I’ve never been the type of gal to stop and take a moment for myself when things are hectic, I just press my foot on the gas and go but 2019 has showed me the importance for taking a moment for myself. Quite literally 2019 has stopped me in my tracks, and I needed it. Working in PR can mean long hours, working occasional weekends, responding to outrageous crises and difficult clients. It leaves little me time.
Work-life balance is a buzz word in the industry but for good measure. The more its practiced and encouraged by employers the more engaged employees will be. Studies have shown that a lack of work-life balance is one of the leading implications in the workplace that can lead to negative relationships with coworkers.
At the start of 2019, I was in full gear, ready for a busy Q1 with a strong roster of accounts. Early on in the quarter, I experienced the most devasting, lifechanging news ever, my only sibling had passed away. Thankfully, here at Fish our CEO and executive team values their employees and gave me the freedom to take some time for myself as I mourn the loss of my brother, Thomas. My luck would continue into the summer where I just recently spent a mini vacation in the ICU for adrenal failure and was ultimately diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. In such a deeply sad and scary time, I had the support of my company and my team behind me and was able to do some serious soul searching and came back stronger than ever.
Here are my tips for how to be a bad ass businesswoman (or man) while maintaining your mental health:
- See a therapist – I remember as a child when my parents divorced my mom dragged me to a therapist and I refused to even speak one word to the therapist. My how times have changed. Recently, given life’s turn of events I’ve found that I’m not the tough B*$% that I thought I was. I have weaknesses, I get sad and I don’t know how to cope at times. Therapists are a great neutral party who let you talk but also provide useful advice on how to look at situations differently and through a different lens.
- Rest – This may differ for everyone but I for one NEED my 8 hours of sleep every night. I actually need more. I can’t function at my best without a good night’s sleep and a nap here and there. I also am a big fan of turning down plans on the weekend and doing absolutely nothing or going to sit on the beach by myself with a good book.
- YOLO – You. Only. Live. Once. I learned this the hard way this year. Explore, travel, take a random PTO day just because, eat that cheeseburger, buy that new dress you don’t really need, volunteer at the shelter that you’ve always said you were going to. Tomorrow is not promised. Ask yourself, am I living or am I existing. Go out and live (within reason J).
