5 time-wasting exercises that bog down communicators

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.