I posted this picture to social media yesterday.

And I realize that I’ve always sort of vaguely alluded to what it is that I do, but it’s not really clear to you folks what exactly I do (other than eat and run a lot).  And I’d love to hear what is is you guys, my readers do.

So I am a director at a central Y here in Raleigh.  More specifically, I am the Group Fitness Director.

What does that mean?

Have you ever belonged to a larger gym and taken a group fitness class?  Ever scrolled through the online schedule and cherry picked exactly which class it us what you wanted to take?  Wonder who updates the app?  That person is me!

So, as a Group Fitness Director, there isn’t really a “typical” day, because so much goes into a day and coordination there.  Which I was told when I was interviewing for the job and did the part where they ask if you have any questions.  And what you really want to ask is “how much Ima get paid,” but that’s so rude, you can’t.  And let’s be real, none of us work in nonprofit for the cash, so it really only matters that you can pay your rent and student loans, and most of us are happy!

So there is not a typical day.  But I’ll use today as an example.  Today, a Monday, I’ll try to wake up early and get in a quick workout.  Sometimes that means driving to the branch, parking my car, and doing a short run from there.  Sometimes it means meeting friends over at the state park and busting out some trail miles.  And sometimes it means popping downtown for a HIIT class at a boutique up there, only a few blocks from work.

After this workout, usually I head home, shower, and am in the office between 9:30 and 10 am.  I’ll set my laptop up, and get to answering emails.  On a Monday like today (and this is why it might seem like I’m ignoring your texts on a Monday), I will log into a special program to make sure that my staff (of about 80 instructors) gets paid on time.  If this work isn’t finished, it’s really bad, so you never really want to take a “critical Monday” off of work, and if you are, you need to make sure your boss knows and can sign off on some time sheets.

Usually when I get done with payroll and am sure that any hiccups on the time sheets is fixed, it’s about lunchtime.  Sometimes I’ve thrown something together in a lunchbox and will head down to the lobby with my office mate to eat lunch and chat about life.  Sometimes I go home to eat and let the dog out, and head back to work.

At this point, I’ll send a few more emails, and then get bored enough that I need to do a lap around the building.  I’ll visit my boss, my bosses boss, the HR lady, some of the people in the youth office, and I will head allll the way down to the ground floor to check on the studios.  I’ll pump up some Bosus, check on the bikes, and check the mics.

This time of year, were are gearing up for the annual campaign, our campaign to raise money for our programs, since we are nonprofit, and that means lots of meetings, lots of phone calls, and lots of hustling to make sure we make our goal.  Right now, and today, I am hustling to get volunteers and to encourage folks who may want to volunteers for the campaign, kicking off next month, to learn more.

Mid-afternoon, I usually answer any phone calls I may not have caught, especially while I was working down in the lobby or lapping the building.  And after that, I am usually only left with enough time to quickly change close, and head downstairs to teach one or two classes.

Like I said, my day is rarely repeated.  So while this may be a Monday, a Tuesday may mean that I have a program that I’m running with a local doctor’s office, a Gentle Yoga class to sub, or a broken mic I need to deal with.  Sometimes I feel on top of the world – like every single lick of work I can do has been accomplished.  Sometimes I feel like I have way way more to do, and that I shouldn’t even consider going home, let alone enjoying time to be creative, and write and work on the blog.

I’ve been working to find that balance.

But I will leave you with this.

When I was looking for a job in 2011 and having a really really hard time, my father seemed really really confused as to why I simply wouldn’t just take a job a a local credit union or in finance, the way a lot of my friends at school had.  I couldn’t do it because I was sure I would be miserable, and the thought of sitting at a desk all day, without an opportunity to get up and move around paralyzed me.  You see, our parents grew up in a time where you didn’t have to necessarily enjoy your work, so long as it made you a living.  Call me, call us a bunch of entitled, bratty millenials, but I knew what I wanted.  And the Y was  the perfect marriage of programming, nonprofit work, and a practical teaching piece.

Now, enough about me.  What do you do?  Do you enjoy your work?