I usually wake up between 6:30 and 7:00, and I try to get a quick walk in before heading to the office. I found that the concept of doing something for myself before work, exposure to sunlight in the early morning, and just the physical activity really gets me going. Even on days when I work from home or the weekend, I do this little ritual! Bonus: this rhythm enables me to wake up every day without an alarm, which feels like a superpower.
I work in a hybrid setup, splitting my time between home, the Valcon office, and the client’s location. I appreciate the flexibility, but I tend to prefer being in the office. It helps me focus, and I value the spontaneous chats and moments of collaboration with colleagues. My commute varies depending on where I’m working. I live in Utrecht, so I usually cycle to the Valcon office. If I’m working at the client, I drive. It adds some variety to the week.
On my previous project, my role was quite hectic at times, but the variety kept things interesting. Nowadays, my role is at a different client and more focused. This enables me to adopt small habits and rituals like the one I just mentioned. They give me some balance and structure to deal with all the kinds of challenges that come with the job.
After arriving at my desk, I like to start the day by jotting down my meetings, to-dos and the key goals I want to tackle. It’s a habit I picked up from colleagues at Valcon, and it really helps me stay on track. When I’m not in calls or sessions, I’m usually preparing for them, following up on actions or developing new ideas. Right now, I’m working with a big construction client. In the previous six months, I was a business analyst in a team of four colleagues. We did market research, with a special focus on climate adaptation. For the coming months, my role will be project manager and business analyst to accommodate the development and implementation of that research.
At lunch, again, I try to get outside for a walk. It’s easy to stay seated all day if you don’t make the effort to move. I try to make it a non-negotiable, even if others don’t want to join. It is valuable to me as it helps me reset and come back with a clearer head. I usually finish work around 5 pm, depending on the season and how busy things are. Sometimes I stay a bit longer to use the quieter hours of the day to reflect and prep for the next day.
Outside of work, I’m a big fan of cinema. Watching a great film makes me genuinely happy. I also enjoy sports, reading, cooking and sharing good food and drinks with others. Weekends are usually a mix of hobbies and downtime, although there’s often something to do around the house. And when talking about time off, what’s better than spending your vacation watching nature from a mountain?
I think one of the interesting things about working at Valcon is that, over time, you develop new and existing skills. Experience is the best teacher, so taking on new challenges at new clients, in new sectors, with new colleagues is a fun journey to explore. For me, combining the development of professional and personal growth, and being able to have a laugh in between, makes it worth it. As for what’s next, I don’t have a fixed five-year plan, and I’m OK with that. I’ve always been interested in living and working abroad at some point, so maybe I’ll explore that. For now, I’m happy where I am and open to what comes next.
