How to find time and do things well

APEXers regularly publish opinion and thought leadership pieces on their blog. Read more posts.

TORONTO, Nov. 19, 2014 /CNW/ - In public relations practice, we write, plan, engage, strategize, pitch, create, counsel, write some more, edit, inspire, re-work the plan… and that's just a glimpse into what we take on every day.

The biggest question on the minds of most public relations professionals is how to find time to do all these things, and do them well.

Is there a magic button – a solution, regime or schedule – we can follow to allow ourselves the time to get through our task list while also thinking proactively, strategically and creatively?

Not really. It's hard work. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's pursued the ultimate time management solution through articles, seminars, workshops and good old-fashion trial and error.

I think the biggest mystery lies in how to find that sweet spot to be innovative and creative. It takes a big commitment, but a critical one to foster strategic, insightful counsel and to create compelling content.

Here are some insights from a study by Mareike Wieth and Rose Zacks examining the effects of time of day on problem solving.

1. Use your peak time, when you feel most awake and alert, for tasks that require strong focus and careful consideration such as reading, editing, and budgeting.
2. Use your off-peak times, when your feel a bit foggy and tired, for being creative and thinking outside the box.
3. Remember that distractions make all the difference. Distractions can actually help you reach your "aha!" moment, but those attention-driven tasks just don't get done if you're distracted.

So rather than try to mould yourself into being a morning or an evening person, instead start paying attention to the times during the day when you naturally feel on and off peak.

Personally, I plan to start keeping a journal – not an onerous, time-consuming journal filled with elegant prose – but a few jot notes to indicate when I feel really tired and when I'm on my game.

The results shouldn't be too surprising, I generally know the times of day I feel tired versus energized, but my hope is over the next few weeks I can start to see a more defined pattern emerge.

This challenge will hopefully help me more effectively time block for specific tasks like writing, reading reports, planning, creative brainstorming and those exciting "aha!" moments. Time will tell.

Merissa King, APEX Account Manager, challenges all PR professionals to embrace their groggy time and to time block their important personal stuff too.

About APEX Public Relations

Creative, results-driven and passionate are words used to describe APEX Public Relations (apexpr.com) by both clients and its staff. A high-performance, high-energy communications agency that is fueled by innovation, strategic collaboration and senior-level involvement, APEX has won numerous national and international awards, been voted Agency of the Year by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) two years in a row and made the PROFIT Magazine list of Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs for the past ten years. Actively involved in the community, APEX founded On Your Bike (onyourbike.com), a foundation that distributes bikes to underprivileged

Image with caption: "Finding the time to fit in everything can be challenging, but it is possible by planning around when we're most capable of problem solving. (CNW Group/Apex Public Relations)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20141119_C7542_PHOTO_EN_8273.jpg

SOURCE: Apex Public Relations

Diane Bégin, Account Director, Tel: [phone], [email protected]; Tara Benjamin, Office Administrator, Tel: [phone], [email protected]