Dina Elenbaas
Welcome to 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’d love to feature YOU in this series! Don’t be shy – tell us what you do in a typical day as a nonprofit communications pro.
My name is Dina, and my pronouns are she/her or they/them. I grew up in Washington State, but I currently live in Sydney, Australia. I left my corporate career in favor of fostering queer-, trans- and intersex-friendly spaces because we all deserve to feel safe and supported.”
And this is her typical day:
Before 8:00 a.m. – I am not best described as a “morning person.” Most of my pre-8 routine involves staring at my closet trying to remember how clothes work. If I’m lucky, I might squeeze in some meditation and breakfast!
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m – I head to the gym three mornings a week. It’s an essential part of my routine for my physical and mental well-being.
The other two days, I have a nice drawn out morning.
I walk to the train station every morning (which makes my Fitbit love me) and take the train after 9 because that’s when off-peak ticketing starts and I love a good deal.
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – I get into the office between 9:30 and 10, depending on the day/how quickly I get my butt in gear.
When I get to the office, I check my email, the general office email, and various social media outlets.
Mornings are my favorite meeting times.
It’s this time of day that I have my weekly catch up with my boss – it’s a great time to brainstorm, strategize, and reconnect with what’s important.
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. – I have lunch around 12-12:30, never at my desk because brain breaks are important. I also treasure the weird conversations I have with my colleagues around the lunch table!
Sometimes I sneak out to go to Daiso (which is dangerously just down the street) or to grab a bubble tea.
I definitely pick up speed as my day goes on, so this is usually when I get into the meat of my job – scheduling social media posts, answering inquiries, writing policy, rostering volunteers… whatever needs doing.
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – I spend these hours trying to resist the urge to walk to the grocery store for a sweet treat. Also working (see above).
These are the hours that the drop-in service is on in the office, so I always expect the unexpected during this time. This service is for young people of diverse genders, sexualities, and/or intersex variations, and we have a lot of colourful characters who come through (many literally, as in hairstyle).
After 4:00 p.m. – I’m usually alone in the office after 5 (except for our phone counsellors), which makes it the perfect time for working in the backend of our website. This is because there are fewer interruptions, and I can also yell at WordPress without too many people being concerned about it.
I head home around 6 and spend the evening relaxing with my wife, my housemate, and my kitty cats. And get ready to repeat the process tomorrow!
Thanks for sharing your day, Dina!
Want to be featured in this series? Tell us what you do in a typical day as a nonprofit communications pro.
