It’s interesting to consider whether a ‘typical’ day looked different pre and post Covid. Working remotely took some time to get used to in the first few months, but now over a year in, the ‘typical day’ is much the same thanks to the remote working capabilities. I don’t miss the commutes but would love a face – face coffee with work friends which is hard to replicate over Zoom.
In my current role, I’m working on AIB’s Digital Team. I’ve always had an interest in all things digital, and it’s exciting to work in an environment that is ever evolving.
The day begins with a large coffee! I try to login at about 8.30am and catch up on emails from the day before. When 9am hits, it can often mean meetings. At times, back to back meetings become tiring, but where possible I block at some time to make sure I don’t fall too far behind on the ‘to do list’.
Every meeting should have a clear set purpose, and we’re getting better at that on the team. At some meetings I do the presenting, while at others different stakeholders may be the chair. No matter the session, making sure we achieve specific objectives from each meetings is key. Workshops are always an enjoyable part of the week, where we get together and get creative. I really enjoy being part of more collaborative exercises which often energise me for the rest of the day.
After some lunch, it can either be back to meetings or time to get some work done! I’m working on a large project at the minute, which has pressing deadlines and lots of spinning plates.
There’s nothing better than when a project you’re working on hits a big delivery milestone. Taking the time to acknowledge such achievements is so important. It’s always good to take the time to reflect and soak in the lessons we’ve learned, not just when stuff goes well, but equally as important when things go wrong.
I aim to log off by 5pm, but if I’m honest with myself I often find that hard. In reality, it’s closer to 6 / 7pm when my husband gets back from work. Although I may work late some evenings, I do try take back these hours and leave a little earlier on a Friday, when I have something nice planned. That balance and flexibility to the workday really helps during the longer weeks!