive rather than rushed. I have “do-not-block” (DNB) time where I usually sit with my notebook and do some critical thinking. Then Cruxy uses an operating system for internal meetings so every team member is aligned before they happen.

Then good old notebook time where I sit and think, rather than just rushing to act or do. These ideas have all been passed down onto the team to ensure we’re all working effectively and getting jobs done.

Do you plan meetings or are they a waste of time?

Always plan. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail – this is what my mum told me when I was younger and it’s been, quite literally, everything since I started my own business.

I also have everything colour-coded so I know whether it’s a networking opportunity, a connector meeting, or any other meeting that requires a bit more build-up. This helps me to see what level of planning needs to be done before, whether it’s a quick 10-minute prep or a more, in-depth deck that will be discussed within these meetings. This helps to keep my day running smoothly and ensure that my time is used effectively.

Do you have a working lunch or do you take a break?

I always try to have a break, sitting outside with my notebook and salad. I’m also obsessed with going on a short walk to take some time to reflect, switch off briefly and prepare for what’s coming up – and to get the steps in.

When does your working day finish?

Sometime between 7 pm and 11 pm. It depends on what I have on during the day – if there’s a networking event happening in the evening, it could be towards the later end of the day. Sometimes I’m just excited to get a task done, in which case, I’d stay in the office until it’s completed.

How do you prepare for the next day’s work?

All of my preparation happens during my morning routine, as once my working day is over, I switch off.

What’s your favourite piece of technology?

I love voice notes. I used to absolutely abhor them, but I’ve learnt that they’re extremely effective, as they put things into context. It might be sharing some feedback following a meeting or needing to get back to someone whilst on the move – voice notes help to get these across much easier.

WhatsApp in general is great with clients and investors as it’s easily accessible and much more direct than emailing back and forth.

How do you switch off?

I have a mix of options: go for a walk, do my nails, or watch a geeky programme on something like gold mining or deep-sea diving. These are on heavy rotation, depending on how long I have in the evening to relax.

I have also been a huge fan of the US Office lately, as it doesn’t take much energy to concentrate.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

I have two and I can’t choose between them:

1) “Will you really care about that in 5 minutes, 5 days, 5 weeks, 5 months and 5 years?” This helps when prioritising tasks and ensures that time is spent effectively on them.
2) “You are the repeated sum of what you do.” I’m a real believer in self-discipline – the more disciplined you are, the easier it gets.