Abbie came to us as an apprentice, hot from the A-Level treadmill and eager to learn more about marketing.  This was a girl who knew exactly what she wanted from the word go.  Quiet, Abbie got stuck in and has been a valuable member of the team ever since.  Oh, and did we say she was quiet?  Hmmm, how things have changed ….

Working from home has its challenges, how are you finding it?

“I struggled to start off with for sure.  However, after a few weeks I got into a routine and now it’s fine.  I get up, shower and change and then I go to work – in the house obviously – doing the same hours.  When I’ve finished I’ll go for a walk.  It’s not much different from going into the office and I’m not struggling like I was when we first started but I couldn’t do it forever.”

Haha!  Let’s call it “the pyjama phase”.  We’ve all had it!  And then you realise that’s not how it works at all and actually what you did before was quite perfect!  Glad you’ve found your rhythm.  What’s this about a “fin-shaped” distraction in your life?

“My boyfriend, Finn, has been furloughed so we’ve both been at home together for the past seven weeks. Thankfully, he’s great at letting me concentrate on work and stays in our spare bedroom playing his video game during the day. We have lunch and go for a walk after work together so have found a good balance.”

Good indeed.  TBH we would get bored of playing Candy Crush all day, he probably needs a walk after all that.  What’s the most enlightening thing you’ve discovered about yourself during this lockdown? 

“The power of doing at least 10K steps a day.  It’s about the fresh air when you’re working from home, it makes such a difference!  I don’t ever underestimate the benefits.  We’ve had lovely weather too which has added to the experience, plus the ducklings, storks and deer I see on my walks help to lift my mood.  I love getting outside and being active and getting away from the screen.”

Walking is just the tip of the iceberg, there’s so much more out there and of course you’ve got the Ellis Brigham 10 Peaks Challenge in October where you’ll need to be upping those 10K steps to 21 miles along with the rest of the Spring team taking part.  Is that what drew you to Spring PR?  In fact, what were your career aspirations?

“I always wanted to be a lawyer and study criminal law. However, I naturally excelled more in creative areas compared to maths and science and, as I grew older, I realised that being a lawyer wasn’t for me.  I enjoyed business, creative things and marketing and by the time I was in my teens I knew I wanted to get into marketing.”

A lawyer you say?  We can see that.  What qualities do you think it takes to become a good marketeer?  

“You need bundles of passion, especially for what you’re marketing. If you love what you’re promoting, it’s infectious and you can see other people grow to love it too. You also need to be confident and friendly, have persistence, drive and work well, both in a team and on your own. Also willing to learn! Marketing changes constantly so you must keep up with the times. In the four years I’ve been at Spring, social media and influencers have blown up and we’ve all had to adapt to that change. I love to learn so you can always find me Googling the hottest trends, correct spelling, punctuation and grammar and even weird facts. Did you know, if you were to drive at the sky at 60 mph it would only take you an hour to reach space?!”

You’re lucky you weren’t born in the 80s otherwise you would have been grappling with the Encyclopaedia Britannica.  We’ve noticed your Google habit and know to pick you for our quiz team. So, what do you miss most apart from proofing blog copy ;)?

“I miss conversations and laughs in the office for sure! It’s much quieter being at home. Thankfully, my Mum calls me daily once she finishes work [Abbie’s mum works for the NHS] and I regularly FaceTime my friends. One thing I miss doing at the weekend is having a cocktail with my girlfriends oh, and Five Guys burgers!”

Awww that’s nice that Spring features.  And what do you miss the least?

“I miss the least the need to do something of an evening or weekend because otherwise I feel the day is ‘wasted’. It’s bliss getting up when I please, because I have no plans, and I love sitting in the garden listening to podcasts all afternoon or re-potting my houseplants for the millionth time. I feel like a lady of leisure!”

We’ve got that you need routine, you need to box Finn away during working hours and you love a good old walk and a podcast.  But what’s your takeaway from lockdown?  That one thing that you have learned.

“The importance of spending time with my family. Before lockdown, I would see them fortnightly but now I do their shopping every week and leave it outside the door and it’s the time I look forward to most each week. I also get to say hi to little Alf [Spring’s Barketing Director] and catch up from a distance. When I was younger I always wanted to live abroad, but now I think I’d struggle to live away from all my family.”