Confessions of a SmartWorking Intern: Week 1
Chloé
Hey everyone, Chloé here! Today marks the first day of our internship diary – for both Thomas and I. We’re both new to the concept of #SmartWorking, so we decided we would like to share our experiences with you!
I am 21 years old and currently finishing my degree in Politics and German. I have always been ambitious, but like many people our age, have not figured out exactly what I would like to do..*gasps*. I have an interest in current affairs and international relations in the context of global politics and I hope to pursue further studies in PR or Digital Marketing. So yep – when I saw Louise’s (CDO, Abodoo) post looking for summer interns, I jumped at the opportunity!
I knew what it entailed and the expectations of me as an intern, but I did not realise how much I would enjoy SmartWorking from home. It has honestly been a game changer!
I still work part-time in another job to continue saving for rent in Dublin, but I actually look forward to the days when I work for Abodoo. No running around at 7am to have a shower and leg it out the door for a train which leaves me in the city an hour before I actually have to start work (due to the service frequency). The €8 I usually spend lunch is saved as I can make my own lunch at home- and I am partial to the odd scone with a cuppa. In general, I feel so much more relaxed on the days that I can wake up, have my breakfast and start work straight away. Even little things like being able to put on a wash or go for a walk – I can do at ease now in between my working hours.
About two weeks ago, we had our first Zoom call with the entire team and it was class! All of us joined the conference call (similar to Skype) at 9.30am and introduced ourselves before getting stuck in to discuss the day’s agenda. I could feel the positive, energetic atmosphere between all of the team members and I am so glad that I am getting to experience this type of work environment. Who knows what the future holds but I certainly hope that whichever career path I take, it will be a #SmartWorking one.
Thomas
It’s a strange sensation to find yourself at twenty-five living within commutable distance of Dublin and not have a job there. I’ve always worked, but I’ve never had a “proper job,” as I tend to call them. You know the jobs I mean. The ones where you wake up at the crack of dawn, bleary-eyed and sullen, ready to snap the neck of anyone who so much as opens their mouths with a well-meaning: “Good morning!” I think Dolly Parton wrote a song about them.
Did I envy people with these jobs? Yes. I felt like I was missing out on some quintessential rite of passage. If you’ve never had road rage or legged it to the Luas, could you really call yourself a worker? And what about water cooler talk? What secrets of the universe was I missing out on if I wasn’t there to hear Jim and Mary’s take on the latest Game of Thrones episode? Do Jim and Mary even watch Game of Thrones?! I don’t know, cause I’m not there to talk to them.
That all changed last summer when, out of convenience or pity (I’d been unemployed for… a while), my sister’s friend got me a freelance gig copywriting for a clothing store. And the best part? I could do it entirely from the comfort of my own home. This is brilliant, I thought. I can make the same money as my commuting compatriots and never have to get up before 8 o’clock. I would never have to scour the sofas for bus fare or waste money on deli lunches or be too tired to go for a cycle in the evenings.
It wasn’t until I joined the Abodoo team that I realised this type of work has a name: #SmartWorking. It seems kind of obvious now. What’s smart about spending fifty quid on diesel every few days to get up the M3 or returning home in the evenings completely zapped of energy? Nothing. It’s not smart. Creating more free time for yourself and your loved ones, saving a ton of money. That’s smart.
I’m three weeks into the internship now and learning new skills every day. But the more I learn about SmartWorking, the more I feel like it’s a step in the right direction. I look forward to the day when everyone sees it too.
Read more of this series: