THIS WEEK’S WORKING FROM HOME DIARY IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOE, OUR PR & Communications MANAGER!
Each week we’re asking a member of the team to provide us with their WFH diary to give you an idea of what we’re all up to whilst at home!
About Joe 👋
Joe Keggin is the PR & Communications Manager here at Marketing Liverpool. His normal job is getting coverage for the destination in national and international media, but during lockdown he has been working a lot closer to home: on Liverpool City Council projects, recovery planning, communicating with partners and local media.
Joe’s Diary ✏
7AM
The first thing I do is make coffee. I’m quite strict about not checking emails in the evening after I’ve finished work, so each morning while I’m waiting for the coffee to boil I have a quick scan through my inbox to see if there’s anything urgent. Switch BBC Breakfast on and skim through my Twitter timeline.
At the moment ML’s priority is on the reopening of non-essential retail next week, on which we’re working with key partners around the city. We’ve set up an interview for Liverpool ONE’s Iain Finlayson on BBC Radio Merseyside so I tune in to that to hear how it goes. He gives listeners the details of what systems will be in place around social distancing, queuing and how shopping will be different from before.
8AM
Each morning before starting work, I spend an hour or so studying Bulgarian, making the most of the time I would have been walking to the office. My wife is Bulgarian so over the years I’ve picked up some key phrases but it’s about time I learnt it properly – grammar and all. I’m not a natural linguist but having the time to devote to it every day (and a native speaker to practise with) means I’m loving it. Or in Bulgarian, обичам го.
9AM
Have a phone chat with my colleague Lucy, the other 50% of the PR team. Usually we sit next to each other so know exactly what the other is up to but obviously we need to make more of an effort in WFH time. There’s loads coming up around the reopening and recovery, so we divvy up who does what this week. Lucy is writing a release about the consumer research we’ve just done, showing some interesting results about what people are looking forward to, and what they’re nervous about.
10AM
We have one of our twice-weekly full team meetings, which is basically an update on the main things people have on. I’ve got really into porridge during WFH but feel paranoid about eating this on camera, so settle for toast.
11AM
Actually get on with doing the work I’ve talked about. On today’s list: some copy editing, writing a couple of blog entries, and planning the media activity for the first stage of the relaunch campaign.
12PM
I’m usually calm when working but have periods of frenzy a few times a day when something urgent comes up. An interview opportunity pops up that we need to move quickly on, so I spend twenty minutes or so calling/messaging/emailing people, talking to myself and getting angry with inanimate objects – something my colleagues are well familiar with. Once it’s all sorted I’m fully calm again.
1PM
Lunch of leftovers from last night – pak choi and noodles – and some reading to get me away from the computer. I’m currently working my way through War and Peace; this is one of the most common books Brits lie about reading, so you’ll have to take my word for it.
2PM
Zoom meeting with a couple of media outlets about the plans for the visitor economy reopening. Of course there are so many variables right now that it’s impossible to answer all questions, but the important thing is to start these conversations as far in advance as possible and then be fully transparent with each other as the situation progresses.
3PM
I have a quick meeting with colleagues about the ML newsletter – the main way we communicate with partners and stakeholders. There are only six slots each week so we try to have a mix of updates about what we’re doing, partners’ news and anything which would be relevant to the audience.
4PM
With football coming back shortly, I look at what VisitLiverpool can do to make the most of it. Of course there is a particular focus on us as Liverpool FC are nailed-on to win the league for the first time in thirty years. I have a call with a close colleague at VisitBritain who manages their Premier League relationship, and brainstorm some ideas about what we can do together.
5PM
Finish on time today and go for a run – I love running anyway but at the moment it’s especially important to draw a line under the working day and make up for the time I’m spending sitting down.
