A week in Dublin has passed, and I have taken part in many excursions across the area, had conversations with incredible people, and learned new things about the country I’ve been living in. Today, I start my internship, and I am super excited, but also a little nervous. I practiced my commute, know where the building is, and I have a plan on where I am eating breakfast and lunch. Since they never replaced the sign, it still has the name of a tattoo and piercing company, so I feel like the office is a front for something and I am a secret agent spy. I don’t know, I think it’s funny. But I have no idea what to expect when I get there. Based on conversations with my supervisor at Sweete, my job as an intern is pretty abstract; she said that she would show me everything about the company, including operations, budgeting, product development, and IT, and she would cater my tasks to my preferences. I may not have many opinions regarding my work at first, but as I learn more about each division, I may want to apply some skills more than others or gain more experience in a given sector. For this reason, managing my time could be a little bit variable depending on what my supervisor and I decide will be my concrete job description. It seems like by the end of the first week, I should have a strong handle on the best tactics to manage my time while in the office.
Regardless of what activities I will need to complete on a daily basis, I will need to align what my goals are with the organization’s objectives. Also, due the higher-context interactions that happen in Ireland versus lower-context ones in the US, I will have to make sure I am clear on expectations, deadlines, and what the company has planned for the near and farther future. With this added clarity, I will more effectively be able to prioritize phone calls, data entry assignments, product ideas, and planning of dining and flight reservations in the optimal order.
By tracking short-term and long-term deadlines, I will be able to break tasks down into smaller pieces to ensure their completion. I tend to struggle with knowing where to start in a multi-step process, and being in an unfamiliar work environment might not help. To resolve this, I could use two separate lists to track each type of task, one with the overall objectives, and the other with the individual assignments I will take on daily. This will make sure I hold myself accountable and don’t fall behind, and I can add and check off items as the internship progresses. Unlike most school assignments, I have people relying on me to execute on certain deliverables that will contribute to Sweete’s success, including coworkers, supervisors, customers, and other stakeholders.
Not only will prioritization and the actual act of staying on top of things at work be important in managing my time, but making my life as easy and comfortable as possible will be important as well. Ensuring my morning routine is as stress-free as possible will ensure I arrive to work in good spirits and ready to go. Picking clothes out the night before, packing a lunch, providing enough time to eat breakfast, and dedicating time to clear my head will be major assets in ensuring a successful start to my day. Getting enough exercise, sleep, and mental breaks are so beneficial to overall mental and physical health, so it will be of upmost importance that I focus on achieving that work-life balance. This will also allow me to put my best foot forward while at work, too.
Overall, I believe knowing the order in which tasks must get done will be imperative to my success at the job, as well as following through on orders by my colleagues. Time-blocking each task could be very effective in managing customer relations and research endeavors. Putting my phone away during these time blocks and eliminating distractions will keep me from going over the time allotted and therefore reduce the amount of extra time wasted on suboptimal activities. Additionally, informing my supervisor about my specific work needs and weaknesses, especially when it comes to managing distraction and switching between tasks. While I can typically multitask, if those tasks are mundane, I am not as careful and make unnecessary mistakes that cost me even more time than it would have taken if I just focused on one thing. By employing these techniques, I plan on having a very successful, fun-filled time at my internship. Now, off to catch my bus!