An Hour-by-Hour Account of What Four New Yorkers Do at Their Jobs -- New York Magazine

Watching the Clock

(Photo: Donald Bowers for New York Magazine)

The Contractor
John Lesnik, 27, project manager for Stamack, a construction company

(Photo: Davies + Starr for New York Magazine)

6:20 A.M.
Upper East Side home Read e-mail from project manager about renovating the women’s bathroom for a theater on Broadway.

7:15
Make calls about a job rebuilding a financial company’s office near Columbus Circle. Get update on missing theater-bathroom tiles.

7:26
86TH ST. SUBWAY
Go to Times Square. Check schedule and tasks on BlackBerry.

7:54
STARLIGHT DELI
Get coffee and walk to theater.

8:03
THEATER
Inspect weekend work. Carpenters failed to cut out utility-closet door frame for measurement. Place follow-up calls.

8:15
Laborer arrives. Walk through site with him.

8:17
Call to schedule a carpenter for next morning at the office job. Call electrician for the theater job. Call theater carpenter to complain.

8:39
Call door-framing vendor to tell him measurements are not available. Order access doors for water-line valves.

8:43
Architect for theater job arrives. Everything looks fine.

8:50
Walk around site. Tile foreman has questions for architect. Make a note to tell him.

8:55
Order grab bars for handicap access in office-gym dressing-room showers. Take call from door vendor, agree to fixed dimensions.

9:03
Theater client walks by to review schedule. Set timetable for work on building front that doesn’t conflict with stagehands and other theater workers.

9:07
E-mail project manager for update on building front.

9:11
Review schedule and theater-job notes. Check off tasks on BlackBerry. Mark e-mails indicating office fax receipt unread. Read e-mail from project manager confirming scope of work on theater front.

9:20
Call bathroom-stall subcontractor to set date for partition installation. Call plumber to confirm change to automatic toilet-flush sensor.

9:29
Take call from expediter regarding hotel job next week; he helps procure permits.

9:30
Take call from millworker about office job. Decide on glass for gym-door window.

9:34
Tile subcontractor arrives to review work; he trades Irish and Greek jokes with laborer.

9:53
Take last bite of bagel. Talk with building-facilities manager and house electrician. E-mail specs to plumber. Manager calls to check on weekend work. Review time worked last week with laborer for payroll.

10:21
Sit down. Make notes. Place calls about price of fixing urinal-height problem at the office. Schedule wall covering in theater bathroom to allow for portraits to be painted. Call hotel designer about curtain rods for the bathrooms in five suites.

10:33
Check stock prices on BlackBerry. E-mail sister, architect, designer.

11:11
Check on bathroom. Run to lobby for small coffee. Resist laborer’s request to help clean out toilets.

11:29
Return to seat. Lights have been dimmed; an actress hangs upside down from the ceiling. Take calls. Daydream while watching actress. Check stocks. Catch up on financial news.

11:47
More phone calls and e-mails. Discuss really cool coat hook to install at office. Make weekend plans with sister.

12:20 P.M.
Bathroom break.

12:25
Review work status.

12:37
Leave theater.

12:47
TIMES SQUARE SUBWAY
Receive three e-mails and a voice-mail during ride to office.

1:17
Baguettes & Co. Get salad takeout.

1:22
WALL STREET OFFICE JOB
Check e-mails and phone messages.

1:39
Eat lunch. Check personal e-mails.

1:54
Write schedule for another theater job. Set up meetings.

2:13
Conference room Make calls to confirm tomorrow’s hardware delivery, to schedule theater-bathroom installation, and to follow up with anyone who didn’t call back this morning. Reply to text message from friend.

2:47
Check stocks.

2:53
Return to desk. Work on new theater-project schedule.

2:54
Check personal e-mail.

2:55
Call laborer to clean plaster details damaged in theater work.

3:11
E-mail brother about Lee “Scratch” Perry concert in New Haven tomorrow night.

4:07
Finish schedule for new theater job, print copies.

4:08
Check concert tickets online.

4:11
Check stocks.

4:14
Take call from hotel subcontractor. Discuss suite dry-bar countertop installation.

4:34
Take call from tile subcontractor about office job. Arrange to add temporary tiles to replace missing ones.

4:48
E-mail client about tiles.

5:00
Catch up on e-mail. Messenger a few things to architects. Chitchat with guys around the office.