This woman interior designer admits that there are challenges she must overcome while on the job. She explains that embracing the difficult and learning to relax are some ways of overcoming these challenges and managing her duties.

Titled “A Day In The Life Of A Woman,” this series celebrates the women in our lives. From the everyday to inspirational, the series aims to highlight women from various fields and share a bit of the diversity we experience every day.

Hazel Garces-Resari is a principal licensed interior designer and entrepreneur.  A wife and mother, her husband is a practicing architect.

Her regular schedule with no tight deadline goes something like this:

5:30 AM-6:30 AM:  After my morning ritual and praise, food preparation begins. I don’t have any household help. So, it’s a military drill that goes—fix your bed, take a bath, and eat, guys, unless I have a toolbox meeting at the site. I leave the house this early as well.

7 AM: Breakfast with my husband. Conversation includes catching up on what happened at the office and sites operation, schedule of meetings as well as kids’ activities.

8 AM: Checking of emails then I answer the urgent ones only. Random meeting with sales, accounting and production team.

9 AM: Site inspection/meeting with client on site, suppliers or the construction crew.

10 AM: Another site or client meeting. Function or events that I need to attend.

11 AM: Presentation at the office or another site meeting of the day or online communication with my clients.

12 NN: Lunchtime with my husband. If he is out for travel, I have lunch meeting or I take lunch alone and have a power nap.

1 PM: Inspection of another site and back to the office for the accounting and marketing concerns or with the production team to finish off   some drawing documentations. Out for sourcing.

2 PM: Supplier’s meeting or another function and events or clients meeting at the office.

3 PM: Answering emails at the office and some quick meeting with clients.

4 PM: Checking and signing of documents and scheduling the activities for the next day. Preparing simple menu for dinner at home.

5 PM: Off to meet the kids for their school activities and teacher’s meeting. If no meeting is scheduled.  Off to the grocery with the kids for the dinner they want to make.

6 PM: Dinner time at home.  If there are events or functions that are scheduled ahead, we make sure that one of us is at home to be with the kids during dinner time.

7 PM: After dinner, study time begins.

Loving Her Challenging Journey

With most things accomplished, Hazel’s day ends. She admits most of her day is filled with work. She also says that it’s not easy but she loves what she does. “It keeps me going,” she says. “Holidays are strictly for family and travel.”

After a challenging day, Hazel also says that she feels she’s being pulled into different directions because of the different roles she does. “I read books before I go to sleep,” she says on how she relaxes. “I still prefer the actual book. A massage is also a must.”

Mastering Accounting And Finance

Hazel says accounting and finance are the toughest parts of handling a business. “Even if I am into creative business, no business will run without accounting and finance,” she muses. “I deal with it first thing in the morning and head on. Finance plays a big role in the success of any business. Even though our company has an accounting staff and accountant, there is still a need for understanding the taxation, any government compliance and profit and loss reporting, as well as budget of the operation of the entire business. My knowledge on these department aids me in understanding the situation and predicament of each client because they don’t just ask me about design problems. I keep up by using accounting software to aid us and make each procedure easier and faster.”