Meet Katlin Kominksy--a publicist from New York who considers Google Docs to be her best kept secret to keeping on top of her busy personal and professional schedules.
We want to know how you use Google Docs, too, so share your own examples at +GoogleDocs or @googledocs with the hashtag #mygoogledocs. -Ed.
Hi Kaitlin. Tell us a little about yourself.
Hi! My name is Kaitlin and I live in Brooklyn, New York. I’m a publicist at an agency called M18 PR that specializes in global media relations and brand strategy for clients in the intersecting fields of hospitality, real estate and design. I work with a roster of restaurants, bars and hotels - and it’s my job to make sure their stories are told.
How did you first get introduced to Google Docs?
When I moved to New York, my first job was interning at a hotel in Tribeca and helping with event production after my college classes. Every night, the hotel would host a few different parties on property, including film premieres, live concerts, tech conferences and art openings. Each event had a different guest list, and I was tasked with editing them throughout the day as RSVP confirmations came in. Google Docs made it easy for me to keep each list up to date, which seems like a small task, but is actually very important (Have you ever been denied entry because “you’re not on the list”?) It also allowed me to pull up my class notes while working late, between checking in guests at the door on my tablet. Thanks Google, for helping me graduate.
I hear that you’ve been using Google Docs for a long time, in a lot of different ways. Tell us more about this.
It’s important for me both personally and professionally to stay organized. Working in a field that requires a lot of travel and socializing beyond the desk, I’m often bouncing between the properties I work with, meetings with press, and late night events. Google Docs not only make it easy for me to access important documents and schedules on the go, but also to create a common space to connect with my colleagues when we are in different cities. Because I work in real time with the news cycle, my presentations and meeting materials are constantly in flux. I often find myself updating case studies and press reports in my cab with the Google Docs app, minutes before meeting with a client (but shh, that’s a secret).
Beyond the office, I like to create a checklist each week of things to do, articles to read, and people to see. Though I like the idea of keeping a beautiful, leather-bound planner, it’s just not feasible for my lifestyle. My checklist, which I create in Sheets (“Sheetz To Do”) is an informal and non-fussy way for me to ensure I’m managing my time. Depending on my mood, I may throw a horoscope or ironic .gif in there too. If “Do Your Laundry” has been carried over for more than a week, I know I’m in trouble.
I also have a running summer calendar with my roommate of things to do around the city. We update it as we hear of outdoor shows & movies, new restaurants, art openings, and readings. I’m more artistic while she’s more literary, and because we can both update it, it often inspires me to check out a part of her world that I wouldn’t normally be inclined to. It also helps eliminate the “What are we going to do tonight?” problem. Well, sometimes at least... I’m a Libra.
What are 3 tips you’d give for other people who use/would consider using Google Docs?
We want to know how you use Google Docs, too, so share your own examples at +GoogleDocs or @googledocs with the hashtag #mygoogledocs. -Ed.
Hi Kaitlin. Tell us a little about yourself.
Hi! My name is Kaitlin and I live in Brooklyn, New York. I’m a publicist at an agency called M18 PR that specializes in global media relations and brand strategy for clients in the intersecting fields of hospitality, real estate and design. I work with a roster of restaurants, bars and hotels - and it’s my job to make sure their stories are told.
How did you first get introduced to Google Docs?
When I moved to New York, my first job was interning at a hotel in Tribeca and helping with event production after my college classes. Every night, the hotel would host a few different parties on property, including film premieres, live concerts, tech conferences and art openings. Each event had a different guest list, and I was tasked with editing them throughout the day as RSVP confirmations came in. Google Docs made it easy for me to keep each list up to date, which seems like a small task, but is actually very important (Have you ever been denied entry because “you’re not on the list”?) It also allowed me to pull up my class notes while working late, between checking in guests at the door on my tablet. Thanks Google, for helping me graduate.
I hear that you’ve been using Google Docs for a long time, in a lot of different ways. Tell us more about this.
It’s important for me both personally and professionally to stay organized. Working in a field that requires a lot of travel and socializing beyond the desk, I’m often bouncing between the properties I work with, meetings with press, and late night events. Google Docs not only make it easy for me to access important documents and schedules on the go, but also to create a common space to connect with my colleagues when we are in different cities. Because I work in real time with the news cycle, my presentations and meeting materials are constantly in flux. I often find myself updating case studies and press reports in my cab with the Google Docs app, minutes before meeting with a client (but shh, that’s a secret).
I also have a running summer calendar with my roommate of things to do around the city. We update it as we hear of outdoor shows & movies, new restaurants, art openings, and readings. I’m more artistic while she’s more literary, and because we can both update it, it often inspires me to check out a part of her world that I wouldn’t normally be inclined to. It also helps eliminate the “What are we going to do tonight?” problem. Well, sometimes at least... I’m a Libra.
What are 3 tips you’d give for other people who use/would consider using Google Docs?
- Download the app! It’s easy (and free, very important).
- Make use of the “Personal Dictionary” tool, it puts Word’s ‘synonyms’ button to shame.
- Share with your colleagues, friends and family! The best feature about Google Docs is that it provides a platform to contribute and communicate.
