A week in the life... Nicola Ech-Channa

Nicola Ech-Channa, marketing and communications director at Harrogate-based Synergy Car and Van Leasing, provides an insight into her typical working week, highlighting how she balances commercial sector demands with life outside the office.

Monday: What gets you motivated for the start of the working week? 

My week starts with a senior leadership team huddle, where we share key information for the week ahead. 

We cover upcoming meetings, any visits from people such as finance partners or vehicle suppliers, and share the main projects we are working on for that week. 

These help to kick the week off nicely, help us stay on track and focus on the important elements of the business, all while working as a team. 

Tuesday: The diary is full of meetings and commitments – how do you balance such responsibilities with productivity?

I prefer an early start, around 8am, and spend the first hour of the day focusing on my main priorities, before getting down to any day-to-day work. 

We have a group of agency partners that we work with, and I will schedule calls with them for mid-morning, as there are often decisions to be made or actions to follow up on afterwards. 

For projects or areas of work that fall under my remit and are ongoing, but do not require immediate action, I will schedule those calls for late afternoon.  

Wednesday: Halfway there – how do you stay focused and re-energise yourself for the days to come? 

Most days, I take a brisk 20-minute lunchtime walk, as I find it helps clarify thoughts and ideas I’ve been mulling over. 

It also has the added benefit of stopping the dreaded mid-afternoon slump and helps re-energise me for the rest of the day.

Thursday: The weekend draws closer – how do you remain on top of your to-do list as the end of the week gets nearer?

As part of my role, I head up the marketing team and often find that Thursday is a good time to check in with them, share updates and see how we are progressing that week. 

The team are really tight-knit and work incredibly hard, so it is always great to see the results they generate.

Friday: The last day – how do you approach Fridays, and how do you unwind over the weekend?

Fridays have a great buzz in the office and are usually a very productive day, as our customers also like to have their new lease cars and vans ordered by the end of the week. 

The team is professional and friendly, and that shows through in our work, with each other and with our customers.

After a busy week, I like to catch up with my husband and two teenagers over a takeaway and a good movie. 

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