By Shubhangi Gupta
This essay was written in June 2018 during the author's Modlingua internship.
"Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work," wrote Stephen King, an author who knows the value of time well. Managing time is crucial for anyone who wants to achieve something; success comes to those who go and get it themselves.
It is said that time is the greatest equalizer in life: whatever your age, income or background, everybody gets the same amount of time as the next person. Everything comes down to how you manage it.
The content writer's perspective
Time management matters in every profession, and content writing is no exception. A writer has to manage time well to meet goals on time and with quality. Some people claim they do their best work under the gun, but most writers need time to think, imagine and use their creativity to produce something unique and interesting. Assignments often pop up without warning and come with short deadlines; only a writer with good time management skills can deliver such tasks reliably.
To hit their targets, writers schedule their projects so they can track deadlines, prioritize and focus on the item they have planned. Staying organized means starting early and protecting concentration.
The editor's perspective
Before a writer's creativity reaches the audience, an editor works as the gatekeeper between the two, refining, polishing and enhancing the project for publication. Editors must take a dual-sided point of view and keep both parties happy: everybody has an opinion, and taking one side can offend the other. An editor's job is precarious because deadlines are usually short, yet a standard of quality must be maintained.
There is no time management magic formula. Good editors develop solid work habits and build on small improvements. A morning person, for example, should do all the creative work in the morning and leave other tasks for later. The most important thing is to know yourself first, then know the client, and prioritize and schedule accordingly. That saves time, not only for an editor but for anyone who works this way.
The management perspective
Time management is one of the hardest parts of a manager's job, because everything has to fit within a specified time. Every day is different and exciting, but balancing it all is not easy. Effective managers reprioritize throughout the day, carve out time to work when others are not available, keep meetings action-focused and use productivity tools.
How the Modlingua Rubric helps
The Modlingua Rubric supports all three roles. It helps with auto-correction and critical analysis of the text, and it emphasizes correct word usage and an appropriate vocabulary. Used consistently, it raises the efficiency of the whole workplace.
