A day in the life of Boris Radojcic

Boris Radojcic welcomes us into his home near the Gare du Nord train station in Paris. With a PSG match playing in the background ("I never miss a single one", he says), he serves us coffee, ready to tell us about his double life: special educator on the one hand, and content creator and producer on the other. He sits down with us to discuss football, dark circles, and a thick beard.

Hello Boris, can you introduce yourself and tell us what you do?

My name is Boris and I'm 34 years old. I do several things! First, I'm a special educator. I've been working in the child protection sector for 14 years now, and teach at the regional institute of social work. I also work for Bros., an agency specialised in sports marketing, where I focus on creation and production. Finally, I'm working on two podcasts: first, one with friends called P2J, which I have been doing for the last 3 years and focuses on football, and one for Red Star, with the same team - we do one episode per month. P2J also has a website, where we produce content.

How do you manage your time while juggling several activities at once?

I sometimes feel a bit like Bruce Wayne and Batman! The pace can be intense and stressful. With so many daily activities, I have to be well-organised. I think that it makes me grow as a person, and forces me to work in a more structured manner.

What made you want to dive into new projects?

When you're a special educator, you spend your time managing children and their lives, which is exhausting because it's a job where you're constantly exposed to people's suffering. After a while, you become desensitized, you lose faith, and your empathy feels almost mechanical. I wanted something different. I had never worked as a freelancer before; I'm a civil servant! I felt a bit lost and as I knew Christophe, who runs Bros. and shares my love for football, I spoke to him about it. We discussed it, and he offered me a job with them. My new life allows me to breathe and work in a creative atmosphere in which I’m constantly learning new skills. It's highly stimulating, and I absolutely adore discovering new things and a new way of working.

What is your background?

I studied law at university. I was terrible at it (laughs). However, I did set up an association while I was studying. I really enjoyed it as this type of activity perfectly suits me, because I truly love social interaction. I adore talking to people and getting to know them. I was raised in the suburbs of Paris, and our door was always open to others. So, I began working in social services in cities such as Stains, Noisy... And now I'm in Paris.

How does a typical day start for you?

I'm always up at 7:30 and am incapable of rushing in the morning. I need at least 30 minutes to really wake up. I drink at least 4 cups of coffee a day. That's a lot, but I feel like it doesn't affect me anymore! I read the daily news and scroll through Instagram. It’s all quite mechanical, as my brain is still half asleep. Sometimes I’ll watch an episode of a series, or do some work for Bros. I like to start the day having accomplished something. I occasionally regret getting up early because I look tired (laughs)! I get to the office by 8:45.

Speaking of looking tired, what products do you use?

I discovered skincare products late in life. Genetically, I've been lucky. Even as a teenager, I had very few spots and no acne. I thank genetics and my parents for that! I didn't really see the point before. I saw it as a waste of time, and maybe even felt that it was selfish to take care of myself. I didn't want to appear too pretentious, so to speak. But I've come to realise that doing things for others and taking care of myself are not mutually exclusive, and that there's nothing wrong with smelling good! I started using a skincare routine 3 or 4 years ago, and I've tried many brands, from Nivea to Aesop. I use Horace moisturiser every day, especially after exercising because I don't like my skin feeling tight. I also use a cleanser twice a day and face scrub once a week, usually in the evening. I love how my skin feels after using it! In addition, I have an Aesop moisturiser which I like because it smells nice. As for dark circles, I've tried everything!

Such as?

I've tried the spoon-in-the-fridge trick, creams, tea bags... But I think sleep is actually the best remedy! In fact, my skin looks best when I'm away from the city on holiday, and get a lot of sleep.

How do you manage your time while juggling several activities at once?

I sometimes feel a bit like Bruce Wayne and Batman! The pace can be intense and stressful. With so many daily activities, I have to be well-organised. I think that it makes me grow as a person, and forces me to work in a more structured manner.

You have short hair. Does it require a lot of maintenance?

I can't stand my hair when it is too long on the sides, so I go to the hairdresser every 10 days. I go to a Tamil hairdresser on Avenue Parmentier so often that he knows exactly what to do. I've often been disappointed by renowned salons. But here, I'm always satisfied, and it only costs me ten euros.

What about your beard? Do you take care of it regularly too?

Yes, I trim it with a trimmer once a week, using a 0.8/0.9 guard. I used to have a huge beard, but not anymore. My beard is slightly thick, but I think the more you trim it, the thicker it gets! I don't use oil or anything. On the other hand, I never shave it completely. The last time I did that was in 2005!

Do you play a lot of sports?

Yes! I exercise about 5 times a week. It keeps me in shape and also helps me release tension. That's where I find my balance. I go to Dynamo in the evenings. It's really great, you do 45 minute sessions in the dark, with music. You don’t chat with those around you because your focus is on maintaining the rhythm. It demands a real physical effort, and leaves you feeling exhausted. I also go to the gym to do some weightlifting. It balances out what I do at Dynamo. I'm not striving to be extremely muscular or high performance. I play football too.

You host several podcasts on the subject, and you play... Is football a real passion for you?

Yes! I often work in the evening with a match playing in the background. I watch everything, even Guingamp - Metz if I have to. I played a lot for clubs between the ages of 20 and 27, before I got injured and had to stop. When I picked it up again, it was more challenging as I was not as physically fit as the others. Now I play 2 to 3 times a month, in five-a-side games!