My problem with time stems from three smaller problems. The first is my tendency to overthink things. This has been a problem for me for a long time. Sometimes, I get so wrapped up in making every little detail of a project perfect from the very beginning, that I end up spending way too much time on just one part of it. Working from home makes it even easier to get lost in my own head and lose track of time because I’m by myself all day.

The second problem is my reluctance to ask for help when I need it. For some reason, and I know other people struggle with this too, I get this notion in my head that asking for help is like admitting defeat. I am only successful if I do everything on my own and asking for help means I’ve failed. This mental block often ends with me getting stuck and unable to finish my project on time.  It also keeps me from getting other work done.

The last problem is also related to my struggle with seeking help: asking questions. I often feel like I’m bothering others if I ask questions. Not having a lot of hands-on experience working in the professional world, I tend to have a lot of questions about how things work. I feel awkward that I don’t understand concepts that others around me know and excel at. I also feel as if I’m taking away from their work and wasting their time. Because of these feelings, I end up not asking questions when I should. This causes me to take longer to figure things out and finish my work.

These are all difficult problems that won’t go away by themselves. I have to work through them and find solutions that will help me move forward. The good news is that I don’t have to face them alone.

With help from the KKPR team, I’m learning how to work through some of these problems. One thing that Katrina and I have talked about is keeping my work simple. Instead of overloading a project with so much detail and stressing over how to make it perfect right off the bat, I should focus on getting the basics finished first. After the groundwork is done, then I can go back and make changes. The best example I can give is creating Instagram highlights. Rather than obsessing over where text or images should go, it’s better if I just put all of the elements into the story slide. That way, I have all of the information I need and I can then start working on smaller details (like placement). This has been helping me save time and has been getting me through more projects.

The last two problems are definitely the most challenging, but they’re not impossible to work through. After all, asking questions and getting help when I need it is how I’m supposed to learn. One thing I’ve been doing is reminding myself that I’m an intern. I’m not supposed to understand how every single part of a job works. The whole point of an internship is to improve my skills and experience what working in a professional career field is like. Additionally, Katrina is always telling me that she and the other members of the KKPR team are more than happy to help me out whenever I need it.

While I still haven’t completely solved my time problem, I am working through it. I’m starting to ask questions when I need help and not overthinking my work as much as I was before.  Best of all, I know that if I do need help, I have a team that I can rely on.