Perfectly imperfect PR pros

How often do you talk about what went wrong with your stakeholders, clients or colleagues? These conversations can help you embrace mistakes, reflect on them and reframe negative experiences.. Striving for perfection is a trap that won't help as much as simply trying to do your best.

Protip: Are you in a managerial position? Foster a culture where mistakes are valued as lessons, not judgments of worth or skills. The more you discuss mistakes, the more natural it becomes. Set an example by sharing what didn't go as expected at the next team meeting!

Our brains have a strong bias towards negativity and seeking potential dangers. The same patterns appear at work. Remembering what you have accomplished in the past can help you shift that perspective, especially on a bad day.

Protip: Create a Smile file on your computer to keep track of what made you feel proud and happy at work. Screenshot that a reporter followed you on Twitter, that high click rate on your send out or a thank you email from a client. You can look back at this collection when self doubt creeps in.

Can you recall feelings of hope and anticipation before a send out? That's also how gambling feels, and it's called Intermittent Reinforcement. It means that the dopamine release is higher when you "win" in an unpredictable situation. Sound familiar? Just as when you play roulette, the "rewards" in PR come unexpectedly.

Protip: Start perceiving more things than coverage as a win to increase your long term satisfaction and prevent burnout. You can be more motivated to work due to these dopamine hits.

Do you wish your clients wouldn't call after working hours? Are your stakeholders asking the same questions over and over again? Don't know where to start to support healthy boundaries in your team? Perfectionism has us dropping boundaries and blurring the lines between self-expectations and the need for self-care.

Protip: Help yourself today and create a Manual of Me - a one-pager to explain your own working needs and preferences to others. It’ll make you look more professional and help you take back a lot of your time. It's never too early nor too late to set boundaries.

No stakeholder or client will be able to understand you like another PR pro. Find yourself a community, start sharing your challenges with the team daily, and tell us how it goes. The PR industry often measures success in coverage and mistakes can be costly. That's undoubtedly a lot of pressure on you.

Protip: Being a part of the PR community helps you feel that you're not alone with your problems. Admitting your failures and struggles in a safe space can help you regain your confidence and resilience. Find the groups we recommend joining at the bottom of the page.

Stress and time pressure is the enemy of inspiration and creativity. Surprisingly, a refreshed weekly to-do list can help. Divide a sheet of paper into two columns: list tasks for your top 1-3 priority projects on the left and smaller tasks on the right. Crossing them off as you progress will bring a big relief.

Protip: To encourage creativity, let your mind wander from time to time. Inspiration strikes when we connect the dots in unexpected ways. Go ahead and read something you enjoy each week. The more you read, the easier it will be to write your next press release!

The goal of applying positive changes and setting up new routines is not about getting rid of stress. It's about managing it when mistakes happen. Stress is not your enemy. The state of alertness and agitation that stress brings can feel similar in the body to excitement, preparing you for challenges and boosting work performance and focus.

Protip: Next time you feel anxious, instead of imagining what can go wrong, start thinking of the best possible scenario. Make use of your stress to your own advantage, but always remember to recharge after. To learn more about stress management, read "Why zebras don't get ulcers."