Your Personal Process: Find it, Perfect it, Do it

The advertising and public relations (APR) industry is full of pure madness. When harnessed properly, that madness turns into jaw dropping campaigns and exponentially positive analytics. With that info in mind, the importance of handling “the process” properly is made apparent. APR professionals always strive to go above and beyond (and then some) to get it right. Right? The best way to do this is by identifying and using your personal process. This is not as simple as carrying a little agenda around or using random scraps of paper to record your life. An excellent personal APR process takes time to perfect, is adaptable and serves your needs just as well as your clients’ and coworkers’ needs. Below is a list of factors to consider when creating a personal process, no matter what your area of proficiency is.

Find and use your tools:
I have yet to meet anyone who can keep the craziness of five calendars for 12 clients and 47 ongoing projects in one brain. If you know someone like that, I encourage you to stop reading this now and defer to them for their superior expertise. For those of you who stayed, begin researching and finding your tools if you haven’t already. Whether it is iCalendar, Google Calendar, or the puppy calendar you got for Christmas (thanks Grandma), you have to find what works best for you. Technology is a beautiful thing and finding time to meet and let others know what is going on has never been easier. In addition, there are great reminder and to-do tools like Wunderlist and Evernote on the market that can help you prioritize and conquer. It is your job to find what works for you and your lifestyle, but also read a few reviews and most importantly, put the tools to use. Don’t be afraid to switch it up or use multiple just be sure it is efficient. Find ways to make your tools work for you and invest some time into finding the right ones. You will thank yourself later.

Figure out how others do it:
The information gathered from questions you ask others will be useful and effective as you transition from school to an internship and then eventually to a career. As you navigate life you will find that internal process changes can be significant from place to place. Does this mean you scrap everything and start from square one for your personal process? Maybe. Does that mean your whole life needs to de-rail and that you need to have a personal meltdown greater than or equal to Kanye? Definitely not. Best practice in these situations is to keep calm, ask smart questions and learn the accepted processes. When you have a grasp of the ebb and flow of things in your new place, then start finding ways to add your own twist.

Make some mistakes:
This whole “find what works for you” thing sounds great when it is spelled out, but be aware that it all needs to happen pretty quickly and usually while on-the-go.  Be prepared to buckle your boot straps and pony-up as you coordinate new schedules with old ones while tackling new projects. Let’s be honest, a few stumbles are expected, but try to learn from them and move on. If it gets to that point where you’re consistently doing something wrong, then reevaluate, re-group and react.

Get it right:
This is when it all falls into place and you have enough flex room to confidently take on new projects or carve out some personal time rather than frantically yanking your hair out and crying in shady corners. Go you! Finding your stride is one of the best feelings; one of the easiest ways to do that is by identifying your personal process. When you are cranking out killer writing assignments, coming up with innovative ideas, and showing up to all of your meetings five minutes early, you will be happy you took the time to find what works for you.

Now it’s your turn, get out there and get on with your bad self. Go find the personal process and tools that will get you to rock star status!

Jordan Punches is a senior at Grand Valley State University, majoring in Advertising/Public Relations with an emphasis on Public Relations. He is an enthusiastic account executive and the alumni relations chair of the Grand Valley PRSSA chapter. Jordan loves making connections with people and has lead a number of teams in various organizations, including serving a term in office at the state level for a leadership organization. He is organized, motivated, learns quickly and enjoys presentations and public speaking. Jordan actively looks for more opportunities to learn and develop his skills while always encouraging a good time.