The work of a PR specialist very often requires working under time pressure, so the ideal PR specialist, besides being versatile, should also be multitasking and, on top of that, complete their duties on time. But is that really the case? Is multitasking truly the main indicator of a good PR specialist?Writing a press release, contacting journalists regarding the publication of recently sent materials, preparing a strategy for the upcoming six months, responding in a crisis situation, media monitoring, or preparing a report summarizing the last month of cooperation – every day of a PR specialist is filled to the brim. Moreover, almost every task should be completed as quickly as possible. Is it possible to perform all these tasks simultaneously? Does divided attention really exist?
It has become common belief that being multitasking is a positive trait and, above all, desirable in PR work. Nothing could be further from the truth! Multitasking essentially means focusing on many things at the same time, thus not dedicating adequate attention to any of them. Consequently, the effectiveness of tasks performed simultaneously is low.
Only 2 percent of the population can work in a multitasking system. The vast majority should switch to monotasking, which will make their work more effective and done faster.[1].
The key to timely and reliable completion of all duties in PR work is therefore defining priorities and then achieving specific goals. Here we face the opposite of multitasking, namely monotasking, for which our brain is designed. Focusing on only one task allows us to achieve better results and perform them faster. We don’t waste time unnecessarily switching between documents and don’t force our brains to switch topics.
By embracing monotasking, we not only achieve better results but also complete daily tasks faster and more reliably.
Author of the text: Ewelina J.[1] http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/multitask-masters
