Amy Miller
Here’s the latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators, where we ask you to describe your day in your own words.
We want to hear from you too! Don’t be shy – tell us what you do in a typical day as a nonprofit communications pro. ~Kristina
Amy Miller is the Marketing Manager at Vinland Center, a behavioral healthcare provider that specializes in treating adults with cognitive impairments. She has a passion for solving problems through marketing communications. She has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from California State University, Long Beach. She leads the creation of printed and electronic materials, social media channels, and promotion of Vinland Center. She is on the board of the American Marketing Association, Minnesota Chapter.
And this is her typical day:
Before 8:00 a.m. – My day starts when my 5-month old wakes up, usually around 5:30. He plays while I drink a cup of coffee, eat cereal, and read the news on my phone.
After we play for a little bit, he’s ready for his first nap around 6:30 (lucky guy) and I start getting ready for work.
My toddler wakes up around 7. I sit with him while he eats breakfast, then my husband gets him ready for daycare.
I’m out the door around 7:20.
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m – When I arrive at work, I check my email, review social media channels, and read industry-related news for about 1 hour.
Then I look at my bullet journal (google it, it changed my life) and plan my day. I look ahead for the next few days so nothing surprises me.
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – I’m most productive in the morning, so if I have any projects that require writing or design, I like to tackle these during this time.
I tend to get engrossed by these projects and lose track of time, so lunch is a nice forced break.
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. – Lunch is from noon to 1. My work has a cafeteria where a lot of staff members eat together.
Sometimes I’ll workout in the gym or go for a walk on the paved trails (I work at a residential healthcare center with beautiful amenities).
After lunch, I’ll check email again and prioritize projects that need to get done before the end of the day.
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – I like to work on lighter projects in the afternoon. I’ll send out brochures, schedule social media posts, order supplies, etc.
I’m on the board of the American Marketing Association, Minnesota Chapter, so I check my personal email in the afternoon to respond to any chapter issues.
After 4:00 p.m. – Work ends at 4. Before I leave the office, I review my bullet journal. I check off completed tasks, move unfinished tasks to the next day, or add anything that came up.
Keeping a journal allows me to leave work at work, because I’m not worried about forgetting anything.
Want to be featured in this series? Tell us what you do in a typical day as a nonprofit communications pro.
