By: Renee LeBouef — Contributor

If you are reading this, you are probably aware that the field of public relations is not exactly a “9-5” industry. We are always “on.” I’d venture to say you probably find it difficult to keep your (undoubtedly smart) phone away from the dinner table. In the words of Lorde, “Baby, the Internet raised us.”

I digress.

We’ve all chosen to pursue careers in PR because we thrive off this kind of routine. However, it’s imperative not to lose sight of our personal lives. I have a few tricks up my sleeve for maximizing my workday. This way, going home in the evening can mean Skype calls with my family, and when I have time, pinning and tumbling the night away.

Energy.

First and foremost, I drink 16 ounces of warm water with the juice from half a lemon and a dash of cayenne pepper before I do ANYTHING else every morning. You can’t imagine the benefits. Tons of energy, a faster metabolism, a flatter tummy – the list goes on. I’ve adopted this routine from Food Babe, my idol. Check out exactly how to handle this task here. (Trust me, you CAN do it.)

Get Yourself up Early.

During my first job out of college, I had one crazy routine down to a science. I was up and out the door in 20 minutes. There are a couple of aspects to this insanity I still recommend: having your outfit chosen, pressed and ready to throw on (including all accessories) as well as your breakfast and lunch prepped for the taking are great practices. However, this quickness left me zero time to decompress, if you will, before my day even started. When I got into the office, I felt disheveled and unfocused; it took a good 45 minutes of mental prep before I could truly tackle the major stuff.

That said, I recommend waking up at least an hour before you need to. Being fully aware of what your day entails before you leave the house just makes things easier somehow. I check my email while sipping my lemon water, so I know what I’m in for. Make a priority list, either mentally or via post-it, of which messages require immediate attention when you truly start your day. Check your planner or your phone for quick reminders of scheduled meetings.

The Wonders of WorkFlowy

This site is one of my favorite tools. WorkFlowy allows you to include hashtags with your tasks so you can click them and see everything that falls under that category. You can write subtasks under tasks, allowing control freaks like myself to get as detailed as possible.
I’ve only hit the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what WorkFlowy can do. I highly recommend checking it out. Most importantly, remember that those tasks will still be waiting for you the next morning if they aren’t completed by the time you leave the office.

Renee  is a small-town southern girl, finishing up a master’s in communications in the bustling city of Columbia, South Carolina (insert sarcasm here.) Her life is an ironic hypocrisy of balancing her passion for sustainable living with her love of good music, fashion and all things chocolate. She hopes to represent hospitality and entertainment clients at a small agency upon graduation – and to eventually soothe the incredible wanderlust that’s haunted her since Siri started reading GPS directions out loud.