Five Tips for Balancing Work with Professional & Personal Organizations

Untitled design (2)You’ve been working on your time management skills for years as a PR student and now you’re in the big leagues. Even if you’re a master of efficiency, the truth is days are still limited to 24 hours and sleep needs to fit in there somewhere.

As a new PR pro, you naturally want to get involved in the community and grow, but you certainly still have non-PR interests that require time and energy. Here are 5 tips to help you stay balanced when you have a jam-packed schedule:

Get enough rest.

If you need a cup of coffee (or three) in the morning to wake up and get in the zone, you’re in good company. Unfortunately, there’s not enough coffee in the world to replace the necessity of sleep. If you’ve ever tried focusing on a complex project after a late night, you probably noticed how incredibly difficult it is. Understanding how much sleep you need for optimal performance and ensuring that you get it is beyond important. With enough rest, you’ll feel great, be more efficient and perform to the best of your abilities

Have your ducks in a row.

By “ducks,” I mean obligations and other activities that require time. Just bear with me on this one (hey, another animal reference!). When you’re busy as a bee (I’ll stop now, I promise), careful planning can be the difference between burnout and having fun. Maybe you want to do that yoga class in the morning instead of the evening because it helps you start the day with a clear mind and makes you feel more energized. Plan your activities in a manner that provides the greatest positive impact and allows you to do them to the best of your ability.

Prioritize what needs to be done vs. what can wait.

PR pros typically have very dynamic schedules with moving parts. We all understand the importance of deadlines, but what can be done later this week versus being done today? If you’ve been looking forward to attending a PRSA leadership seminar that’s Thursday at 6 p.m., that’s unmovable. But perhaps you can write your next PRSAY blog post a day earlier or later with respect to the deadline. It’s not an exact science, but taking a good look at what you have coming up will help you understand which items you can shift in your agenda.  

Designate some down time.

Frank Underwood from House of Cards on Netflix said, “I never make such big decisions so long after sunset and so far from dawn.” In case you aren’t familiar with Frank, this is only one of countless great quotes from him. We can often be tempted to work late or make important decisions on the fly in our world of 24/7 news and unprecedented connectivity. Even if your “down time” is only from 9-10 p.m. each night, you’ll thank yourself for that hour. In fact, it might help you unwind and get better sleep (this fits in with number one!).

Have fun and enjoy what you’re doing!

What’s the point of it all if you aren’t enjoying it? Professional and personal organizations can be very rewarding, but be sure you’re involved with them for the right reasons. These organizations should enrich your life, not consume it. We all want to see our friends and fellow PR pros succeed. If you find that you’re overloaded with committees or other time commitments, reach out to those around you for help.

Getting into your groove and finding a system that works well for you takes time and it may be a process of trial and error. Stay positive, keep working on it and don’t get discouraged. Once you figure out what works for your time schedule, you’ll find that it was well-worth the time and energy you put into it!

Jeff Adkins is a public relations associate for Henry Ford Hospital and Health Network in Detroit, Michigan. An active member of PRSA Detroit, Jeff enjoys connecting with fellow PR pros and seeking out new professional experiences. He obtained his Bachelor’s in Public Relations in 2014 from Wayne State University (WSU), where he was a member of the WSU PRSSA executive board and a peer mentor for students entering the PR program. In his free time, Jeff enjoys being active outdoors and volunteers as a PR officer with Portal Paranormal Society. Feel free to connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Long day? Time to Take 5

Ogilvy-and-mather-NYoffice

Photo via Glassdoor

What could be better than one hour designated solely to laughter and making other people happy?

Offices can be high-stress environments, especially in agency settings. When each 15-minute increment of the day is recorded and billable, time is money. But taking the occasional break to participate in employee engagement initiatives can be even more valuable for overall health and happiness. It’s a long-term return on investment.

According to a 2015 Deloitte study, 87 percent of organizations cite culture and engagement as one of their top challenges. An even more surprising finding from the study: More than half of today’s working population claim they wouldn’t recommend their employer to peers.

Office engagement is a challenge across the board, but it’s becoming increasingly important to Millennials and new professionals. It’s time to take your engagement into your own hands. Here are two options for diving into office involvement.

Seek out existing initiatives.

Start by taking advantage of what your office does offer. Sometimes when large companies provide engagement programs, it requires a little research to learn how to get involved. Invest the time it takes to explore the intranet, ask around or email HR. Do your research to find out if your office offers any of these programs.

At Ogilvy PR, we have a “Take 5” committee for all things social and philanthropic. We plan the summer and holiday parties as well as pop-up happy hours, philanthropic partnerships and other ways to increase the office’s opportunities for social and community involvement.

These projects not only increase the fun throughout the office, but the hour meetings each month have provided some of my favorite moments at work. The dose of energy and laughter that comes naturally with planning entertainment is refreshing. As soon as the Take 5 meeting completes, I’m re-energized to take on whatever the day may bring. When an item on the weekly to-do list reads “Research affordable ice cream sandwiches for office party,” I’d say it’s been one treat of a week.

Take 5’s landmark events include Bring Your Parents to Work Day, an annual December toy drive for the Children AIDS Society and an office decorating contest. There’s no limit to the rewards of engaging with your company’s brand through planning these projects with colleagues.

But what if the opportunities don’t already exist?

Consider creating your own.

If your office doesn’t have an established committee or other engagement programs, consider starting a new one. Each committee or initiative has to start somewhere.

Michael DiSalvo, an account supervisor in OPR’s Healthcare practice and the driving force behind Take 5, is an advocate for young professionals spearheading company culture. DiSalvo joined the committee as an intern and has been instrumental since it was revitalized in 2009. DiSalvo’s role has opened opportunities to work directly with HR on engagement initiatives and meet with executive leadership.

“Everyone is really worried about morale,” DiSalvo said. As the Deloitte study shows, it’s a common concern for corporate leadership. Through Take 5, DiSalvo has the opportunity to meet with Rob Mathias, Ogilvy PR’s CEO of North America, to discuss talent retention and engagement.

“When you’re in a client service industry like PR, it can be very difficult to remember who you work for. Contributing to your own company is just as important as contributing to your clients,” DiSalvo said.

DiSalvo also emphasized the importance of continually promoting the brand through the committee’s work. He highlighted the value of junior staff, pointing to them as the group who usually leads the success of employee engagement.

So, new professionals, here’s a call to action: Get engaged. Help solve an ongoing challenge for the majority of companies, and be instrumental in promoting your company’s brand.

If you’re interested in learning more about the current state of job engagement, culture and satisfaction in the public relations industry specifically, take a look at The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations’ Leadership Report Card.

How does your office encourage engagement? Share in the comments below or on Twitter using #npprsa.

linkedJacquie McMahon is an assistant account executive at Ogilvy Public Relations in New York City. She graduated from The University of Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and a passion for employee engagement. Connect with Jacquie on LinkedIn and Twitter (@jacqmcmahon).

Life After College: How To Find Your Balance

By the time you graduate college, you’ve finally figured out how to manage your homework, extracurricular activities, part-time job, internship and social life – and squeeze in those precious hours of sleep! But now you have graduated and landed a post-grad internship or full-time job.  So now what?

It’s like the first day of school all over again. You walk in on your first day of work, not knowing a soul besides the person who interviewed you. Therefore, you tend to be quiet the first day as you soak in every valuable piece of information while trying to prove that you are the right person for the job. By the end of the day, your work still isn’t over. There are plenty more responsibilities that come with post-college life including paying for rent, bills and groceries. And on top of that, you must consider paying for your phone bill, car insurance and maintaining a social life. The list goes on and on.

To achieve a sense of balance in this critical launch-pad phase of your career, take into consideration some of the suggestions and advice that I’ve found helpful in my own post-graduate adjustment:

1.       Be realistic about your income.

Balancing your checkbook is a major responsibility of balancing your life after college. Money will not necessarily make you happy; however, I know we all want to avoid being in debt, so be smart with your first big-kid paycheck.

One of the first pieces of advice I received as a new college grad was from my father, who is a financially savvy banker. He suggested that I make a spreadsheet consisting of all my monthly expenses, and I encourage you to do the same. This practice will help you track how much money you are earning, especially after taxes, and where all of your money is going. Therefore, you can see where you may need to cut back on spending in order to save a few more dollars.

Also, if you know you will be working with your company for more than a year, consider living close to work in order to save on gas. Most apartment complexes have one-year leases, and if you do your research, you can find some manageable deals out there. If it’s possible, consider living with your parents or a roommate while you get your feet wet, but remember not to get too comfortable.

2.       Find other like-minded professionals with whom to connect.

As a new graduate, it can be hard to adjust to being away from the group of friends that was constantly at your side back in college. One way to make new friends and critical networking contacts is to join organizations that connect you with young professionals like yourself.

If you’re a member of PRSA, you’re already ahead of the game. PRSA New Professionals Section is a great way to meet peers and share ideas, experiences and similar life/work situations across the country.

Another opportunity to seize is your local alumni association. Your membership will most likely cost a small fee, so remember to include that fee in your budget and maybe eat out less that week in order to balance the cost.

3.       Get active and involved in your community.

Aside from professional organizations, start connecting with the community in which you live, whether it’s brand new or one where you’ve lived for a while. The chamber of commerce is generally a great place to start. The chamber often has a directory that is open to the public, and the staff can usually point you in the right direction based on your interests.

Get outdoors, get active and exercise! Is there a local gym with great rates you can join? Is there a park through which you can walk or run each morning before starting your workday? Working out in the morning can take some discipline at first, but it will increase your productivity throughout the day (and make you feel less guilty for enjoying your latte from Starbucks!).

4.       Don’t set yourself up for burnout.

You’re ready to prove yourself to the world, but don’t try to accomplish everything at once or you may end up overwhelming yourself. Take on one or two tasks at a time and learn how much you’re comfortable with managing. No one expects you to be running the office immediately. Failures and successes are all a part of the learning process that makes you a better human and a better professional.

5.       Make time for yourself.

Enjoy a drink at happy hour. We all deserve an opportunity to kick back after a long week at work. Plus, it never hurts to get to know your coworkers outside of the office. Above all, take time for yourself. It can be easy to get caught going 100 miles per hour five days a week, especially when public relations isn’t the traditional nine-to-five job. What hobbies and interests gave you joy in school? Find ways to work those hobbies into your weekly schedule. This time doesn’t detract from your professional commitments; rather, it can give you the energy and passion to continue excelling at your work.

Good luck!

 

Whitney Strittmatter is an office coordinator at the Jason Ridley Agency, Nationwide Insurance. As an office coordinator, she is responsible for organizing and attending local events, engaging the media across multiple social media platforms, developing content and managing the agency’s day-to-day operations. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma in  2013 with a degree in public relations. Strittmatter is a proud member of the PRSA Dallas Chapter and can be contacted at whitstritt@gmail.com or found on LinkedIn and Twitter.