The work of a PR specialist is often subject to time pressure, which is why the ideal PR specialist should, in addition to being versatile, be multi-tasking and, moreover, be able to meet their obligations on time. But are they really? Is multitasking really the main determinant of a good PR person?
Writing a press release, contacting journalists about the publication of recently sent materials, preparing an action strategy for the next six months, reacting in a crisis situation, monitoring the media or preparing a report summarising the last month of cooperation - every day of the PR specialist is filled to the brim. What is more, almost every task should be completed as quickly as possible. Is it possible to perform all these tasks simultaneously? Is there a division of attention?
It has become established that being multitasking, or so-called multitasking, is a positive trait and, above all, desirable in the work of a PR professional. Nothing could be further from the truth! The aforementioned multitasking is nothing more than focusing on many things at the same time, thus not giving adequate attention to any one of them. As a result, the efficiency of simultaneous tasks is low.
Only 2 per cent of the population can multitask. The vast majority should switch to monotasking, which makes their work more efficient and gets the job done faster[1].
The key to completing all the duties in a PR professional's job in a timely and reliable manner is therefore to set priorities and then pursue specific goals. Here we are dealing with the opposite of multitasking, or monotasking, for which our brains are designed. Focusing only on one activity allows us to achieve better results and, at the same time, complete them faster. We do not waste time unnecessarily jumping between documents and we do not make our brain switch to another topic.
By opting for monotasking, we will not only get better results, but also complete our daily tasks more quickly and reliably.
Author of the text: Ewelina J.
[1] http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/multitask-masters
