Tag Archives: stress

PR Executive, one of the most stressful jobs

Career Cast has come out with “The most stressful jobs of 2012” and to my surprise, Public Relations Executive followed not far behind Police Officer.

Axcess Hero V5 150x150 PR Executive, one of the most stressful jobsAt #7 on the list, PR Executives even come before the Corporate Executive on the stress test. This doesn’t mean that every Public Relations Executive is going to have an extremely stressful job; it just means the majority of them do. Just the same, the police officer who sits behind a desk for eight hours a day isn’t going to be as stressed out as the one who patrols the streets.

Why is the Public Relations Executive so high on the list? PR Executives are in charge of maintaining the positive image of the corporation, company, person or government entity they represent. Sometimes this is a difficult task, especially when the client is involved in any type of scandal or controversy. Being the intermediate of communication, the PR Executive often acts as the voice of the client while interacting with the media and the public. In a very competitive field, meeting deadlines and making speeches is a large part of the job.

Ironically, the Event Planner comes in at #6 on the list, which is often categorized as a type of Public Relations.  Moral of the story… If you’re looking for a place to relax, the Public Relations industry is probably not for you. But if you’re looking for a career that is going to keep you on your toes and give your something different to do everyday, then you’re on the right track.

PR Executive, one of the most stressful jobs

11 Ways To Make It All Less Stressful

Is every project an insanity inducing stress factory? Stress less with these 11 tips:

01) Always tell people that it will take longer than you think it will, because you are wrong and it will.
1297948160 150x150 11 Ways To Make It All Less StressfulYou think the project will take 3 weeks? Don’t tell anyone that it will take 3 weeks. You’ll have a computer explode, get stuck in the Hungarian corn husking district, or somehow end up getting married in Vegas. . . whatever it is. . . it will be something that makes this project take twice as long. . . at least. So just tell them it’ll take 6 to 12 weeks. If you get it done in 3 then you’re a genius and if you get it done in 12 they have nothing to complain about.

02) Be aware of time sensitive resources and schedule the use of them appropriately
df22e4cbd107ac305d1540e6d886 grande 11 Ways To Make It All Less StressfulIf your project requires having access to the Brahma Kamal which only blooms once a year at midnight. . . then you’d better schedule access to that plant on that night. Seriously. Not paying attention to when resources expire, are unavailable, or cease to be relevant will only lead to failure and then more stress. Be aware and schedule properly.

03) Be aware of accessibility to human resources and schedule appropriately.
RockArt AncientAstronauts 150x150 11 Ways To Make It All Less StressfulIf you have coworkers, employees, bosses, clients, and family members (most of us have at least some of these) that you need involved in a project be sure to take note of which days and times they are and are NOT available. If Joe Tableaux is gone every Saturday, don’t expect to be able to send him a request on Saturday and have it filled by Sunday. You should be able to figure out availability by one of two methods: Asking or Paying Attention. (Feel free to mix both methods) Not keeping the schedules and availability of others who are involved in a project in mind when trying to schedule the project will only lead to failure. . . which will lead to stress. Be aware and schedule properly.

04) Put the “Shit List” away. Keeping people on a “Shit List” keeps you stressed, keeps them stressed, and does not improve any situation – ever.
nicubunu Scroll 150x150 11 Ways To Make It All Less StressfulBob didn’t bring you that triple-espresso-mocha he promised? Susan forgot the final page on that 78 page report and you had to explain the details in front of the board without the reference? Merlin took your dragons and made them fight while pretending to give a prophecy? Let it all go! Keeping hold of the anger associated with these events keeps you focused on the anger, keeps them focused on you being angry, and keeps everyone from focusing on the project! Your “Shit List” is decreasing your morale, their morale, and more importantly the efficiency of your project or projects. All of this will lead to projects not getting done, overdue assignments, more shit for the list, and more stress. . . Do yourself, them, and your project a favor. Let it go.

05) Know when to cut bait
fishinginthegatorsmouth 150x150 11 Ways To Make It All Less StressfulSometimes we lose. Sometimes what we’ve invested gets tangled up and we can either keep fighting for it and break ourselves trying to keep it. . . or we can cut the line and let the hook, bobber, worm, and fish go. It’s hard to say exactly when the right time to cut bait and start over is. However, if you’re knee deep in the water and your feet are dry. . . it means you’re head down in the lake. That’s probably a good time to cut bait and go up for air.

06) Don’t worry about lost bait.
ver e1303276044288 150x112 11 Ways To Make It All Less StressfulYes. . . you lost that peachy keen client. You’d spent four weeks wooing them, but in the end it turned out they wanted too much for too little and you’d have been eating dinner in a cardboard box while setting them up at the swank Hotel down the street. You think about all the money and time you invested in wooing them and it will drive you mad. So don’t. No really I mean it. Spend a good night out in the world commiserating with coworkers, family, friends, etc and then put the thoughts of that away and move on to wooing the next client. Don’t stop trying to gain, just because you’ve lost. Take note of the loss, learn from it, and take what you’ve learned with you to the next client.

07) Keep expectations realistic. Take note of the past, take note of the present, and look forward to the future with the reality of the past and present in mind
mattone poroton architet 01 e1303276144799 122x150 11 Ways To Make It All Less StressfulOne of the biggest contributers to stress is simply having unrealistic expectations. If Bob is always three days late with his projects (but otherwise brings in great results) then always give him a due date that is at least three days before you need the project completed. If you need blooming shots of the Brahma Kamal then don’t schedule the photographer for 3:00pm. Unrealistic expectations are a road to failure and shame. If you keep your expectations realistic it’ll make keeping things under control much easier. If you can manage to keep everyone else in realistic-expectations mode as well then schedules, projects, and tasks will tend to go smoothly.

08) Make time for you and make sure everyone you work with or are involved with knows that it is your time.
CoD fsfe calendar 150x150 11 Ways To Make It All Less StressfulIf you don’t take time away from the job, the friends, and even the family then you are going to stew in stress. Everyone needs time to themselves and it is not unreasonable for you to take this time. Make sure that everyone is aware of your time for you. Make sure that you do something you enjoy: watch movies, play pool, write a novel. . . play Pacman . . . You need this time away from your job (or whatever increases your stress) to decompress and detoxify. When you return you will be clear and ready to work hard. If you don’t take this time you’ll start to fall apart at the seams, lash out at coworkers, family and friends. . . and just generally destroy yourself and everything around you. Take the time you need to step away and come back better than ever!

09) Know your own habits, strengths, and weaknesses. Set due dates, work time, and goals within the reality of how you work effectively
1299520097 11 Ways To Make It All Less StressfulYou know yourself. Probably been with yourself for years now. You know if you tend to procrastinate. You know how long it takes before you NEED to step away from a task. You even know when your blood sugar level is getting low and it’s time for a bonbon. So . . . keep this stuff in mind! Don’t underestimate what you can do, but don’t overestimate yourself into a corner with no place to run and deadlines closing in! Keep things scheduled in a way that keeps you working and out of the ulcer ward.

10) Do not say yes to everything that is sent your way. If you agree to do everything then you will fail at everything.
no to yes 11 Ways To Make It All Less StressfulIf you automatically agree to work on every task that is sent your way then you will VERY quickly have too many tasks. All of the tasks will be done poorly because you won’t have time to do them well. Some will not get done at all. . . and in the end. . . you will have people with deadlines and crazy eyes asking you where the Q-42 forms you promised last week are while pointing sharp objects at you. . . Like that time Susan came into my office with a halberd. . . Save yourself the stress (and the expense of blood transfusions and stitches). When you have enough on your plate turn new tasks away. The requester might be irked for a second, but they will find someone else who is not already at capacity to take the project. Trust me. Say no and save everyone a halberd experience down the road.

11) Delegate.
baby cut turkey e1303277208991 114x150 11 Ways To Make It All Less StressfulYes. There are other people who can handle those tasks. They might be able to do them as well as you, better than you, or at least 80% as good as you. Even if they can only do those tasks almost as well as you can and you could do better. . . how important is that little bit of “better” compared to you not having to personally do everything? You might think it’s very important. . . If you’re not a heart surgeon, nuclear physicist, or military commander, then you’re probably wrong about that extra bit of “better” work being important. Let someone else work on it. This will free up time and energy for you to focus on other tasks. It’ll also keep you from being stressed out by an overabundance of tasks.

You can find more tips, How-To articles, videos, etc by me on HowToPhil.com.

Does Social Media Equal Stress?

facebook addict1 Does Social Media Equal Stress?We all know that it is a lot of fun participating in social media and social networks. We can talk to other people, share thoughts, express feelings, comments, interact, upload photos and videos and many other things. But can these fun activities turn into something that is getting on your nerves and contributing to your stress levels?

As you take part in social networks, with the constant presence of doing activities like these more often than ever, we, users are developing some kind of habit – a routine that is somehow turning into an obligation. We should tweet everyday, tell the world what we are up to or suffer the consequence of being outdated, we should upload the latest photos or the profile itself will have cobwebs, we should at least “like” a friend’s status update or comment to a post to let them know we pay attention and we exist. No one wants to be ignored in social media in the first place.

Thinking that we should do these activities this often puts pressure on us, the same pressure we can get from a deadline of project, a presentation in front of panels, or a proposal to a demanding superior.

Jen Williams shares her thought about the issue in her “Social Networking Increases Your Stress Level” :

A recent survey conducted by Galaxy research reported that over 63% of the respondents felt that social media was a big contributor to their stress levels. The survey also indicated that social networking caused people to become anxious and pressured as they felt the need to constantly connect; checking their Facebook friends statuses, commenting on those statuses, Tweeting or reading Tweets, viewing new photo uploads, etc. Of those same respondents in the survey, 35% say they felt an “expectation” to respond to messages and status updates right away.

What could be causing this undue pressure?

Social networking sites are indeed fun to participate in and interact with friends and the entire community. Since it is socializing, people feel the need to keep the community “entertained” and always having something to say.

Social media is there for us to use properly. Too much of anything is harmful, as always.

Breaking your way to better work and a better you

dreamstime 13228227 take a break Breaking your way to better work and a better you
A little time away from work makes for both better quality work and for a better quality you, so take that break.

In the world of social media marketing, telecommuting, smart phones, tablet computers, laptops, and so on it’s easy to forget that you need to take a break from it all every once in a while. It’s even easier to remember that you should take a break, but continuously talk yourself out of it. Unplugging once a week from your business, your computer, and maybe even your phone is actually one of the best things you can do for yourself and your business. As Katherine Droguette says in Why Its Important to Unplug From Your Business Sometimes:

Taking a break from the monotonous work is highly necessary. Not only do you relax your mind but, believe it or not, your efficiency is increased when you get back to doing the same work. For example, there’s a term called ‘Writer’s Block’. This refers to a condition when creativity of a writer hits a stumbling block during the course of writing. Stress and over-concentration is a major cause of this condition. As such, most writers prefer to overcome this obstacle by taking a break from writing. Once they get back to their work, they are more refreshed and enthusiastic then before.

Just like any other task, relaxation can also be called a skill. However, your efforts are paid off right away in this case. Mastering this skill of unplugging from your work can result in more productivity, focus and efficiency. Unplugging means shutting down the noise of outside world and allows us to really feel, reflect and feel. The process is synonymous to rejuvenating your body in a spa. Here, the element that experience rejuvenation is our sub-conscious mind. The process of unplugging opens up new opportunities for our sub-conscious mind which are often locked away or repressed.

You can’t be on full blast all of the time, and you will only wear yourself out trying. Ben Yoskovitz says it very clearly in his article Be More Productive By Taking A Break:

All the productivity systems ever invented, all the to-do list sticky notes ever stuck to your desk, and even all the caffeine you’ve ever injected can’t stop you from slowing down and losing focus.

Great productivity isn’t about working all the time.

Great productivity is about being effective when you’re working.

And one key to being effective when you’re working is to make sure you’re not working all the time.

Don’t make the mistake of passing up on a good vacation or a day off. Vacation is a necessity:

Today’s world business is fast-paced and changes at lightening-speed. Your instincts tell you to speed up, to go faster, in order to win the race. But by doing so, you might miss and important warning sign or alternative route that will take you to a much better place. Taking a vacation – even if it is sunning in your backyard for a week – will slow down the sensory input, free up your mind for some creative thoughts, and allow you to reflect on the big picture. Vacations are not just a luxury – vacations are a necessity.

Don’t forget about the little breaks through out the day either, as points 3-6 make it pretty clear that it’s super important to step away from the desk from time to time in Sitbetter’s 7 Reasons Why it is Important to Take Breaks at Work

3. Burnout: People who work continually face complete burnout and what good is a burnt out employee? Physical exhaustion can lead to problems such as chronic headaches, fatigue, inability to concentrate, and trouble sleeping at night. Even if all you take is 15 minutes during an 8 hour work day, you can use that time to refresh yourself and feel more energized the rest of the work day.

4. Productivity: Many studies have revealed that workers who take breaks are dramatically more productive during the day as opposed to those who do not. After a break, your performance levels increase dramatically so that you can tackle tasks again with renewed vigor and finish them accurately. Mistakes are also made more when you do not refresh your mind and body.

5. Heart Risks: After researchers in Finland conducted a study on a group of nearly 800 workers over the span of 28 years, they found that subjects who failed to find time to recover from their workweek were more likely to eventually die of cardiovascular disease. If people are not able to relax periodically, plaques can build up in their arteries which contribute to potential heart attacks and or strokes.

6. Stress: Focusing on a tedious task for too long can easily lead to physical and mental stress. Stress as most know, can lead to serious implications for our health. Common consequences of stress include high blood pressure, high blood sugar, poor fitness, low resistance to viruses, and serious illnesses. If something that is being worked on becomes too stressful, it is best to take a break from it and resume the work once calm and collected.

You need to get out from under your job and your business from time to time. If you don’t then you are only hurting your body, your mind, and your job or business in the long run. Take a moment to refresh, de-stress, move around (your mind needs that movement just as much as your body), and be separate from what you do. Put the phone on silent ant let the calls go to voicemail. Put an autoreply on your email. Take a moment to be. Just breath and be. You’ll be surprised at how much nicer life, your job, your world, and your mood become.

Flogging, Astroturfing, Comment Spamming Oh My!

Bloody great, best-in-breed, article about online PR and marketing ethics by my buddy David Gelles of the Financial Times — he is surely a golden child and new media journalist rock star… be sure to put this article in front of your boss, whether you are a PR flack or are a corporate stooge — I think this article is actually going to be printed into the pink pages of the FT on Thursday, February 12 — go pick it up and hand it to the members of the C-suite, Blogs that spin a web of deception:
Continue reading →