Have you ever been in a situation where you asked a person what they did for a living and they replied "I'm a consultant"? After hearing this, either you had no questions or a lot of questions.
Either way, being a consultant is such a vague title. Like you could be out here consulting a 20-year-old Gen-Z on their TikToks or you could be responsible for strategizing the change management policies of a multimillion-dollar company.
I have been working as a consultant for almost a year but never got to truly experience the consultant lifestyle until very recently. Today, I'll share two sides of my whole consulting experience with you to give you a trailer of "day in a life of a consultant". Stay Tuned!
My Routine
My project assignment city was a four-hour drive or a forty-minute plane ride from my location. I would normally pack my bags on Sunday night and take care of any chores around the house. I would wake up around 5 am on Monday to shower, have a zen moment, and get ready for the airport. Luckily, I live close to the airport so catching an Uber in the morning was not a problem. I would normally depart the same flight at 8 am every week and get to my office around 10:30 am.
I would split my time in the office and at the client site. But I usually spent long hours in the office when I was onsite (like 12-14 hours) and then walk to my hotel. Finally, end the night with some food and HIMYM.
Every Thursday evening, I would catch my flight back home around 7 and be at my place by 8:30 pm. Grab something for dinner and answer some emails. Ending the night around 11 pm.
Every other Friday, I would go into my local office to take care of some local events I was in charge of. Fridays were usually the days where I spent most of my time networking as compared to accomplishing client work. As a result, some work would bleed into my weekends.
And finally, repeat the same cycle over again each week.
Pros of a Consultant Lifestyle
I mean let's be real, after being a working from couch potato for more than a half year, it was a positive change to put on clothes other than sweatpants and talk to people in person. But there's more to it:
You get to travel! Duh
You get more in-person client exposure
You get to dress up all business
You get to eat new food
You get to hear more "tea" from your managers
You're always on the move and ready for the next adventure
You get free hotel, airline, and credit card points!!
Cons of a Consultant Lifestyle
All of this excitement can turn boring and exhaustive quickly. At first, getting out of that couch sounds like a revolutionary moment, but then after sleeping in hotel beds for a while, you kind of start missing that same couch. Here's what I think didn't work for me:
Being on-site means long hours of work (can't say I have to go feed my cat)
Inconsistent gym schedule
Eating out causes health issues
Time wasted traveling (ubers, planes, driving)
If the assignment city is small, very few options for food and hotels
No time for self-care
No time for social activities for work or with friends
Things That Helped Me
If you are about to embark on a traveling consultant journey, here are some of my tips that helped me make my life a little easier:
Have two of each product (things like skin care; this way you don't have to unpack when you get home)
Get a separate charger for each of your outlets and your traveling bag
Meal prep some food in zip lock bags and throw them in the freezer (this way you can thaw a bag when you get home and throw it in the air fryer)
Eat very light or detox when you get home
Don't unpack at all (throw your clothes in the laundry and keep everything else in there)
Mentally prepare yourself by adding your flights to your calendar
Get TSA Pre-Check (Best decision in 2022)
Don't check your bag. Instead, get a nice carryon (like Beis or Away)
Pack your workout clothes and workout in the morning (evenings are never promised)
Be willing to say No to coworkers if they want to hang out after a long day at work
Pack your tea and medicines in your bag
This is all for now. I hope after reading this you get clarity on if a consultant lifestyle may be a career option for you.
Until next time, Peace 💼
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