24 hours with… Charu Malhotra

Ever wondered what an ideal day in the life of someone from advertising/marketing/media is? We're here to spill the beans on it.

Every Tuesday, we'll have a person from the advertising/marketing/media industry profiled in this section.

Name: Charu Malhotra 

Job: Chief brand officer, APL Apollo Steel Tubes 

Professional mantra: You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great

Personal mantra: Family gives you the roots to stand tall and strong

7-8am: Wake up and brew a cup of masala chai. This is how I like to kick-start my day – with a cup of chai in hand while browsing news apps for daily updates. I also take a few minutes to catch up on reading in the morning.

8-9:30am: Get the morning household routine started by sending my son to school. Then, I have a nutritious breakfast featuring a fruit bowl and veg/fruit juice while jotting down a list of work objectives that need to be accomplished for the day.

9:30am-1pm: I launch my day in the office by orchestrating a quick team meeting, instilling motivation and a collective sense of purpose among the team members. During this period, I take a few hours to review reports and connect with various team members to get updates about the day's interventions and performance.

1-1:30pm: Take a break for lunch and stretch around a bit. Spend time with my team talking about how work is going and any challenges we're facing to foster a positive work environment.

1:30-6:30pm: This schedule varies a lot by the day, as some days there are reviews with the leadership teams or any other connections. I cover large parts of the strategic projects in this part of the day, be it discussions with extended team members on key priorities and charting the way forward, meetings with creative and media partners, or connecting with other cross-functional teams on projects. A few cups of ginger tea keeps me going through the day.

6:30-6:45pm: Wrapping up the workday on a high note by consolidating efforts, communicating priorities, and ensuring that the team is well-prepared for the challenges ahead.

7-8pm: About three times a week, I get to my 45-minute fitness routine consisting of intense cardio and a core workout that helps me feel a bit more energised at the end of the day.

8-10 pm: Back home, I usually eat dinner anytime between 8:30 to 9 pm. Then, I catch up with family and friends, scroll through social media, watch a show, or listen to some invigorating music.

10pm onwards: Spend some time with my son before going to bed. Pick up a book and read for an hour or so before turning in for the day.