Facing a week of crushing deadlines? Don’t fret, these simple time management techniques will help you get more from your 40-hour week.

1. Work with your energy levels

We all have a daily energy cycle that governs when we are naturally most creative. Working with your energy patterns can help you squeeze the most out of each working day. I typically schedule in content creation before lunch because this is when I find it easiest to concentrate. My brain struggles to focus early afternoon – this is when I’m most likely to waste hours deliberating over a single sentence. So I plan less creative tasks between 1 and 3pm, like timesheets, scheduling, and reference mark ups.

2. Be realistic about what you can achieve

You’re ready to tackle this busy week head on. You’ve organised a to-do list so you don’t forget anything. The problem is, even Superman would struggle to tackle your list in only 5 working days. Unrealistic planning sets you up for a stressful week. Be realistic with what you can achieve given your current level of experience, and always allow time to deal with ‘the unexpected’.

3. Maximise productivity by taking short, frequent breaks

You may have seen or heard me rave about a time management tool that has revolutionised the way I work. It’s called the Pomodoro Technique, and it is designed to maximise productivity. It centres around short (25-minute) bursts of focussed work, divided by even shorter (5-minute) breaks. Focus time means no checking emails, no responding to instant messaging, and definitely no social media. You can play with time intervals that work for you, but keep the focus time short enough that your mind stays fresh.

4. Use those break times wisely

Ah, your 5-minute break is here at last. Don’t waste it by scrolling on your phone – get up from your desk and fully step away from the screens. Even breaktimes can be productive if you put the washing out, post a letter, or add to your daily step count. Your brain and body must be refreshed and ready to start on your next 25-minute productivity session.

5. Block out ‘writing time’ in your calendar, as you do for meetings

We all need time to create good content. But for some reason, writing time is considered more interrupt-able than time spent in meetings. It doesn’t have to be this way, and you shouldn’t feel guilty for guarding your writing time. Blocking out writing sessions in your calendar is a simple way to communicate to colleagues that you’re busy and unavailable for other things during this time.

6. Communicate with your team often

Given all the advice above, this one might seem counter-intuitive. But it’s imperative to maintain frequent and clear communication with your project team during busy periods. Timelines and project briefs can change at the speed of light, and if you’re out of the loop, all your focussed productivity could be time wasted. But being slave to Outlook, Teams chat and WhatsApp is not the way to go – better to allocate times when you check messages. Make it clear when you’re offline and how you can be contacted for urgent situations. It’s not a bad idea to check in with project managers at the start of each day – perhaps at a team huddle – to make sure you’re doing what’s expected.

Remember that fast-paced working is part and parcel of being in med comms. But it’s not possible to work in fifth gear every day of every week – a healthy amount of pressure can quickly turn into feelings of overwhelm and confusion. Everyone needs time to recover and restore after busy periods. Agencies are well equipped these days to support their writers’ career development, but you you’ll have to ask for what you need. I mentor medical writers on a daily basis and I know that writers often need help to start a discussion with their manager. I created the Career Healthcheck Tool to help writers spot red flags, before exhaustion and overwhelm become the unhappy norm. Get in touch if you’d like more support in managing your time so you can regain control of your working week.