Part Two
In last week’s column, we began answering the letter of Veronica who asked us the best way to manage our time at a time when we are endlessly distracted by technology and the disruption that social media brings.
Managing our time is a challenge we all face no matter what profession we are in. When we are in public relations, this becomes even more crucial when we have to face crises, which can come up at the most unpredictable time.
We got a lot of help from an article by Lolly Daskal, president and CEO of Lead from Within, which appeared in Inc.com where she shares with us “65 Top Tips to Sharpen Your Time Management Skills.”
“Learning to manage time and spend it wisely is among the most significant things you can do to build personal and professional success,” she says.
We began with the first 30 tips, which in short and sweet bullet form include, choosing your battles, taking breaks, stop multitasking and knowing yourself. We will continue with the other 65 top tips in this column.
31 Manage distractions. Technology constantly distracts us, and Daskal advises us to “silence everything that distracts you so you can fully focus and be as productive as you can be.”
32 Eliminate time wasters. The same thing goes for the habits that make us waste time and do not make us productive.
33 Create an e-mail system. Checking our e-mail alone takes and lot of time and Daskal recommends that we create a system to make this efficient. Maybe once in the morning, once at lunchtime, and again in the evening. Otherwise, “being attached to our e-mail and responding to messages all day interferes with your productivity.”
34 Limit social media. “Unless you are using social media to grow your business, limit the amount of time you spend on sites like Facebook and Twitter,” Daskal says. Otherwise, we get distracted by posts of friends talking about their travels and the food they eat. Not good.
35 Value your time. This is very important, especially when someone asks for a block of your time. Be clear on the boundaries, Daskal says. When you show others that you value your time, they will be most respectful of it.
36 Don’t start projects you don’t plan on finishing. It’s always good to know what’s involved and identifying the amount of time it would take before starting a project. Otherwise, we end up with a lot of unfinished work.
37 Take small steps. “All big things start with taking small steps,” Daskal says. “Breaking a big project down into smaller steps makes it achievable and easy to accomplish.”
38 Plan for the unexpected. No matter how well we plan things, the unexpected can always happen. That’s why Daskal says that its best to build some flextime into your schedule so when the unexpected happens, we won’t be thrown off.
39 Leverage technology. Look for apps that can help you be more productive.
40 Be concise in your communication. Many things drag on because there is a lapse in communication. Daskal says that when we make requests, to make these clear and concise to make sure we are understood and get what we need.
41 Build proficiency. This means finding ways of doing our tasks better. The better you get at them, the less time these will take.
42 Back it Up. Be safe and sure by backing up all your files in an external hard drive.
43 Manage your meetings. Best not to make your meetings drag. It’s also a way of showing respect for all those attending the meeting. Poorly run meetings are a waste of time and we should find ways to make these more productive.
44 Don’t stop everything. Daskal says that, “if someone says it’s important, make sure it’s important before you drop everything you are doing.”
45 Learn to do less. See how you can work more efficiently. Cut down work that doesn’t make you productive.
46 Find a mentor. Find someone who has done the task before, and learn from them.
47 Solve a problem. “Be proactive and address problems while they are small and manageable rather than putting them off to deal with later.
48 Get into a flow. Go with the flow, as they say, and things get done in less time and the work becomes easier.
49 Study best practices. We never stop learning and there’s much we can pick from learning what others have done before and practice those things yourself. That will lead you closer to your goal than being proud and choosing to change things.
50 Know your limits. When something is out of your expertise or skill set, says Daskal, find some help to get it done.
51 Stop obsessing with perfection. Don’t obsess on the small stuff or backtrack. Just do your best.
52 Refine the way you make decisions. Establish a process that will allow you to accurately and authentically make good decisions.
53 Avoid putting off decisions. “When you have a decision to make, make it,” Daskal says. “Otherwise, it will take up too much bandwidth on your mind.”
54 Don’t keep revisiting the past. If something didn’t work in the past, don’t obsess about it. Simply move on.
55 Have a nightly ritual. This will help you prepare for the next day.
56 Do things that make you feel good. You’ll not only feel great, but become more productive.
57 Reward yourself. Whether it be a cup of coffee or a new gadget, give yourself a reward when you complete a task.
58 Take time to recharge. A constant state of stress and overwork “slows you down. Make sure you schedule time to refresh and recharge your batteries.”
59 Learn to say no. Know your priorities and limitations and don’t commit to anything that doesn’t align with them. Otherwise, “saying yes to everyone is saying no to yourself.”
60 Take pride in what you do. Take pride in how far you have come, and have faith in how far you can still go, Daskal says.
61 Manage your energy. Manage your energy, not your time. You can’t run on empty.
62 Get enough sleep. “Sleep is the foundational element that ties our health together,” Daskal says. “When you sleep enough, you have more energy and happiness.
63 Never renegotiate the time you spend with your loved ones. Family time should always be off limits.
64 Enjoy your time. Leave room for fun and play.
65 Become the best manager. “Don’t just learn to manage your time,” Daskal says. “Learn how to manage your actions, projects, distractions, attention, and habits. Because either you manage your time or time will manage you.”
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the senior vice president for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the former local chairman.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.