My day

6.45am: I wake up to the Today Programme (the classic cliché for anyone working in communications or politics). I listen to the 7am headlines and 7.15am business slot, as I’m eating my porridge.

7.40am: By the time I jump onto my bicycle in Fulham I have a good idea of what stories we'll need to respond to that day – there is something most days that affects business and the CBI.

Cycling is by far my preferred way of getting to work and it's good thinking time too. But the number of cyclists has ballooned since I started two years ago and unfortunately London’s cycle infrastructure still needs a lot of work.

8.15am: Arrive at the office, change out of cycling gear (thankfully I haven't started wearing Lycra yet!), shower, and I'm at my desk by 8.40am-ish. It’s time to read the papers and check Twitter for a digest of what's going on.

9.30am: A quick meeting with the team to decide who's doing what that day (including making the coffee). Then the morning is often taken up working with our policy teams, writing and clearing statements in response to the day's news. I'll put in calls to contacts on the national newspapers to let them know we'll be responding later on and tee up interviews with broadcasters.

1.00pm: Pop out to grab a sandwich and some fresh air.

1.30pm: The afternoon might involve a trip down to Westminster to accompany one of our policy directors on a round of TV interviews – usually BBC and Sky. I'll make sure they know where they're going, who they're talking to, and that they're well prepared.

Or it might be time to work on something a bit more strategic, like our submission to the Chancellor ahead of the Autumn Statement or the launch of a CBI policy report, like our recent First Steps report on education reform. These things get planned well in advance and are scheduled for maximum impact.

Sometimes the afternoon might involve a visit to some local businesses across the UK with John Cridland, our director-general, accompanied by a broadcaster or business correspondent. It's by far the best way to bring the policy that we deal with every day to life and find out what's going on for firms on the ground.

6.30pm: Wrap things up in the office. Then I'll meet friends for drinks or dinner. I'm spoilt for choice working in the West End. I went to the marvellously art deco Brasserie Zédel recently which I thoroughly recommend for a quick bite to eat. I'm not a big fan of networking events (although many will argue they're a necessary evil of the PR industry), but I did recently go to a fascinating event at Chatham House with Alastair Campbell talking about social media.

10.00pm: If I'm back home by then I'll try and catch the news headlines and then settle down for a spot of reading before bed. I’ve just finished the brilliantly funny Yes Minister diaries.

Mark Hadley, corporate communications manager at business lobbying organisation the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)