A Day In The Life Of A Founder And Program Director At Treats
Alison, Founder and Program Director at Treats, prioritizes self-care and structure in their flexible schedule, beginning each day with personal needs and deep dives into research informing Treats' ethos—a focus on accessible wellness based in science and sociology, as illustrated by their current reading of "Who is Wellness For?". Their days also involve collaborations, prioritizing in-person meetings for brainstorming, and recently, embarking on a six-month accelerator program.
Program Development, Social Science Research, Community Engagement, Wellness, Entrepreneurship
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Alison Griffin
Founder and Program Director
Treats.
University of Southern California, 2012
N/A
Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts
Food, Beverages & Alcohol
Entrepreneurship and Business Owner
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Alison's daily routine involves prioritizing self-care and incorporating early morning reading to stay informed on relevant research and scientific literature related to wellness. This highlights the importance of continuous learning and self-reflection in her field.
2. She emphasizes the significance of in-person collaboration and networking, noting that brainstorming and idea generation are often more effective face-to-face, which is a valuable insight into professional collaboration in a creative field.
3. Alison's involvement in an accelerator program demonstrates her commitment to ongoing professional development and staying current in her industry. This underscores the importance of continuous learning and seeking opportunities for growth in a dynamic field such as wellness programming.
Transcript
I wanted to ask about your routine and how you structure your days now that your schedule is a lot looser than it's ever been.
My schedule is looser than it's ever been, so I need to implement a little structure. I try to wake up early, as I've learned that I like being up in the morning, even with this freedom.
I make sure my physical needs are met first. I have my tea and get my things together, then check in with how I'm feeling before starting my day.
Lately, a lot of my activities and ideology are based in science, research, sociology, and big thinkers. In the beginning, I felt like I was just taking in information and reading. However, that's a huge part of it, so I try to do that early.
I'm reading a book called "Who Is Wellness For?" It's a tough book, but it's a cool way to think about who has access to leisure. It also explores how Black and Brown communities have had their traditions co-opted and sold back to them in ways that leave out context and can be expensive. Making wellness and self-care accessible to everyone is a huge part of what I do.
Injecting my brain with information is something I try to do early in the morning. Reading outside, whether it's a book or an article, also helps change my scenery.
I've also been prioritizing collaboration events. I've met with people for coffee or lunch to talk through logistics. I had a hard time working at home, and while it's easy to hop on a computer, I find that for creative work, getting together in person for even an hour is much better.
Brainstorming is often left on the table in Zoom calls, and people may not feel as heard. So, it's nice to get together. I've been prioritizing these micro-meetings, which has been cool for thinking through ideas.
I just started an accelerator program, and our first session was a couple of days ago. This program will be six months of my life, so I'm excited to meet the cohort and get started. That will keep me busy.
It will involve class meetings, continuing to dump information into my brain, preparing for upcoming events, and staying open and flexible. But I'm also trying to give myself a bit of structure.