Dayna Stewart is the Director, Digital Marketing, Media & Creative Services at The Nudge Group, a start-up and scale-up recruitment agency, designed to work with accelerated growth businesses.  

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1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?

I have been in the recruitment industry for 20 years, mainly specialising in recruitment across various marketing disciplines.

I am currently the Business Director at The Nudge Group. We help start-ups and scale- up companies with recruitment advice, consulting and talent acquisition to help these fast growing businesses scale and grow.

2) What does a day in the life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?

My day varies. I have a young family, so it often starts early getting them ready for school. After they are sorted, I start work at 8.30am and go through emails that have come in overnight.

Most are usually applications for positions I’ve advertised, or candidates who have responded to me from the head hunting efforts I’ve done the day prior. I work on roles project by project so I can really stay in the zone.

Usually a walk or some form of exercise at lunchtime, to clear my mind, and then back to the computer at 1.30pm for more of the same.

Lots of consulting with new and existing clients throughout the day, discussing recruitment issues, onboarding, training or how we can create job descriptions or work through short and long term recruitment planning.

Usually 3-5 Zoom interviews with candidates who I’ve short-listed for specific roles. We also do a lot of storytelling for our clients, often running video and podcasting sessions to help our clients to tell their story, so we can use that to form part of our head hunting activity on their behalf, that happens about once a month.

I take a break around 3:30 to get things prepared for the family in the evening, then back on the computer at 7pm through till about 9pm to chase more amazing talent for my clients.

3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your life and routine?

Yes, I am working mainly from my home office. And have been since March 2020. Only attending the office once a fortnight or the production studio once a month for podcasting sessions.

4) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?

For me, work-life balance is being able to have a very successful and fulfilling career, without it consuming my family time or healthy lifestyle. I feel I can achieve that in my current role.

I am able to work full time hours (5 days per week), yet still enjoy time for 45 mins of exercise (most days), and I am also able to drop my children off to school, pick them up in the afternoons. I think that is a really healthy balance.

I am very committed to work, and I think I have learnt to be really structured otherwise I could spend day and night in front of the computer, which isn’t healthy.

5) In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life?

Yes, unfortunately I have stopped a routine. I was doing an early morning boot camp 3 days per week and when COVID hit, rules changed and group personal training sessions had to stop.

They have since opened up again, but I haven’t returned to my sessions. Unfortunately this isn’t a good habit or routine to stop, as it was very good for me mentally and physically.

6) Do you have any favourite books, podcasts or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?

Well, of course, I’d have to say the Give It A Nudge podcast.

7) Are there any products, gadgets or apps that you can’t live without?

My Fitbit, LinkedIn Recruiter app and StoCard app.

8) If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be?

I think it’s important to get a wide coverage of mentors who speak in this space. So I’d be open to reading from a range of people. No one specific springs to mind.

9) Do you have any last thoughts on work, life or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?

I think it’s really important to create balance in all aspects of our lives, be it work, health, food, fitness and social. We only get one life, so I believe it’s important to work hard, but experience life and all that it offers. Experiencing life is more important than the cash you take with you on your way out.

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