Surviving the Industry During the Holidays

As PR professionals, the holiday season doesn’t necessarily mean a day off. We can normally be found with smart phones in hand, mile long to-do lists, and a full inbox. While our jobs and clients are important, it is equally important to slow things down and enjoy family, friends, and holiday fun. Here are some quick ways to remain professionally productive while enjoying the holiday season:

• Plan ahead: Knowing what you have to do in advance enables you to get things done promptly. Using monthly calendars that have important dates and events listed not only helps you pan out how much needs to be done but also how much time you have to do it in.

• Color Coding: Some may say that color-coding is only for the OCD organizer, but it is an extremely effective method of organization! Give every category a color, so that when it’s listed on a calendar or to-do list you instantly know the task at hand. Color-coding little things like day planners and to-do lists will also help you find daily tasks faster. The more organized you are, the more time you can spend with family and friends.

• Turn Off the Smart Phone: This may be the hardest tip by far, but it is also the most crucial! Set a time each night that you will turn off your phone and stop replying to emails. Removing work distractions during time spent with family and friends insures a better time had by all.

• Friends Only Social Networking: As PR professionals, many recreational social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook are used for work as much as they are used for play. Try keeping all social media interactions on a strictly recreational level. It’s much easier to have a good time when you aren’t tweeting about clients and deadlines!

These tips are sure ways to enjoy the holidays without returning to the office with a pile of work. It’s all about maintaining the balance between home life, and office life. Do you have any additional tips on balancing? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Amber Burns.