In 2021 I wrote over 100 profiles of influential people in the Philippines and Singapore for Tatler Asia’s Most Influential list.

These profiles, which I wrote for Tatler as a contributor, were about 200 words each, and were a test of my speed and efficiency as a researcher and writer.

Deadlines were tight, so the most significant challenge in accomplishing this task was to plan for daily, sometimes hourly quotas.

How quickly do I have to write if I need to deliver 12 profiles by tomorrow? How many minutes should I allocate for research and writing so I can still have enough time to fact-check?

Time management is typically difficult for writers and creatives in general. But for this project, it was essential. And while it wasn’t easy, I admit that the pressure was occasionally exhilarating.

Illustration by Francesca Gamboa for Tatler Asia