Productivity Tips for Independent Practitioners
Being an independent public relations practitioner is so rewarding. I love working with a variety of clients, helping to tell and share their stories. Being independent, though, means that you have to do everything yourself. Here are some tips for being productive when you’re a solopreneur:
Work on your most important task first. You’ve likely heard or read this piece of advice a lot. That’s because it really is helpful. Get that big task out of the way and you’ll breathe easier the rest of the day.
Use the right tools for you. Do you hate Word but love Pages or another word processor? By all means, use what you enjoy. You don’t have to limit yourself to what “the company” prefers. YOU are the company. If a client ultimately wants a document in Word, you can always work in Pages, then export to Word for the final product.
Use systems to save time and energy. If you do something repeatedly, make a template or checklist for the process. Write down the steps as you work through the process and note any lessons you’ve learned. Next time, the process will be easier. All the steps will be in the template, so you don’t have to struggle to remember them. Build a collection of templates for things you need to do (especially things you don’t necessarily do every day), such as creating a blog post or running a meeting.
Be aware of your energy levels. If at all possible, don’t do tasks that require intense focus if you’re not up to it. Find an easier task instead and get back to the tougher task when you’re up for it.
Don’t keep staring at your screen when you run out of steam. Acknowledge you’re tired and do something else to recharge. Get up and get yourself a glass of water or tea. Take a brief walk outside. Deadhead a few plants on your porch. Heck, even take a short nap if you can.
Anticipate — and try to beat — deadlines. Doing work at the last minute is too stressful.
Get things out of your head. Write down your tasks or projects in a notebook or your favorite app. (I highly recommend Things 3 by Cultured Code.)
Be strict about deadlines. You should assign a deadline to a project or a task when there are serious consequences for missing the deadline. Don’t assign deadlines because you intend to do something. You’ll stop being able to trust your task list.
Define your goals and tasks precisely. Don’t just write “write article.” Rather, put own “write article about John Smith for Client X.” Help the future you understand what your tasks mean.
Batch your tasks, such as email. Rather than responding to emails as soon as they come in, designate certain blocks of time during your day to check and respond to all your email, maybe right before lunch and at the end of the day. Don’t let yourself get constantly interrupted.