Time Management:
Why planning your time in an effective way will benefit you, your
racing career and your team.
We have at one time wished there were more than 24 hours in the day;
We've all felt overwhelmed with what we have to accomplish in a short
time. The key to keeping everyone happy is proper time management.
Now not all of us have a publicist or a media/PR representative that
can help us with our day's planning but with some common sense
tips we can arrange we can help manage our time better and have less
stress in our lives.
Lists and Calendars: Keeping a lists of tasks needed to
be accomplished is helpful. The more we have on our plate the more
we are prone to forgetting to finish some important work.
Lists that we can check off can help us keep on track. A large
Year to date calendar is useful but only if it is used. Keep it as up to
date as you can. Sometimes out biggest problem is trying to
accomplish too much for the time allotted. Be realistic to what
you can or can't handle. When finally it becomes too much - think
about having help.
So you have become a real racerchick. All of a sudden
you are being pulled in different directions. This radio show
wants you on it, 10 people wrote asking for autograph cards; - you
have to get a haircut and you want to work on the car - what to do?
Juggling everything is tough - delegate when you can. While no one
can get a haircut for you you can have someone manage your appearances
and schedule for you.
How to choose the right PR/Media person. First of all
it's someone you trust and that knows your preferences. They will act as
a buffer and make sure your time is best spent. From the 25
requests they will handle what they can and give you set instructions of
what you have to do. You will have to trust them and communication
is key. They should know for example, you are allergic to
cats and therefore not accept a speaking engagement for you at a cat
convention. As silly as that example sounds - this person must
have your best interest in mind - both professionally and personally.
Racing is full of promotions and you - as a representative of your
sponsor you must understand. It's a duty - and it keeps
sponsors happy. Without happy sponsors the money to race may not
be there next year.
But what about MY TIME? Yes - we all need our own
personal time. No need to tell your publicist what you are needing
to do - just make sure he/she knows that you have THAT time for
yourself. Being in the public eye puts pressure on us - that "me" time
is important. It grounds us and keeps us sane.
CNN Calling: Well, it may not be CNN or ABC but many
times you will have requests to speak on radio, TV or in front of
audiences. Your publicist should know what you can and can't do
and accept or decline in a timely fashion. Whether if it's a major
network or a small local newspaper - try to be respectful of their time.
This is important since by you saying "no thank you" you can open the
door to a fellow racerchick - let her get the exposure then - don't be
selfish with your time.
I know personally I get approached often for people wanting to get in
touch with the racerchicks. I act as a buffer getting all the
information I can before I present it to any one of you. A good
publicist will communicate all the information. He/She will make
sure you are prepared when you are at your scheduled event. If it
is a radio show - they will give you run down of the questions you will
be asked. Many times interviewers will give you s brief idea of
what they want you to discuss. If you handle the interview well it
makes them look good. Your publicist will also make sure you know
who, what where and how the event is scheduled. He/She will make
sure you speak with the right people, know the background of the event
and know what the purpose of you being there is. Careful planning and
preparation can make you shine!
Don't stress - we are all human and can dance only as fast as we can.
Being thrust into the limelight as a racerchick can sometimes leave us
and others frustrated. Sit down - work out a strategy and do what
you can. Having the best people around you is a way you can feel
confident that things will get done. Yes promotion is a part of
motor sport but your mental health is a billion times more important.
Nika
Do you have any thoughts or ideas on the subject? Drop us a line at
info@racerchicks.com
Check out some of our other topics in racerchick101:
Just to name a few!
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