Steve Harris, founder of Darley Flooring Solutions
AN average day for me starts with my alarm going off at 6am. In reality, I’m usually awake five or 10 minutes before that and getting up as the alarm goes off. I go straight into the bathroom, have a shower, get ready and head downstairs.
Breakfast is usually a bowl of cornflakes at home, along with a glass of orange and my vitamin tablets. I then make a cup of tea for my wife and take it up to her in bed. After that, I head to my home office at the top of the garden.
If I’m working from home, I’m usually up and working by about 7 to 7.30am, getting started on whatever the priorities are for the day. If I know I need to speak to any of my floorlayers or a site manager who is an early starter, I will pick those calls up first thing to make sure everything is on track.
If it’s a site day, for example a project in Bath, I’ll be on the road by 6.30am and aim to be onsite for about 8.30am. Those days are more structured around travel and site activity.
Meetings are usually scheduled first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. I prefer it that way so that once they’re done, I can get on with the rest of the work. That said, site meetings often land mid-morning because that’s when everyone is available, so you just have to work around that.
Lunch is very variable. Sometimes I’ll have a proper break, sometimes I won’t. If I’m at home, I try to take a short break mid-morning for a coffee with my wife, about 9.30am, just to step away for 10-15 minutes.
For lunch, I’ll grab something when I can. I do like a good English breakfast and will try to get one in once a week if I can. Otherwise it depends on the day. Yesterday, for example, I didn’t eat lunch until after 3pm because it was just non-stop.
The working day usually finishes anywhere between 5.30pm and 7.30pm, depending on what needs to be done and what’s coming up the following day. It really varies, but that is a fairly typical day for me.
After hours, I’d typically say I finish about 6.30pm, although that really depends on what is going on. There are times when things run on later and I need to be involved. We do some evening and weekend working when required, so my phone is always on. If I can’t take a call, it goes to voicemail and I’ll respond as soon as I can. I’m always contactable.
On a typical weekend, I’m still up at 6am, even on a Saturday. I tend to get up, go downstairs and have breakfast as normal, then give my wife an hour or so in bed to herself.
Saturday mornings are fairly relaxed. I’ll often watch a bit of golf, have a couple of hours just winding down, and then when my wife gets up we’ll usually have an early coffee.
After that, Saturdays are often a mix of things at home. I’ve been doing quite a bit of work in the garden and general DIY, just getting bits done around the house. By around 5pm, we usually start wrapping things up.
Most Saturday evenings, we meet up with my sister and brother-in-law. We alternate between our house and theirs, and we will have a homemade curry, usually with a gin and tonic before, then a catch-up about the week. After dinner, we will have a beer or a glass of wine and often watch a film or something on TV. That is a fairly standard Saturday for me.
Sunday starts early again. I’m usually awake around 5am. The night before, I’ll have everything ready for golf, my clothes laid out, my vitamins set out in the kitchen, and I’ll often make a flask to take with me. That way, Sunday morning is simple and I’m ready to go. I’m on the course by about 6.15am for an early tee time. We’re usually done and back in the clubhouse by around 11.00am for breakfast and a catch-up with the guys.
I’m normally home around lunchtime.
Sunday afternoons vary. Sometimes I’ll go and see my mum and dad, sometimes the kids and grandkids will come round, or there might be things still to sort out around the house or garden.
Sunday evenings are much quieter. My wife and I usually just relax, listen to music, watch TV, or catch up on anything we need to organise for the week ahead.
