How Covey’s Chief Growth Officer mastered the art of work and life
Meet Nell Russell, Covey’s Chief Growth Officer. She oversees digital marketing, finance, retail and brand partnerships. She lives in Chicago with her husband, George, and dog, Tiger. Read on for her 3 pieces of advice on how to be productive and a look at her daily routine.
Staying positive changes everything
One of Nell’s secrets to success is PMA aka Positive Mental Attitude, which her parents instilled in her from a young age. She strongly believes in the power of positivity and her routine embodies such. Here’s some tips on how to develop a positive mental attitude.
Start with two minute tasks
Nell learned in the book, Getting Things Done by David Allen, that if something takes two minutes to get done, do it right away and this is something that has changed her life! From making her bed in the morning to a marketing meeting at Covey, she tackles all her tasks head on.
Focus on being 1% better
Nell aims to be 1% better each week. “Through working at a startup, priorities and focus have to shift daily, “ said Nell. “With so many projects happening at once, it’s less overwhelming when you try to grow holistically and aim to grow 1% each week.”
Daily Routine
7:00am: Always makes her bed first. She once heard a speech from a Navy SEAL that said, “If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.”
7:30am: Say hi to family. “I have 9 nieces and nephews and it’s such a nice start to my day when I’m able to see them on their way to school via FaceTime,” she said. When she gets back she finishes up her Covey routine and applies make up. “Brands I love lately are Jones Road Beauty, Merit Beauty, Westman Atelier and ILIA,” said Nell.
8:15am: Write your to-do list. “Covey’s Co-Founder, Christina, inspired me to write out my daily to-do list instead of typing it and that has been a game-changer. I catch up on my emails and tend to focus on my deeper work mid-morning through mid-afternoon,” said Nell.
1:00pm: Lunch time. Nell’s go to is scrambled eggs with avocado and a tortilla wrap. She spends the rest of her day working on more creative work streams and usually checks in with Emily and Christina a few times a week.
5:30pm: Workout. She will either go to a [solidcore] class or do the TikTok workout, 12:3:30 (3 miles per hour for 30 minutes at 12 incline on the treadmill).
6:30pm: Dinner. I love everything from Half Baked Harvest - This salmon dish is her go-to. “My husband and I eat dinner while watching an episode or two of our favorite show of the moment. We are loving Suits, White Lotus Season 2, and Dark,” said Nell.
9:30pm: Begins her bedtime routine. “Once a week, I like to apply a hair and scalp treatment overnight. Currently, I am loving Fable & Mane’s Hair Oil. Then I apply my Covey Routine, slip on my Lunya or Skims pajamas and go to sleep,” she said.