Mental Health for Communicators
Written By: Cecilia Fay
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. Personally, I have struggled over the years with my mental health not only as a neurodivergent female, but also as a PR pro. No one would doubt that working in communications can be stressful and draining on your mental health. As Mental Health Month comes to an end, here are some strategies to take care of yourself all year long.
Limit your exposure
This is most difficult considering 80% of the job is viewing, analyzing, reading, listening, or clicking some sort of media. It is important to limit your viewing time on social, news, and print media. However this may look is up to you, but I usually delete certain apps off my phone or log out of my personal social media so that I am still able to do work for clients.
Set boundaries and learn to say no
It is especially important for freelancers and consultants to set work boundaries. Sometimes potential clients will have a lot of requests that may be out of your expertise or scope of work. In order to not feel burnt out or overworked, be upfront about your services and provide details about what is included. Prioritize your mental health and learn to say no to things that are not good for you and your business.
Develop a consistent routine
Routines have been shown to positively improve mental conditions such as bipolar disorder, addiction, depression, among others. Routines can be beneficial for PR folks too. Even if the job is different everyday, doing a handful of techniques before, during, or after the workday can be beneficial. For example, starting with the most challenging tasks first and finishing with the easier things can become part of your work day. Implementing self care before or after you close that laptop can also be rewarding. I enjoy yoga, cardio and cooking!
Exercise
Exercise is not only important for your physical health, but it can greatly improve your mental health. Exercise naturally releases brain chemicals that help focus, mood, and energy. I try to end or begin my day by moving my body.
According to glassdoor.com, Public Relations Managers are classified under the top 20 most stressful jobs in the U.S. Careercast.com named PR execs the 8th most stressful job and in 2021 PR executives, reporters, and event coordinators all made the top 30 list on careeraddict.com. Because of these daunting statistics, it is important that we take care of our mental health not only this month but every day.
Sources:
https://www.careercast.com/jobs-rated/most-stressful-jobs-2019?page=7