It’s genuinely true that no two days are ever the same for me. Monday to Friday always starts the same way—with the school drop-off. This time with Martha is a wonderful way to catch up, check in, and stay grounded before the workday begins.
From there, my schedule shifts depending on the day. Some mornings, I head straight to my office at Out of the Blue, where I share a workspace with two fantastic friends and freelance theatre producers. When I’m there, I try to divide my day between two projects—one in the morning, one in the afternoon—tackling everything from planning and drafting production paperwork to coordinating with builders, suppliers, and handling project-related emails. However, once I dive in, I sometimes find myself dedicating the entire day to a single production, depending on the workload.
Other days, I’m at the Imaginate office, working with the incredible team to plan and deliver the Children’s Festival. This involves everything from meetings and scheduling to drafting plans, liaising with national and international companies, and overseeing the production team. With more than 22 people on that team, I handle contracts and ensure everyone is aligned with the festival’s requirements.
Then there are days spent in theatre stores, leading fit ups, loading and unloading vans—or even driving them. Writing risk assessments, attending CPD training courses, participating in webinars, and having meetings are also part of the mix. And, of course, I’m always looking ahead researching and planning future work at least 10 to 12 months in advance to keep my calendar on track.
One of the most common questions I get is how I manage to juggle multiple projects at once. It’s definitely not easy, and it’s taken me 25 years to refine the process and tools that help me give my best to every production, no matter the scale.
The first challenge is maintaining control—both of the projects themselves and my own sense of control. The moment I start feeling overwhelmed, things begin to slip, and anxiety creeps in. Over the years, I’ve worked with counsellors to navigate anxiety and have faced my own battles with depression. Through that journey, I’ve developed tools to help me regain focus when things start to feel unmanageable.
For me, wild swimming and weightlifting are essential. They clear my mind, bring perspective, and remind me that there’s a whole world beyond whatever project I’m immersed in.
Although it doesn’t always make financial sense, I prefer to be involved in a project as early as possible. I’d much rather contribute to decision-making and problem-solving while there’s still time for meaningful changes, rather than stepping in later when it’s all about damage control.
My paper notebook is still my go-to tool—I write everything down. For years, I’ve stuck with a full-page softcover Moleskine after cycling through Pukka Pads and old-school jotters. I keep one notebook for all projects, using coloured tabs to mark pages related to each project, where my to-do lists, and priority tasks live.
My diary, on the other hand, is fully digital and color-coded by project, company, and personal life (including Martha).
I take pride in being present for tech week and opening night. Because of this, when considering overlapping contracts, I carefully weigh schedules and key crunch points.
For me, a project needs to fulfil at least two out of three core job satisfaction factors. Think of it as a triangle, with each corner representing a key element: compensation, autonomy, and function. I break these down into:
Company – The team, the production itself, and the enjoyment of working with those people.
Contract – Time commitment, fee, schedule, and whether the budget aligns with the ambition.
Career – Does this project matter to me? Does it contribute something meaningful to the industry or the audience?
If a project checks at least two of these boxes, it’s worth my time.
Since Covid, my work-life balance has improved significantly. I’ve learned to prioritize myself, and the occasional midweek wild swim or sauna is now a non-negotiable! I have no plans to give up my career or ambition, but I also don’t want to miss Martha growing up—and the days of constantly running on empty are finally fading. Weightlifting (thanks to Athena Personal Training) and counselling have given me the confidence to say no without guilt, whether in a professional or personal setting. Now, I just need to keep that in mind and not overcommit in 2025!