Day in the Life with Jess Focht
Pour-over, party posts, and a pug on the clock.
Welcome to another edition of 'Day in the Life,' where we shadow a creative and get a glimpse into their daily world. We’re here to document the rituals that keep them grounded, the work that keeps them inspired, and the distractions that keep things interesting.
Today, we’re joining Jess Focht, writer, photographer and social media specialist, on her workday in NYC.
Jess is a Brooklyn-based writer, photographer, and social media specialist. She writes A Novel Idea newsletter on Substack and is also a freelance journalist, with words in The Creative Independent, Brooklyn Magazine, and Insider. By day, she works as a senior social media specialist for Paperless Post, creating content, crafting stories, and building community for the brand. Jess is currently writing her debut novel, a coming-of-age story set in the South. You can also find her on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
7:15 AM: My second alarm goes off, and I crawl out of bed to get some coffee. I just started making pour-over coffee (moving on from my French press), and I can confirm it tastes better this way.
7:25 AM: I drink a glass of cold water, light a Patchouli incense cone, and get out my journal. I’ve been trying to write every morning, whether it’s journaling or working on my first novel. My day always seems to go better if I’ve gotten some words down on a page before I’m jolted into my responsibilities and to-dos.
9:09 AM: Today is an in-office work day, so I head to the subway to commute into Manhattan with my pug, Hamlet, who I bring in with me. We walk down my street, and I admire the new blossoms on trees outside brownstones. Then we get on the F train and luckily score a seat.
9:39 AM: I arrive at my office and get some more coffee and some grapes to snack on.
9:50 AM-11:03 AM: I shift into focus mode and get to work on my to-dos for the morning: I post what’s slated for the day on the Paperless Instagram and TikTok accounts, respond to emails and slacks, and source future content.
11:03 AM: Hamlet receives some pets from my coworker, and we chat about Beyoncé.
11:10 AM - 12:13 PM: More heads-down work and social media planning.
Here are some recent Paperless social posts I loved working on:
12:13 PM: Lunch time! We have Spring Cafe catered today, a Chinatown vegan restaurant that serves 100% allium-free Asian fusion food. I’m skeptical at first because I love alliums, but it ends up being delicious! I eat and chat with some of my team.
12:30 PM: Hamlet tries to snag one of my taro spring rolls for dessert.
1:21 PM: After lunch and working for a bit longer, I fight through tourist crowds to go for a quick walk and admire the lushness of Trinity Church Cemetery, where Alexander Hamilton is buried.
1:30-3:30 PM: Back in the office and time for some meetings. One is with our partnerships team, where we plan and coordinate on upcoming and current partnerships, and another is a meeting to review upcoming creative assets with our designers, copywriter, and creative leads.
3:32 PM: I grab a Raspberry Rose Poppi from the office drink fridge and work through the rest of my to-do list for the day.
5:40 PM: Hamlet and I leave the office to commute back to Brooklyn—and it’s raining—but luckily I remembered to bring his rain jacket.
6:14 PM: Hi, Brooklyn :)
6:36 PM: I wind down and calm my brain by reading for a little bit. I’m currently reading an advanced copy of Work Nights by Erica Peplin (coming out June 17th), and it’s brilliant.
7:52 PM: I make a dirty martini, using a vintage martini glass my friend recently gifted me for my birthday. I heat up leftovers for dinner.
9:28 PM: I turn on the new “Pee Wee as Himself” two-part documentary series and watch part one, holding back tears a couple of times. My friend Rebecca is a huge Pee Wee fan and has converted me to also being one, even before watching this documentary. I can’t wait to see the second part.
10:30 PM-11:PM: I brush my teeth, do my nightly skincare routine, and read my book in bed.
loved this and love jess!!