Day in the Life with Sandy Sanchez
A truly covetable 12 hours in NYC.
Welcome to Day in the Life, our new series pulling back the curtain on how creatives spend their days, from the rituals that keep them grounded to the work that keeps them inspired.
Why? Because we’re nosy curious. And we know that what happens outside the computer screen can be just as valuable to the creative process as the time spent cranking away at the keys. So get ready to ride shotgun with some of our favorite people and see how they spend their day—from the grind to the quiet moments in between.
We’ll be running Day in the Life regularly, spotlighting writers, strategists, and other creative thinkers. Got a day worth documenting? Drop us a line.
First up: Sandy Sanchez.
Sandy is a Brooklyn-based writer, brand strategist, and content creator. We’ve been huge fans of her newsletter and her pleasing TikTok account for a while, and we know you’ll feel the same. Currently, she's a Senior Copywriter at Headspace and in the past has worked at Red Antler, Thinx, McCann, and Y&R. She loves writing her newsletter Small Pleasures which documents interiors, culture, and everyday delights. Her writing has been published Architectural Digest and Clever. You can also find her on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Sandy’s Day in the Life:
6:45 AM: The recycling truck wakes me up at the same time as my alarm going off.
6:50 AM: I read an essay from The Next American Essay. I’m currently reading a few different books: The Next American Essay, Air Guitar, and The Bed and Bath Book. I recently finished Sex & Rage by Eve Babitz and loved it. Forever balancing fiction and non-fiction.
7:10 AM: I walk my dog, Noguchi, a little earlier than usual because I have a press event I need to get to at 9 am. We go on a quick walk and then I get back home, do a quick 15-minute Pilates workout, and shower. I usually like to have a slow morning where I can make a big breakfast, have my coffee, and read a bit, but this morning is a little different.
8:10 AM: I work from home 100% of the time (and have been for the last 5 years!) so it’s really nice to get out of the house every once in a while and go somewhere. I head out and walk to the train.
8:35 AM: I get to SoHo a little earlier than planned, so I stop by La Colombe for an oat chai latte and a croissant. They’re playing “Writer in the Dark” by Lorde and it reminds me so much of life in 2017 when I first moved to NYC!
9:00–9:30 AM: I walk over to Alex Mill for the press event. My main job is copywriting, but on the side I also create lifestyle content and do editorial writing from time to time. I got to check out their upcoming spring collection. As much as I love winter, I love light jacket weather even more and can’t wait to start dressing for the spring. So many beautiful pieces!
9:30–10 AM: I head back home and listen to Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS the entire way.
10:00–12:30 PM: Focus work time. I’ve got a few kickoffs and meetings today. Most of my team is based on the West Coast so the mornings are usually quiet for me. It’s when I get to do most of my writing.
12:30–2:30 PM: A few back-to-back meetings with a break in between to have my Indian leftovers for lunch. At work today, this is what’s on my agenda: coming up with copy concepts for an upcoming campaign, kicking off a new video series, and going through the copy deliverables for that, and a creative brainstorm and regroup. The creative director, designers, producer, and I meet to talk through what we’ve been thinking and it’s a fun one! Lots of good things happening.
2:30–3:00 PM: Time to walk my dog. It’s finally a little warmer out so it’s nice to go on longer walks.
3:00–4:30 PM: I get back to work and cross off some things from my to-do list. I organize a Google Doc for some website copy I’m writing next week and do some more writing. This week, I’ve been playing the Severance x ODESZA 8 hour long “Music to Refine To” and it really does work—it’s insane how focused I get.
4:30–5:00 PM: I’m doing some freelance Spanish copywriting work for the MoMA on the side and there’s a meeting today to go over some user testing feedback. Luckily, I’m able to squeeze this into my day.
5:00–6:00 PM: I do some more writing for work and make my to-do list for tomorrow and the upcoming week. I also snack on this Black Sesame Chip ice cream that my friend Ro makes.
6:00–6:30 PM: I have some personal emails I need to reply to and some other small tasks: helping my mom set up a doctor’s appointment, getting back to some texts about a zine I’m working on, and folding clothes.
6:30–7:30 PM: It’s time to lay on the couch and do nothing. I finish an episode of Gossip Girl that I started yesterday and scroll through IG, TikTok, and Substack. I’ve been spending more time on Cosmos, too, and I bookmarked lots of beautiful living room inspo.
7:30–8:00 PM: Tonight for dinner, I’m having tostadas. One of my favorite (and easy) meals! I do a layer of beans and top them with lettuce, avocado, onion, feta cheese, sour cream, and both salsa verde and salsa macha.
8:00–9:00 PM: I put the finishing touches on my latest newsletter and hit publish. It was supposed to go live in the morning, but it’s okay! I’m just glad it went out today. My partner finally gets back from work and we catch up on the day.
9:00–10:00 PM: Time for us to watch Severance and eat popcorn. DND!
10:00–10:30 PM: Wow wow wow. I process the episode, read the Reddit threads, and text my friends who also watch it. It’s been so long since I’ve been this obsessed with a show.
10:30–11:00 PM: Time to do my nighttime skincare routine. I recently started using the Youth to the People Retinal + Niacinimide Youth Serum and I’m loving it so far. I do a little bit of reading before going to bed. I’m extra tired today, so I go to bed earlier than usual.