The pandemic was a rude awakening about the lack of work-life balance we all commonly shared in our life. It truly brought to our notice how our work life spilled into the other parts of our lives, both consciously and subconsciously, leaving very little time for much else. Taking cue from this realisation, a lot of people stirred up the conversation about achieving a work-life balance, loosely defined as having a well-rounded life while successfully managing a full-time job. From being a casual conversation starter, having a work-life balance has become the need of the hour. While people of all kinds of professions need it, people with high stress jobs such as doctors, surgeons, CEOs, etc., need this the most. One such job that should make this list is that of a PR professional. A PR professional’s job, like most jobs, involves multitasking but it is also one of the most dynamic profession. A day in the life of a PR professional entails handling multiple clients, calculating the right opportunities through the right media outlet, creating the desired image and casting the soft power the client wishes to project. Sounds like a tiring job, doesn’t it? So achieving a work-life balance as a PR professional takes little more efforts and also it is a must to do.
Let’s discuss some of the ways through which you can strive to maintain a work-life balance as a PR professional.
In order to have it all you should know it all. Being organized sounds like an easy thing to do, but much harder to execute. It requires you to be mindful and focused at most times. While this trait doesn’t need any inherent talent, it does take you miles ahead than your pears. Even doing something as simple as taking 10 minutes of your night to stimulate the task of the next day in your brain keeps you better prepared.
Doing this will also help you to appear more confident and professional and will reduce any anxiety about the task.
We all have a fair idea as to what our next day is going to look like. Arranging the tasks for the next day based on your energy levels and focus levels is a great way to boost your productivity for the day.
For example, say you have a difficult client to deal with tomorrow. Schedule the meeting first thing in the morning. Once you’d be done with it, all the other tasks would seem like a cakewalk since you’re done with the seemingly toughest part of your day.
Another great way to design your day is why scheduling breaks. Know your focus duration for that particular task and schedule breaks accordingly so you don’t fatigue yourself out. These breaks could also be scheduled inspirations. These inspirational breaks could be stepping stones you need to complete your next task. These could involve simple yet meaningful breaks such as taking small walks in green spaces, talking to your co-worker or even an introverted task such as guided meditations. You can choose tasks that help you unwind and recharge you at the same time.
Tweaking the old adage, “early to bed, early to rise, makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise and also helps you achieve a healthy work-life balance” wouldn’t be a stretch.
(Phew, that was a long sentence) but it makes complete sense to have a disciplined sleep cycle in order to have a happy work-life balance as a PR professional. It is scientifically proven, in order to have a productive life, an average person needs to get 7.5-8 hours of sleep. And it is even more important to keep the sleep and wake-up time consistent.
When you hear “work-life balance,” you probably imagine having an extremely productive day at work, and leaving early to spend the other half of the day with friends and family. While this may seem ideal, it is not always possible.
Don’t strive for the perfect schedule; strive for a realistic one. Some days, you might focus more on work, while other days you might have more time and energy to pursue your hobbies or spend time with your loved ones. Balance is achieved over time, not each day. Hope these tips helps you to achieve a work-life balance as a PR professional!
If you are living an ideal life, do share your secrete to work life balance here for the readers to benefit!
– Tamanna Singh
Tamanna is an Alumna of SCoRe (Class of 2020) and has worked as a PR consultant before (re)joining SCoRe as the Head of Student Affairs. She has also been a teacher previously, which helps her ensure that our curriculum & pedagogy are the best in the country, and our students get the value they join us for. Tamanna has worked as a PR Consultant at Value 360 Communications, New Delhi. She has a knack for being brutally honest, for which is she is as respected as she is feared! She goes by @TamannaS03 on Twitter.
