Life Lessons To Take From PR
June 13, 2019
PR is a 24/7, fast-paced and ‘always on’ industry. Deadlines are not a note in a calendar, but a promise to deliver top content and strategies that meet market demands and map to each client’s goals. Every day presents a new challenge. Out-of-the-box thinking is a prerequisite to media and client success. As PR pros, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in our determination, dedication and love for all things PR, that we forget PR presents some valuable crossover life lessons.
It’s like Ferris Bueller said in the ’80s cult classic, “Yep. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” That’s why every now and again, it’s nice to stop and take a look at how PR also provides invaluable life lessons.
Deadlines Matter
Deadlines are a crucial element to PR. Media relationships require constant coordination with journalists to meet their internal and external deadlines. As professionals, we’re judged by our ability to deliver ‘the goods’ on time. In essence, we live and die by deadlines. PR pros who consistently miss deadlines often find themselves blacklisted by journalists – and ultimately end up losing clients.
Deadlines don’t matter just in PR; they matter in life. Have you ever told a friend,” meet you at 7:00″ and showed up 30 minutes later? While it’s easy to think an agreement on a time to meet a friend doesn’t constitute a deadline – it does! Your promise to meet is your contract, your agreement on a time is a deadline, and you are the goods you need to deliver on time. The foundation of any successful relationship is trust and respect. So, it’s essential to show those within your life the proper consideration by being punctual or showing up early. Otherwise, you too might just be blacklisted from the next outing or worse — ghosted right out of someone’s life.
Change And Challenges Always Exist
When it comes to PR, new challenges and change are part of the job description. We’re constantly shifting gears at MGP, too. We easily go from launching a new product into the market to drafting a press release, to collaborating with top tier journalists — all in a single day. Taking on new challenges and adapting to change is part of our DNA. Certainly, it’s not hard to see why then even the most elite PR pros experience bouts of burnout. At these times, even the most hardened PR pros need to step back and reevaluate priorities. A common phrase we like to use around the office is “let’s take a step back.” The application of this phrase allows us to push a veritable reset button and devise new strategies and positively take on new challenges and move forward.
Change and challenges are a constant not only in PR, but also in life. It’s like the old saying goes, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” You can’t plan everything that comes your way; however, you can step back and evaluate what matters most. Sometimes it’s necessary to reset our own expectations and personal ‘to-do’ lists in order to regain a positive mental attitude. It’s essential to set clear boundaries and accept what we cannot change in order to meet the challenges of tomorrow. Additionally, stepping back and taking a little personal ‘me’ time now and then can go a long way in finding balance.
It’s easy to miss the parallels and lessons between PR and life. However, a little change in focus and internal self-evaluation can go a long way to building not only a happy work life, but also a mindful and purpose-filled life filled with passion.
Jennifer Johnston
Account Manager
Life Lessons To Take From PR
June 13, 2019
PR is a 24/7, fast-paced and ‘always on’ industry. Deadlines are not a note in a calendar, but a promise to deliver top content and strategies that meet market demands and map to each client’s goals. Every day presents a new challenge. Out-of-the-box thinking is a prerequisite to media and client success. As PR pros, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in our determination, dedication and love for all things PR, that we forget PR presents some valuable crossover life lessons.
It’s like Ferris Bueller said in the ’80s cult classic, “Yep. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” That’s why every now and again, it’s nice to stop and take a look at how PR also provides invaluable life lessons.
Deadlines Matter
Deadlines are a crucial element to PR. Media relationships require constant coordination with journalists to meet their internal and external deadlines. As professionals, we’re judged by our ability to deliver ‘the goods’ on time. In essence, we live and die by deadlines. PR pros who consistently miss deadlines often find themselves blacklisted by journalists – and ultimately end up losing clients.
Deadlines don’t matter just in PR; they matter in life. Have you ever told a friend,” meet you at 7:00″ and showed up 30 minutes later? While it’s easy to think an agreement on a time to meet a friend doesn’t constitute a deadline – it does! Your promise to meet is your contract, your agreement on a time is a deadline, and you are the goods you need to deliver on time. The foundation of any successful relationship is trust and respect. So, it’s essential to show those within your life the proper consideration by being punctual or showing up early. Otherwise, you too might just be blacklisted from the next outing or worse — ghosted right out of someone’s life.
Change And Challenges Always Exist
When it comes to PR, new challenges and change are part of the job description. We’re constantly shifting gears at MGP, too. We easily go from launching a new product into the market to drafting a press release, to collaborating with top tier journalists — all in a single day. Taking on new challenges and adapting to change is part of our DNA. Certainly, it’s not hard to see why then even the most elite PR pros experience bouts of burnout. At these times, even the most hardened PR pros need to step back and reevaluate priorities. A common phrase we like to use around the office is “let’s take a step back.” The application of this phrase allows us to push a veritable reset button and devise new strategies and positively take on new challenges and move forward.
Change and challenges are a constant not only in PR, but also in life. It’s like the old saying goes, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” You can’t plan everything that comes your way; however, you can step back and evaluate what matters most. Sometimes it’s necessary to reset our own expectations and personal ‘to-do’ lists in order to regain a positive mental attitude. It’s essential to set clear boundaries and accept what we cannot change in order to meet the challenges of tomorrow. Additionally, stepping back and taking a little personal ‘me’ time now and then can go a long way in finding balance.
It’s easy to miss the parallels and lessons between PR and life. However, a little change in focus and internal self-evaluation can go a long way to building not only a happy work life, but also a mindful and purpose-filled life filled with passion.
