The first week is officially down, and I’m starting to feel like I’ve found a rhythm — or at least something close to it. The beginning of the week started off with nerves (Monday was my first real day at Fundación ACOBE), and I could feel myself slipping into the “must do everything quickly and perfectly” spiral. I think it’s the default setting for a lot of American students, especially when we’re put in new work environments where we want to make a good impression. But here’s the plot twist: the number one thing my boss told me was to slow down. Not in a passive-aggressive way. Not in a “you’re doing too much” kind of way. She genuinely told me that clients can wait. That mistakes happen when we rush. That doing things correctly matters more than doing them quickly. And that it’s a very American tendency to prioritize speed over substance. Cue my internal monologue spiraling: Have I always rushed through work? Do I equate being fast with being competent? Anyway — it was an identity check I didn’t know I needed.
Time management here looks very different than it does back in the U.S. It’s not about fitting as many tasks into one hour as humanly possible. It’s about deciding what’s actually important to do right now, and what can wait. That mindset shift is something I’ve been adjusting to, slowly but surely.
Here’s what my day-to-day time management looks like now at ACOBE:
1. Morning Check-In: I come in and immediately open WhatsApp. It’s the main mode of communication between the legal team and clients. I check for messages from clients, or notices about any new cases or walk-ins. It’s seems informal but it’s very efficient.
2. Client Prioritization: If clients are waiting, I help manage their intake but with that new mindset: no rushing. I make sure every form is correctly filled out, every identification document scanned, and every signature in place. If it takes more time, so be it.
3. Email and Paperwork Time Blocks: I learned quickly that answering emails while trying to attend to clients while drafting documents at the same time is a recipe for disaster. Now I group tasks into blocks. One hour: emails and messages. One hour: legal documentation. One hour: client intake. It’s not perfect every day, but when I stick to this flow, I make fewer errors and feel less drained.
4. Daily Debrief: Before I leave, I go over my notes, follow up on anything pending, and update my boss. This helps me mentally “close out” the day so I’m not carrying stress into the evening.
I knew Spain had a slower pace of life, but I didn’t realize how deeply that extended into professional settings. It’s not laziness, it’s intentionality. Spaniards are more informal at work, yes. But they’re also very present. You won’t find people multitasking five things at once. When they’re doing a task, that’s all they’re doing. When they’re taking a break, it’s a real break (like, a whole hour for lunch — revolutionary).
In the U.S., there’s this expectation that being good at your job means being fast, responsive, always available. But here? The emphasis is on getting it right. Clients wait longer, yes. But they also trust the process more because the quality of service is high. I’ve been catching myself doing the little “sorry for the wait!” apologies out of reflex, and my boss just waves me off — “Mejor hacerlo bien.” (Better to do it right.)
On Friday, I went to a traditional flamenco show that was truly amazing. The dancers were incredible and so were the singers and guitarists. After that, I went out with some friends, and we stayed out late in true Madrid fashion. Saturday was for museums, wandering through exhibits, and doing some sketching after and Sunday was rest, getting ready for the next week. What’s wild is that even with all these outings, I don’t feel burnt out. The pace of work allows for balance. And when your weekdays aren’t overwhelming, your weekends become actual space for rest and joy, not just recover.
This week taught me more about cultural work habits than any management theory course I’ve taken. I’m learning to unlearn my obsession with speed and productivity. I’m learning to be okay with silence, slowness, and focus. I’m learning that being a competent professional in a global context means knowing how to adapt not just to language, but to workplace culture, communication styles, and expectations around time itself. This shift isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. And I think it’s going to make me better — not just abroad, but when I go back to work in the States. Maybe I won’t bring WhatsApp into my future office, but I’ll definitely bring the confidence to say, “This needs more time and that’s okay.”
¡Hasta la proxima!
