Progressions

Fun Takes You Further

We’re all hardworking public relations professionals. We want to climb the corporate ladder, go to networking events every night and work until 10 p.m., always going above and beyond. But what if this lifestyle does more harm than good? 

Now, I am not saying we should all stop working and take four-hour siestas in the afternoon, but establishing boundaries and compartmentalizing your life could set you apart from the competition. According to Innovative Human Capital, “focusing solely on career milestones can create pressures that undermine well-being and work-life integration if personal fulfillment is neglected.” If we fail to take a break after a long day of work, thinking that an extra few hours each night will make our bosses happy, we might also fail to take care of ourselves. 

Finding things that are fulfilling outside of work will help us retain the mental energy to maintain a positive and productive work environment. These kinds of workplaces are better at collaborating, sharing perspectives and brainstorming, pushing you and your team ahead. Being an asset to your team takes effort, and it’s important to take enough time to recharge. Setting these boundaries might seem selfish to young professionals eager to enter the workforce, but they’re essential to avoid burnout and create a long, successful career. 

In addition to making sure that we take care of ourselves, stepping outside of the PR world can lead to new connections and experiences that, in turn, inform our PR decisions; for example, say you choose to go apple picking with friends instead of attending a networking event in the city. You strike up a conversation with a farmer who tells you about the rising cost of equipment, making it harder for him to meet consumer demands. At work, you might have a product aimed at blue-collar workers. Now you know that affordability is a key selling point, and you can reach back out to him for deeper insights as your product enters the market. 

Meeting people with different lifestyles and perspectives is especially useful in public relations. We want to make informed decisions, and firsthand insights from real people help us do that. Your team will appreciate these first-hand connections and have an easier time gaining crucial insights into target audiences that may otherwise be difficult to reach. 

Having connections is the key to success in your career, within teams and in your personal life. It’s important to set yourself up for success in all areas of life because focusing on just one, like your career, isn’t sustainable. 

Ultimately, enjoyable experiences outside of work are not only fulfilling but also help you become a positive team member, make informed decisions and make you someone people want to work with again and again.