Welcome to The Vital Life, where we spotlightVital Proteins employees. This week, our Vital MVP and Creative Project Manager, Susanne Michalek, gives us a look at her day.
Lively: Thanks for sharing your day with us, Susanne! To kick things off, can you tell us about what you do at Vital Proteins and what you enjoy about your role?
Susanne Michalek: Thank you for having me! I am the Creative Project Manager at Vital Proteins. I manage all design-related projects, timelines and the workloads of our rockstar design team. From our product packaging to in-store marketing collateral to our website (the list goes on!), our designers do it all. I enjoy my role at Vital because of the people I get to work with. Everyone is so collaborative and entrepreneurial - it is truly inspiring!
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L: Walk us through your morning routine — how does this typically look for you?
SM:My alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m. Pending on the day, I will hit up a Sculpt class at CorePower Yoga or go for a run outside if the Chicago weather is on my side. With triathlon season a few months away, I have been also trying to get myself into a better swimming routine – although time feels like it stands still when you’re swimming laps.
A morning workout really helps me wake up and makes me feel prepared and accomplished - all before 8 a.m.!
L: Great! Once you get to the office, how do you get inspired for projects or tasks you might be working on throughout the day?
SM: My co-workers give me inspiration! I work with a lot of different departments at Vital so I am constantly surrounded by different types of personalities. They push me to come up with new ideas which in turn helps me strengthen my project management skills and worth ethic. I also tend to listen to instrumental music at work – it really helps me stay focused and creative. Thank you, Explosions In The Sky.
L: It’s lunchtime! What’s your plan?
SM: I try to make an effort to bring my lunch to work but really I often hit up the Beatrix Market salad bar. It’s conveniently right down the street from our office and always hits the spot. Although I am always looking forward to catered lunch Wednesdays and praying it’s taco day.
L: Switching gears, how do you tackle a mid-afternoon slump? What are your go-to things to get you through and re-energize your afternoon?
SM: Typically, I am in back-to-back meetings so I always feel like I have to be alert and on my A-game. On those days I try to sneak in a Zen Collagen Shotto keep me calm and balanced. Although there are days where I do hit the wall, I can always rely on my team to boost my mood and energy!
L: You made it to the end of the day — congrats! What’s next on your agenda?
SM:I live about 15 minutes from the office so I'll enjoy a nice walk home to decompress from the workday. I'm so thankful I don’t have to ride the dreadful CTA.When I get home, typically my boyfriend is handling dinner and we’ll catch up on shows on YouTube, like Bon Appetit’s channel, or continue to binge a TV series.
Around 9:30 p.m., I start to get ready for bed. I'll get prepared for the next workday, run through my skincare routine and then lights out by 10 p.m. #adulting
Rapid Fire Questions:
Favorite Podcast? I don’t listen to podcasts! I prefer my indie/garage rock Spotify playlists.
Favorite Vacation Spot? Florida Keys or a National Park.
Favorite Workout? Running.
Favorite Vital Proteins product? Strawberry Lemon Collagen Water™. I love the on-the-go options and it tastes delish!
Thanks, Susanne!