The Watch Powering This Fashion Editor’s 9-to-5

Almost a year into working from home, I feel like I’ve finally hit my stride! It’s not been an easy transition, but the most important lesson I’ve learned in adapting to the new normal is how to best manage my time. With a long list of virtual all-staff meetings, team conference calls, and even collection previews with fashion brands on the agenda, juggling the hours in my WFH workday is more crucial than ever. And since the “stuck in traffic” excuse doesn’t really work for an all-virtual world (no surprises there), I’ve found the most important item to help me stay on track has been a chic watch. The timeless silhouette of Citizen’s Arezzo collection—not to mention it’s sustainably powered by light with Eco-Drive technology—is made for this new 9-to-5 lifestyle. But let’s let one of my recent days do the talking, shall we?

9:00 A.M. Ah, the start of a brand-new day. Let’s get after it! I always kick off my morning with a bowl of oatmeal or granola, some fruit, and a coffee at my desk. My workspace is in the living room and where I spend most of my day. I have an early video meeting with Wanyi, our design director, about some accessories pages I’m working on. I just finished a shoot for our upcoming issue and she is going to help me with the photography edit and lock in the design. Collaboration looks a little different these days, but she makes it just as fun as I remember it being in the office. After that, I catch up on emails and check in with my team to make sure everyone has all the latest info to keep our shoot schedule moving along.

11:00 A.M. It finally looks like the sun is coming out! I kick off my slippers and throw real shoes on to get some steps in. During my stroll I have a quick catch-up call with another editor at another magazine. It’s so important for me to stay connected with other industry professionals since we don’t have in-person social events to see each other right now. I have about a half hour before I’ll come back to start lunch. My favorite thing about this watch is that the Eco-Drive tech is always charging in the light—making it the perfect excuse for me to go outside and get some vitamin D.

12:00 P.M. Lunch time! Staying engaged on a virtual meeting can be a real struggle, and I have to make sure I have some healthy fuel to keep me going. Depending what I have in the kitchen, I’ll make either a grain bowl, salad, or a soup for my fiancé and myself. We like to sit down at the table properly away from screens to eat. It’s a quick break in the day and a nice moment to check in with each other before we both get back to business.

1:00 P.M. Since our fashion team is working remotely, we’ve been doing a lot of self-shot content for both the Marie Claire print magazine and the website. I have a shoot tomorrow for a web story I’m working on, so I need some time to get organized and style out the looks. This will take a few hours since I’d like to make sure everything fits perfectly and looks cool all together so I’m locked and loaded for shoot day. I keep a rack next to my desk and a small area for receiving the samples to ship in and out. Being a one-man fashion closet has its struggles, but I’m so thankful for our incredible team who keeps me super organized from afar.

3:00 P.M. My sisters, mom, and I have a virtual yoga club. We have a group chat where we coordinate who can squeeze in a session. During the week it’s a challenge to get us all together, but the group chat makes it easy to see who is free to squeeze in a quick 15-minute workout. This has basically replaced what used to be my midday coffee run in the office. My younger sister and I opt for a quick restorative stretch and breathwork video which gives me the extra push to finish out the day and shake off any stress. I highly recommend!

5:00 P.M. This is the power hour where all the time-management magic really happens. It’s the time to decide what can wait until tomorrow and what can I squeeze out of the day before then. I knock out anything that has been looming over my head, wrap up my final emails and make the to-do list for tomorrow. It’s so important for me to set boundaries for myself and my co-workers while working from home. Work-life balance lines can blur, so it’s important to decide when you can fully step away or when you just have to stop. Breaking up the day into intervals by a quick glance down at my Arezzo watch has been the only way to keep a handle on it.

6:00 P.M. It’s quittin’ time! My man is on dinner duty tonight so that means some real “me time” for yours truly now! It’s odd but I find myself not being very “alone” while working remotely from the office. With all of the calls, chats, texts, and e-mails, I find it so important for me to shut off, vibe out in silence, and reflect on the day. A cozy sweatsuit, charcoal mask, and a glass of red sounds just about right!