If you’ve ever wondered what a Creative Director does every day, we got to follow Matthew Encina around to find out. We pull back the curtain to see his morning rituals, the tools he uses to stay organized, and how he manages the team of animators and designers at Blind. From the first alarm at 5:55 AM, to unwinding with a brief journaling session, here’s everything Creative Director Matthew Encina does in 24 hours.

5:55 AM - Alarm goes off. Head down to the kitchen and make some coffee—stat.

6:47 AM - Spend 5 minutes journaling and goal setting. This is a daily morning ritual for Matthew.

7:19 AM - Head to the gym. On the way there, he tunes into some good podcasts: GaryVee, 99% Invisible, How I Built This, Startup, Branding like a Boss, and of course, The Futur podcast.

After his morning workout, it’s time to head to the office.

10:02 AM - Arrive at Blind studio. Refuel with another cup of coffee.

10:31 AM - Write out to-dos for the day. Matthew uses the bullet journal format, where circles represent meetings/calls, and the boxes mean to-dos.

10:53 AM - Schedule Futur posts for social media.

11:36 AM - Review edits with Jon, video editor at Blind.

12:24 PM - Write script for an upcoming YouTube episode.

12:30 PM - Jump into the first meeting of the day.

12:45 PM - Check in with the design team and review their work.

1:18 PM - Lunch. On the menu today: Pho.

2:35 PM - Back in the office with a third cup of coffee, and get back to work with Jon. Record a voiceover for a new YouTube video.

3:00 PM - Brainstorm session with the team at Blind.

4:12 PM - Start assembling personal computer. While this is not an everyday habit for Matthew, it was part of today’s list of things to do.

6:10 PM - Check the progress of the PC. Hope for the best it doesn’t blow up in Matthew’s face.

6:44 PM - The PC is built and complete! AND it works!

7:05 PM - Last-minute phone call with a client.

7:15 PM - Design client post #1.

8:00 PM - Design client post #2.

9:04 PM - Clock out.

9:28 PM - Grab some groceries.

9:48 PM - Cook dinner, eat at 10:15 and indulge in some good ol’ That 70’s Show.

10:30 PM - Another 5 minute journaling session. Reflect on the day’s events, and think about how to tackle the next day.

11:40 PM - Finally hit the hay, and go to bed.

And there you have it, folks. A day in the life of designer and Creative Director, Matthew Encina. Keep in mind not all days look like this, but the dedication to the craft remains the same. If there’s one thing to take away from following Matthew around, it’s that creativity comes with the grit and determination to keep at it. In other words, love the grind.