5 Time Management Tips for the Busy PR Professional

We’ve all felt that way in PR before where everything feels like a priority so much that it’s hard to identify what actually should be focused on at that moment.

Not to mention, add in client work and emails and planning, and it can make your head spin before long.

We face unique time management challenges as PR pros. These include the aforementioned task prioritization, or understanding where to direct immediate focus when numerous tasks are warring for attention, as well as ensuring that time spent tracks to client budgets and goals.

Luckily, getting a handle on taking back your time each day doesn’t have to be another stressor for you. Today we’re outlining five time management tips and strategies to keep in mind to keep your stress level low and productivity high. 

1. The Pomodoro Technique 

Did you know that one study found that over 90% of respondents felt more productive after implementing gamification methods?

The Pomodoro Technique a great one for those of us that like to make our productivity fun. 

Here’s how it works:

• Choose a task and set a timer for 25 minutes aka one Pomodoro.
• Focus solely on the task at hand until the timer goes off.
• Take a 5-minute break to recharge.
• After four Pomodoros, take a longer break (15-30 minutes).

Try to race the timer to see how much quality work you can complete before the five minute break time - you’d be surprised how much you can accomplish when your brain senses some imaginary competition! 

2. The Eisenhower Matrix 

The Eisenhower Matrix is a decision-making tool that helps prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance. 

Here’s are the four key categories your tasks will fall under:

• Urgent and Important (Do it now): These are hot tasks that need your immediate attention.
• Important, but Not Urgent (Schedule it): These are valuable tasks that contribute to long-term goals but aren't time-sensitive.
• Urgent, but Not Important (Delegate it): These can be delegated to other members of your PR team.
• Neither Urgent nor Important (Eliminate it): Tasks that don't add value and can be removed from your to-do list.

And here’s what this matrix might look like on your to-do list (for a visual element):

Consider grabbing a blank sheet of paper, drawing the above matrix, and assigning your tasks and everything on your mind next time you’re feeling overwhelmed. 

By categorizing tasks, you can quickly identify where to focus your efforts and eliminate distractions, giving you time back that you can focus toward other, more strategic efforts.  

3. The Two-Minute Rule 

HubSpot reports that "the average marketer spends around 16 hours a week on routine tasks,” which equates to about two whole days.

The Two-Minute Rule is a simple yet effective strategy that can help PR pros like you get ahead of managing these small tasks that can build up, like updating and reviewing your media list, categorizing emails, collecting reporter feedback, and more. 

This rule, like it’s name, advocates for two tenets:

• Assess tasks: As tasks come in, determine if they can be completed in two minutes or less.
• Act immediately: If a task takes less than two minutes, do it right away instead of adding it to your to-do list.

Dealing with minor tasks immediately helps keep your to-do list shorter and prevents backlog from happening - no one likes a Friday afternoon spent playing catch up. 

4. Batch Your Time

Batching your calendar is a way to minimize the time you lose switching from task to task trying to work on one hundred things at once. In fact, the New Yorker found that 98% of the people focus best on one task, rather than trying to accomplish multiple.  

This is why this technique is all about grouping similar tasks and completing them in one session. 

Here’s how to streamline your to-dos: 

• Identify tasks that require similar skills or tools, like responding to client emails, creating reports, or drafting pitches or media lists.
• Allocate specific time slots for each batch of tasks, allowing you to get into a focused flow for each type of work.
• During batch sessions, eliminate potential distractions to maintain concentration (yes, that means your phone).

This is great for deep work sessions, where you can fully immerse yourself in a single task—such as media outreach or content creation—resulting in higher productivity and better output.

Additionally, batch processing streamlines your workflow, making it easier to prioritize and manage tasks, saving time and improving your overall task management.  

5. Use a Tool

Using technology wisely is a great way to alleviate some of the mental load associated with a busy to-do list. 

You have project management tools like Asana, Jira, Monday, or Teamwork that can help you plan out client campaigns and budgets from end to end, but when it comes to actual tactical PR execution, it's important to have an intelligent offering that you know you can trust.

OnePitch can make your PR more effective by eliminating some of the manual research that comes with compiling a media list or reporting on the value of working with a certain reporter or publication.

When you log in or create your account on OnePitch, you can: 

• Input your pitch and get a curated list of 10 reporters to reach out to based on your pitch content
• Type in the name of a target journalist and get the names of similar reporters who cover related and relevant topics
• See quick specifics about reporters including their past coverage, where they're based, email, social properties and more on their custom profile cards. 

Knowing how to harness your time and make it work for you is a key strategy for success for PR pros.

From specific strategies to employ to tools you can make work for you, taking back your time is how you get more done with less stress and headache. 

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