Feeling overwhelmed by the number of tasks on your to-do list? You’re not alone. Working in PR, you’re often expected to juggle a variety of different tasks in a day. If you’re like me, and don’t drink caffeine, it can be hard to maintain the same level of enthusiastic energy throughout the day. Practicing mindfulness keeps is a great alternative to keep you energized and present no matter how many hours you’re working.  

Taking a minute to breathe/meditate   

Even on the busiest days, prioritizing a one minute meditation should be manageable. Whether you’re working from home or sitting in an office, one minute meditations can help you slow down the stressful thoughts rushing through your mind. Taking one minute to ground yourself can ultimately help improve your focus, make you feel refreshed and increase your productivity.  

If a guided meditation is the practice for you, Calm’s free 1-Minute Meditation is a useful resource.  

If closing your eyes and listening to a guided meditation isn’t in your practice, try Conscious Works’ Box Breathing technique.  

Mindful listening   

Most people aren’t as good of listeners as they believe they are. More often than not, if you aren’t practicing mindful listening while being spoken to, you may find your mind wandering. Mindful listening can be used as an asset for PR professionals, whether you’re implementing it into conversations with clients or collaborating with team members. In order to practice mindful listening, follow these tips: 

  • Put away distractions before your conversation. If you know that you’ll want to check your phone when a notification flashes across the screen, eliminate that by putting your phone away before the conversation begins.  
  • Recognize when your mind has wandered. It’s alright for your mind to lose focus every once and awhile, we’re all human. The important thing is to make yourself aware of when it happens, that way you can recognize when it does and snap yourself back into focus.   
  • Don’t assume that you know the answer to what a person is telling you. It’s easy to jump ahead and try to predict the outcome of what someone is telling you. Coming to conclusions on your own can cause a disregard for detail, which ultimately allows your mind to wander away from the conversation.  

Know when to log off   

Industry professionals know that a work-life balance does not come easily. Knowing when to log off of the computer and remove yourself from work can be the most challenging task of the day. I was recently reminded by Kim Biegler on A.wordsmith’s most recent All Shine, No Flash podcast that work will always be there waiting for you.  

Kim, founder of the Ewethful Fiber Farm and Mill, advises to, “Make time for your family and friends, and sit down and learn a hobby, even when it seems like you can’t. Just do it. And exercise, and eat well, because you’re not going to last, you’re going to burnout.”  

Allowing yourself the time and space to have other activities in your day can prevent burnout and fatigue. Making time for yourself often feels daunting, but rather than putting off a long walk at the end of the day, or telling yourself you don’t have the time to read a book that’s been waiting for you, start small. Go on a ten minute stroll after work, or sit down and read a chapter of your book. Overall, the time you allow to take care of yourself will reflect in the quality of your work.  

Adding new habits into your day can feel like a daunting task. You may not even notice the difference a one minute meditation can make after the first time you try it. Play around with what practice works best for you, and continue to use it if it feels right!