My working day starts usually around 6.45am. Once the children have had their breakfast, I have made packed lunches made, checked bags, PE kit and bottled water are all packed my paid “work” starts!
A day in the life of Debbie!
As soon as I open the laptop my colleagues, friends and contacts appear on my Skype contact list, and I see that I am not always the first to get online. It is very reassuring to see my colleagues are online as I check my emails and see what the day has in store for me.
8.45am – I say hello to my close working colleagues on Skype, a quick text message, so I am not too intrusive and give them a chance to read their own emails and get ready for their day.
9.30am – Discuss with a colleague about some editorial content, she has a few questions about keywords and categories and we quickly resolve the problem. I love the fact that I am sitting in my office 40 miles away from my colleague but Skype messaging gives me easy access and is perfect, just as if I was sitting in the same office where you would just ask the question across the desk.
Video discussion with a colleague before our video conference
11.45am – Skype video conference arranged with the SEO consultant and my IT colleague who is in London. There will be 5 people on the video call, all who have an integral part in developing and maintaining traffic to the site. We have a productive meeting using Skype video conference to host the meeting. We each refer to the written report on our screens to discuss in detail the contents and actions that need to be taken until the next meeting.
1.30pm – my son sends a Skype message from his mobile phone. “Mum, can you pick me up after cricket“, usually short and sweet messages from my son wanting me to be a taxi service. I Skype back “of course, what time“! My son uses his Skype on his mobile.
2.30pm – message and video call with the babyworld midwife Amber, to discuss strategy on posting on social media and to develop the Ask our Midwife forum. Once connected I use the Skype share screen function so that I can train her in how to use a particular area of the site. She is 60 miles away so this is a perfect training tool as she can see what I am doing, she can hear and see me, the perfect training set up.
4.45pm – My son is home from school and for a change has completed his homework early! He is online and sends his file via Skype for me to print off. I accept and open the documents he has just sent me via Skype and check it, making sure he has done enough, a bit of a challenge checking their homework. On this occasion he has done well and I print off the file for him. The Skype share documents feature is such an easy way to share documents.
5.30pm – nearly the end of the day and I have had numourous skype message conversations making me feel that I am in the office with colleagues. It is so much easier than using email all the time for what are very quick questions.
7.40pm – have a Skype video conversation with my parents. I love this as my parents live 80 miles away and it is a nice way for them to chat and see the children. We have a giggle chatting, as usual, sharing our day and using Skype webcam I can show them my new kitchen which they have not yet had a chance to see in person.
9pm – I finish my day on the computer with a Skype chat with one of the babyworld moderators. They work in the evenings in their free time, so if I am on Skype and they have a quick question I get a Skype message and we can sort out the problem very quickly.
It’s time to say more and stay human. It’s time for Skype.
by Debbie Bird – editor of babyworld
How do you stay connected?
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Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Skype via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Skype.
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