Daniel Patrick Barker

6.20 AM

The day starts! I wake up and have a shower, having a shower is a crucial part of the day as it allows me to feel refreshed and ready to start the day on a high note. I am gathering my belongings and head to work.

7.00 AM

Most days I travel by train, however, this morning I will be driving. My favourite part about driving is the early morning radio.

7.50 AM

I arrive at the office, typically I will have a coffee or tea to start the day. I head to the desk to start planning for the day.

8.30 AM

Around this time, I will catch up with colleagues, the conversations can vary from work to football. After this, I will typically start my assignment for the day.

9.00 AM

With an understanding of the workflow for the day and typically for the week ahead, I will then go speak to the Partner about what the expectations and goals are. It’s also a good time to ask any questions and queries I have, as the Partner (Fahmid Ahmed) is very helpful and knowledgeable.

10.45 AM

Depending on the assignment and jobs I’m currently completing, I will take this opportunity to see how I am tracking. When working in a billable environment, you must be cautious of how much time you are spending on the client’s work, in this case, I will take a break from this client's work and move on to the next.

11.30 AM

As a graduate, learning and developing your knowledge and skills is essentially your main goal when you start. Typically this is when I get assistance from my fellow team members, with their knowledge and experience, they help me with different tasks. Their help and teaching are essential for helping me with my progress.

1.30 PM

This is when I will typically have my Lunch break. I start by going for a walk, I will typically listen to music and bring my apple with me. Getting fresh air and relaxing your eyes from any screen is very important. I typically like to take 30 minutes for lunch, so after my 10–15-minute walk I will come back and eat at my desk.

2.00 PM

After lunch, I will typically meet with the Partner again and give him an update on the work for the day, and once again ask any questions or queries I have, this is also the time when further work has been provided, so gathering the relevant information for the jobs and then assigning the job to my workflow planner.

Whilst I complete the last tasks for the day, I will put my headphones in and listen to some music to help push through till the end of the day.

4.30 PM

As the working day concludes, I start to gather my belongings, meet with each team member and discuss the next steps for certain jobs. I will post my timesheet which outlines the different jobs I completed for the day, and say my goodbyes for the day.

5.30 PM

I arrive at the golf range. As it’s currently the off-season for football, there is no training. So I typically like to go to the golf range and work on my craft. Luckily today, I was able to sneak in a quick 9-hole hit with my mate. For me, golf is always a nice relaxing way to start or end your day.

7.45 PM

After finishing up at golf, I will head home and have dinner with my family and girlfriend. After dinner, I will help with cleaning up then head upstairs for a shower. Typically, during the football season, after work, I go to training or the gym.

8.45 PM

After a long day, I will head to the couch and watch whatever TV series I am currently working my way through. I will check if I have received any emails since I left the office, and also check my calendar to see if I have any important meetings, training or events on for the next day.

10.00 PM

This is where the day ends, the first couple of months of being a graduate can be very draining, so heading to bed early is very regular.

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