Working in public relations, you are responsible for juggling multiple PR clients and multiple priorities daily. Your to-do list is miles long and you don’t’ know how you are going to complete all of your tasks that continue to pile up. Each of us only have 24 hours in a day, but your success as women in public relations is determined by how productive you are with your time. When everything seems to beg for your attention at once, there are several strategies you can utilize to help put yourself back on the right track.
Here are some tips from Women in PR for finding more time in your day and crossing those projects off your to-do list:
Focus on your biggest task first thing in the morning.
It’s hard not to think we can barrel through our lengthy to-do list in one day, but the result is likely feeling burnt-out! We want it done as quickly as possible so we can start the next day with a clean slate. However, we still only have 24 hours in a day so instead of becoming stressed about your to-do list, try implementing the 1-3-5 rule. Choose 1 large task and get started on that first thing in the morning. Choose 3 medium sized tasks and 5 small tasks. As you finish each one, cross it off your list so you can see how much you have accomplished for the day. Try combining this method with the time block method for the ultimate productivity as Women in PR!
Forget about multitasking and block your time.
Studies prove that women are more efficient when they focus on completing one project or major task at a time. Forget about multitasking and use the time blocking method on your calendar to plan your work week. For example, if you are working with several PR clients, you would assign a block of time to a specific client and focus only on that project. If you have back-to-back phone calls, block that time off on your calendar to focus on making calls. If you need time to write a press release or work on a passion project, block off 2 hours on your calendar to focus on it. You could even use different colours to block off time for different projects or clients!
Use technology to keep track of distractions.
In public relations, part of your job involves posting on social media, but this can become a distraction if you are posting without a strategy. Before you know it, you have wasted several hours a day meandering through your news feed. One way to avoid this is through using time tracking apps, such as the My Hours app. Start the timer at the beginning of each task and at the end to see how long it takes you to complete a specific project. You can see at the end of the day what you accomplished and how much time you spent on these tasks.
Learn how to delegate effectively.
Delegating your small, mundane, tasks to an assistant is another way to gain more time in your day. You can focus on the bigger, tasks while she focuses on the smaller tasks. Think about all the regular tasks you complete on a weekly basis. Could you delegate some of your “busy work” to a PR Assistant?
We’ve all been there – workdays get hectic, inboxes fill up, and to-do lists quickly snowball out of control. In your state of panic, all your tasks seem equally important and time-pressing. No matter how much you try to plan, life always puts a wrench in those plans. You need to learn how to be more productive and how to prioritize.
Productivity in public relations is not simply doing something for the sake of getting it done.
It’s about doing the right things at the right time to achieve maximum efficiency for your effort. You have unique needs when it comes to maximizing your PR efficiency for optimal productivity.
If your goal is to accomplish more in less time, then you need to develop the foundation for your productive PR work week.
The Women in PR Time Management + Productivity Program will help you learn how to manage your time rather than being managed by the lengthy list of items on your PR to do list. We will show you how to make small tweaks to your work habits to improve your PR productivity.
If you haven’t already, please join us in the Women in PR Academy for monthly PR career and lifestyle inspiration.
American Women in Public Relations™ (Women in PR USA®) and Canadian Women in Public Relations (Women in PR Canada) has been formed to enable groups of public relations women leaders across the Americas to come together to share ideas, contacts, experiences, and to advocate for major issues directly affecting women working in the PR industry today.
Join our online community to be interviewed on our website as Women in PR, gain access to our premium resources, find your next job and build contacts in your field. We also offer member discounts on PR tools, events and training to help you thrive in your career.
Women in PR North America
The Organization of Canadian Women in Public Relations (Women in PR Canada) and American Women in Public Relations (Women in PR USA) is a network of leading business women striving for excellence in the field of public relations. Together, our organizations form Women in PR North America.
