Dear PR Matters,
I am beginning a career in public relations, and this early, I can see how stressful it can be— an endless round of deadlines, media conferences, and events, as well as crisis management tasks and daily office matters.
When I look at the work of PR professionals like the IPRA members, I am amazed how you deal with it. Can you give me some tips on how to manage stress as we go about our PR work?
Sincerely,
Roselle G.
Dear Roselle,
You are right—stress is a fact of life at work, and more so in the PR industry, where we are supposed to exemplify grace under pressure. In an article by Will Yakowicz for Inc.com, he says that according to a recent study by Nielsen, 80 percent of Americans say that they are stressed at work.
“Of course, work isn’t the only source of stress in life,” Yakowicz says. “Pile on the anxiety induced by your job, your family, and simply your daily comings and goings, and you’ve got a situation that can really start to fester.”
“People walk into work already laden with stress,” adds Maria Gonzalez, the founder and president of Argonauta Strategic Alliances Consulting and the author of Mindful Leadership tells Harvard Business Review (HBR).
She warns that in order to be mentally and physically productive and to preserve your longevity, “you need to manage your daily doses of stress. If you don’t, the damage can hurt your effectiveness as a leader, your relationships with employees, your self respect, and how other people perceive you.”
With that, Yakowicz, shares with us some tips on how to manage what he calls our “stress in the moment.”
Recognize your body’s signals
Gonzalez says that our body gives out stress signals—your chest may feel tight, your fists may clench, or your back muscles may get stiff. She says that these physiological signals should alert you to your stress in the moment, and take a second look to think why you’re stressed, and understand the root cause.
“The minute you start to experience stress, your pulse raises, your heart beats faster, and hormones, including cortisol and adrenalin, are released,” Gonzalez tells HBR. “This compromises your immune system and your ability to experience relaxation.”
Alter your perspective and reaction
Justin Menkes, a consultant at Spencer Stuart and the author of Better Under Pressure tells HBR says that looking at things differently can make a big difference.
He suggests that the best way to start training our bodies to respond to the stress we want, we have to start with our mind. Instead of looking at piles of work as stressful, we should start looking at this as “an opportunity to move forward that you want to take seriously.”
Stay positive and calm
When a colleague rushes in and starts panicking about how much work needs to be done, don’t give in to a negative outlook. When you get stressed, you get angry, irritable, and pessimistic.
Gonzalez says that you should tell yourself to remain logical, calm, and positive. You’ll be surprised how focusing on your breathing can help make you serene.
When you’re stressed, your breaths get short and shallow, but if you take multiple deep breaths while focusing on your stomach expounding and contracting, you’ll elicit your “parasympathetic nervous system, which induces a relaxation response,” Gonzalez says.
Find a friend
Every successful leader needs someone she can trust and who can be a sounding board for her troubles and worries.
“Select this person carefully,” Menkes says. “You want it to be somebody with whom you have a mutual connection, and who, when you share your vulnerabilities, will respond in a thoughtful manner.”
Venting your stress will prevent you from bottling up, he continues. If your confidant is trustworthy, he or she will give you a positive perspective that can help get you over the stressful moment.
Don’t spread your stress
Employees tend to mimic the behavior of their bosses. It you’re stressed out and nervous so will be your colleagues and employees.
“Make sure you try to modulate your emotions,” Menkes says. “Make a conscious effort to keep your body language, voice, and behavior unemotional and rational. Whatever you do, don’t let stress make you act irrational and belligerent.
We hope that our column has been helpful in making you manage your stress in your PR career.
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the UK-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the senior vice president for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the local chairman.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.a