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A day in the life of Colin Wills

Pronouns:

He/Him/His

Position:

Analyst

Time at the clearing:

3 years

I am probably known for my first month at The Clearing as “the Philly sports guy.” I’m originally from just outside of Philadelphia and attended George Washington University right here in D.C for undergrad. I did cardio as a sport for about 12 years of my life, having the opportunity to run track & field and cross-country at GW. Since graduating in 2020, I’ve shifted my focus and much of my free time towards working out in the gym and gaining a passion for preparing meals that align with my new health goals. When not glued to my TV exposing myself to further Philly sports heartbreak, I enjoy taking advantage of any decent weather and walking around to see what the D.C. area has to offer. Oh, and I’m trying to become less terrible at golf, which I recently picked up.

My Typical Day:

Overview
  • A beautiful part of consulting is the ability to work on a wide array of projects - each of varying scope and complexity - with uniquely talented and specialized individuals. Working through the ambiguity is a staple here at TC, as we often serve as the mechanism for our clients to work through the noise of their problems and environment so the path towards a solution becomes clear. My time at TC can be characterized as a constant reception of new information, skills, and knowledge on critical problems facing the government and innately, the American public. With my current project, I lean into several lanes of work focused on stakeholder engagement, user research, data analysis, and producing reports and deliverables for leadership.

Morning
  • I recently moved and now have a balcony(!) that I try to enjoy in the warmer months with a morning cup of coffee, a snack, and reading up on news. While working from home it can be difficult - but I think essential - to ease your way into the workday and get your mind in a good spot. Once I get into the work, I review the tangible to-do list I keep in my notebook and take note of the major tasks of the day, following up with any team members I need to address certain action items. I try to get ahead of the day by addressing any emails or other items before messages from the client, team members, and others start to pour in.

Afternoon
  • I like to eat. So sometimes I don’t allow myself the time to take a more concrete break outside of quickly whipping up some meals to eat, but I’ve tried to go for a short walk and grab a cup of coffee to give me the dopamine I need to get through the afternoon of work to come. My day is often flushed with meetings throughout, but if the afternoon happens to be lighter it can provide me the heads down time needed to work through the items that were discussed by the team in earlier meetings.

Evening
  • With working from home it can be tempting to stay online until later hours working through something. While client demands will drive the work day, I try to give myself a hard cutoff in the evening that encourages me to stay focused in order to finish up the day’s tasks before logging off to workout. I like to go for walks and short runs after spending some time in the gym to get more time outside. I’ll finish my day with a dinner complemented by either sports or whatever show I’m currently watching.