Lee Barr, associate at Gateshead based Portland Consulting Engineers. 6am – I wake up, and take the dog out for a run. This is a good chance for me to exercise and energises me for the day ahead. 7am – Depending on the wife’s shift pattern we take turns on the school run. However, as today is not my turn I head off to work for an early start. 7.15am – Normally I am the first one through the door so I open the office, review the previous day’s activities and try to catch up on any work before phones start ringing and emails start arriving. 8.30am – By this time the rest of the team are all in and the office is alive. I then begin to review the tasks for the day, prioritising what is needed first, planning my workload and hoping for no distractions. 9am – Time to sit down with my brother Gary, a technician at Portland, to assess his workload and agree information which is required for tonight’s post. 10am – Whilst in the middle of designing a steel frame for a new, extremely large, detached house, there is a phone call and I’m required on site to resolve a problem. 11am – I arrive on site and review the queries then advise on a solution, enabling work to continue. 12.30pm – Back at the office for a quick sandwich and a browse on the internet. As a keen boxer in my youth, I usually check boxing websites for the latest news along with football transfer news in the hope that Newcastle United has signed Lionel Messi! 1.15pm – I review emails before heading out to a design team meeting at a contractor’s office for the new Fordfield Road Retirement Village in Sunderland. 4pm – Return to office and check project drawings prior to sending them out to the rest of the design team. 4.30pm – Now time to join a management meeting to review finances, resources and work load for the coming week. 5pm – Depending on the agenda, I may have to leave work to collect the kids from school. If not, post-5pm tends to be a relatively quiet time in the office, which gives me the chance to tie up any loose ends. 6.30pm – After an enjoyable and busy day at work, I arrive home to the wife and kids for homework duties, bath time and tea. 7.30pm – Now is time for me to relax and settle down for the evening.

Lee Barr