A Day in the Life of Suzanne Paul: Writing, Dog Walks, and Zumba Fun

As she approaches 65, Suzanne Paul is trying to slow down, but her days are still filled with writing, walking her rescue dog, and enjoying Zumba classes.

Morning Routine

My wake-up time varies depending on how much sleep I’ve managed to get. As I’ve gotten older, I don’t fall asleep easily, and sciatica often wakes me up a couple of times a night. When that happens, I get up and do some stretches, then try to get back to sleep. As long as I get six hours of sleep, I’m okay. I can’t remember the last time I slept through the night, but since I don’t have a regular nine-to-five job anymore, I can sleep in if I need to.

In the morning, my partner, Patrick, always brings me a cup of tea in bed. It’s a great way to start the day—I’m very spoiled. I don’t eat breakfast; I haven’t for years. I just don’t get hungry until about 12:30 PM.

Daily Activities

My first look at my phone is while I’m in bed enjoying my cup of tea. I’ll check my social media and take a quick look at what’s happening in the world. My mornings are spent replying to emails and working on the second edition of my best-selling motivational book, But Wait, There’s More. I want to change certain chapters and add new content. A lot has happened since I wrote the first edition—some good, some bad. If it’s a Monday morning, I’ll go to the local Zumba class, which I love.

Lunchtime means eating my lunch outside. It’s usually just toast with perhaps a poached egg or some cheese.

In the afternoon, Patrick and I will sometimes take our little rescue dog, Matty, to the park for a run. He’ll want to chase a ball, but if it’s hot, he’s happy just sniffing and wandering around. I call it the ‘positivity park.’ I made a rule that we can’t talk about anything negative while we’re there. We just try to practice some mindfulness, enjoy nature, and talk about the things we’re happy about and grateful for.

Most days, I’ll be busy, but I’m 65 this year, so I’m trying to make things a bit easier and not rush around like a madwoman anymore. I want to enjoy life while I’ve still got reasonably good health and fitness.

Some days, I meet a friend for lunch or pop into the mall for a bit of retail therapy. I go to the chiropractor a couple of times a week to try to fix my sciatica, and there’s always something to clean.

Evening Routine

At 5 PM, I’ll be having a dip in the pool. I enjoy just floating around and having a bit of a swim, and then I might lie outside for a while and read a magazine.

At dinnertime, Patrick cooks—he’s better at it than I am. Then we like to curl up on the sofa with Matty and watch TV, enjoying a glass of wine or two.

Once a week, I do a 6 PM Pilates class, and either we’ll have friends around for dinner or we’ll pop out to our local restaurant.

By 10:30 PM, I’m usually getting ready for bed and putting on my various lotions and potions. I’ve never gone to bed without cleaning my face and putting cream on it. Once in bed, I like to read for an hour or so until I get sleepy. I’ve usually got a good thriller on the go.

Our dog Matty is by my side practically every minute of the day, and Sid the cat pops in and out.

The one thing I would like to change about my routine is to go to bed earlier and get more sleep so that I can get up early and fit more into my day. It’s a work in progress.

Suzanne Paul, best known as a TV presenter and winner of Dancing with the Stars, is currently working on the second edition of her motivational book, But Wait, There’s More.

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