Slay at your internship, network in your off time, start a blog, read trade publications—is anyone else exhausted?!
As aspiring PR professionals, we are constantly on the go and as Scripps PRSSA members we are competitive by nature. What if I told you that it’s okay to close your laptop, sign off of social media and just escape for a little bit. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle, especially while everyone around you is working extremely hard too, but your mental wellbeing is just as important!
Sure, we might pound into your head that summer is a great time for professional development, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take some time for yourself too. Don’t let yourself become run down this summer. Here are a few ways you can recharge before going back to school.
Go through a social media detox
In today’s digital world, social media is becoming a key component to the work of a PR professional. If your internship or job has you doing a lot of work on these platforms, you can become burnt out and fast. Keeping up your own profiles and that of a brand is a lot to handle. Challenge yourself and take a day to log out. Delete your mobile applications or lock them away, because either way, your followers will still be there when you return:
Step away from your email for a few days
Is anyone else guilty of checking their emails when they are out with friends or sitting around on the weekends? I know I am. This can become an exhausting cycle. Make it a priority to stay away from those messages when you don’t need to be looking, especially if you are spending time with friends or family. Pro tip: turn off your push notifications to make this easier.
Read something for fun
Full disclosure— as much as I love these blogs, I do not mean read these. Take a break from professional reading! Go pick up that new romance novel you’ve been dying to check out or reread the Harry Potter series for the fifth time. Seriously, you need it.
Go outside
There is something about sunshine and warm air that is guaranteed to make you feel like a completely new person. Whether you are laying by the pool or hiking some trails, do something that gets you away from a desk and technology and out in the open air. This one seems obvious, but what are you doing right now? Sitting inside on your phone… probably.
Work on a personal goal
What’s one thing you’ve been dying to do? Whether you wanted to paint a picture this summer or run a 5K, do it now. Working on something for yourself is not only rewarding, but it’s a productive way to take a break from working and still feel accomplished.
We all still have some time before the school year starts and is back in full swing. Before we’re back on the routines of classes, homework, work and PRSSA meetings… go get some rest. You can thank me later.
Brigitte Meisse is a senior Journalism- Strategic Communication major and the 2018-19 President of Scripps PRSSA. Join her adventure on Twitter @meisse2spicy
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