Gillian Wilson – Nonprofit Communications Professional
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.
Gillian is the Communications Associate for EarthRights International, a nonprofit organization that combines the power of law and the power of people in defense of human rights and the environment. She is based in Washington, D.C.
And this is her typical day:
Before 8:00 a.m. – I normally get up before my alarm and head down to my building’s gym to get in a few miles on the treadmill before getting ready for the day.
I’m usually out the door before 8 a.m. En route to the office [a 10-minute walk and a five-minute metro ride], I pick up a coffee and go through my mental to-do list for the day.
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m – I’m typically the first one in the office, so I take advantage of that time with few distractions to draft, format and send an email to all staff of news related to our work and any new content we’ve published, like blogs and press releases.
I also use this time to update my calendar and take note of any meetings I have that day so I can block off some time to prep agenda items or jot down things I need to mention.
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – I wear a few different hats in my position and my priorities often change quickly, so I could be creating or updating press lists for our legal cases, designing a publication for meetings at the United Nations in Geneva, drafting a newsletter, creating graphics for social media, updating our website or attending webinars.
I typically monitor our social media outlets at various points throughout the day to make sure I stay on top of any new developments.
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. – Around 12:30, several co-workers trickle into the conference room to have lunch together. I really value an afternoon break, so I always try to eat with co-workers and get away from my desk for a little while to give myself a chance to recharge.
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Most of my meetings tend to take place in the afternoon. Whenever I’m not in meetings, I get back to my to-do list.
By mid-afternoon, I’m usually ready for another caffeine break, so I’ll head to the kitchen and make some tea — and usually run into other co-workers also getting their caffeine fix!
After 4:00 p.m. – I normally head home between 4:30 and 5 p.m. Before I leave, I reference my calendar again, check off any completed items on my to-do list, and prepare a new list for the following day.
I try my best not to look at my email again until the next morning, but because our team works so closely with staff in Southeast Asia, I sometimes glance at my email to see if anything needs my attention first thing the next day.
Thanks for sharing your day, Gillian!
Want to be featured in this series? Tell us what you do in a typical day as a nonprofit communications pro.
