Your self-care for PR
By: Hadie Tobar
The transition from work mode to personal time can be a bit blurry for many of us whether working from home or at the office. Public relations professionals are more at risk of burnout because of having to juggle between their work and personal life, being on-call so often, and meetings with multiple clients throughout the week. Having a healthy workplace setting is important to help us be more productive throughout the day. And most importantly, prioritizing our self-care into our different schedules will help prevent burnout.
Self-care is not just about eating nutritious meals and or exercising regularly. Self-care is taking care of ourselves. It’s about taking the time to reflect on our needs in the midst of our circumstances and consider the actions we need to do to maintain our well-being. Ask yourself, what are some areas where I am succeeding and some that I’m struggling with? By recognizing where we need help balancing in our life, we can see where and what we need to adjust. Don’t forget to be kind to yourself. When we are in the middle of a hectic day and stressed out with too many things on our plate, it’s hard to see what is causing that stress and how to fix it, and let alone how to respond to all the unexpected things.
Maintaining a good balance between our work and personal lives is a challenge. Looking for opportunities to enjoy moments of alone time is helpful. “Me-time” is usually last on our agenda and sometimes we can feel guilty of even taking any time for ourselves. Especially after a rough day or week, we need time to rest and heal so we can recover and be refreshed. It’s difficult but if we schedule enough time to recharge every day it will help us gain strength to keep going.
Do something to re-energize yourself in your own self-care style such as cooking a nourishing meal, going for a walk or a hike, meditating or writing down your thoughts in a journal. For me, just going outside for some fresh air makes a big difference. One of my favorite things to do is listen to a fun upbeat playlist and dance a little! Being active definitely has helped release tension in my muscles. Taking care of plants and flowers is also therapeutic. And, sometimes enjoying some tea while reading my favorite book or magazine for a few minutes helps me get through the day. The idea is to make it fun!
Self-care is caring for our well-being in whichever way it helps us feel relaxed. And, that can also be taking a break from all the news. Staying informed is important, but we must limit our media intake so it does not affect our mental health. Too much news can be overwhelming and draining. I find it helpful to schedule time to read and or watch information at certain times of the day.
Setting healthy boundaries will give our minds some rest and is a way to practice self-care. It’s checking with yourself and asking, am I giving enough to myself as I am to everyone else? Lisa Garibay, a public relations manager at UCLA, recommends having a visual boundary in your space that separates you from work and your personal time. It can be as simple as a curtain. She says boundaries matter so having something such as a room divider is a visual way to take a stand for yourself. And, while working at your desk, do some stretches or take a few minutes to breathe in and out. There are many activities available online that you can see and practice some self-care.
It’s also good to find someone in your life so you can cheer for each other and perhaps do self-care together. It can be a support group or a friend to have each other’s back. By having someone to check in with, it will help you think of other fun healthy activities and evaluate your own time for self-care. In a career that calls for always being responsive, Lisa says to prioritize what makes you happy. It’s important to be nourished, drink water and sleep. That is why it is good to check in with ourselves and start appreciating the little moments we have to ourselves, especially if we are constantly in survival mode. “It’s a muscle habit you’re starting to build and exercise,” she said, so taking advantage of a 10 minute walk in your day to turn off your brain will feel rewarding.
Overall, a healthy work and personal life balance will help us be better equipped to handle anything that causes stress in our careers as public relations professionals. When it’s time to disconnect at the end of the day, do an activity for as long you need to unwind and, maybe, even connect with family and friends. Be creative and enjoy those peaceful moments. Taking care of ourselves and maintaining healthy boundaries is a great way to reach our goals. By practicing self-care, it will help ease our minds from the everyday workloads and become physically and mentally stronger.
With your busy life, how do you take time to take care of yourself?
