5 time-wasting exercises that bog down communicators

Are cobwebs forming while you await that ‘essential’ approval? Don’t wait for it. Seek forgiveness instead of permission. That’s just one way to get more real work done.

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If social media is any indication, the fastest-growing sport isn’t pickleball, it’s “getting the most done before 9 a.m.”

Lately I’ve been inundated with stories telling me to wake long before sunrise and dive into my to-do list so that, by the start of the workday, I’m ready to really start working.

If you love setting your alarm for 5 a.m., go for it, but here’s a better idea: Rid yourself of “busy work” activities that plague PR pros during business hours. Cut back on these time-wasters, and you’ll have more opportunity to think and do great work for your clients or executives.

Start with these five:

1. Waiting for approvals on everything.

Sometimes we send an idea or plan of attack for that crucial buy-in, knowing we’ll never hear back.

Save yourself from drafting that initial email, plus the many follow-ups and the non-committal hallway conversations. You’re the PR expert, and your responsibility extends to the brand, not to one person with a title. Put your idea into action. If it fails, no one is the wiser; if it works, then you’ll have done something great.

Executives are far more likely to say yes to doing a high-profile interview, versus whether they’d like to do one.

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