Introduction
Being in PR can be tough. You're constantly working, meeting new people, juggling deadlines, managing expectations, and dealing with stress. The lifestyle of a publicist is one that's full of ups and downs—some days you'll feel like you're on top of the world and other days will feel like it's all crashing down around your feet. But believe me when I say that at the end of the day it's worth it! Here are some tips for surviving in this industry:
The ups and downs of being a publicist.
As a publicist, you have to be on your toes all the time. You need to be able to bounce from task to task at a moment's notice, and it's not uncommon for your day-to-day responsibilities to include responding to emails, booking flights, making phone calls and sending packages—all while trying not to let any of it distract you from the bigger picture. It's also important that you maintain strong relationships with the people around you in order for the partnership with your clients (and sometimes their colleagues or clients) work out smoothly.
While these things can make your job stressful at times, they're also what make working as a publicist so rewarding! Being able to collaborate with different personalities is integral when building lasting relationships within an organization or team; likewise sharing common ground helps keep things lighthearted when problems arise (which they inevitably do).
Work hard, party harder.
You need to be able to handle all of the above, and many more, in order to succeed in any job. If you can't do that, then you won't be qualified for the role. That doesn't mean success is impossible for you; it just means that because of your particular personality traits or circumstances, this job isn't right for you.
You don't have to like rejection—in fact, if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me what my least favorite part of my job was and I said "rejection," I'd have enough money saved up so that when I retire from writing at age 90 (I'm assuming this is how long it takes us all), I'll never have to worry about running out of money ever again! But being able to handle rejection is fundamental if you want anything other than entry-level positions in almost any field—and even then, as an intern or assistant at a major firm or agency may still require some amount of resilience under pressure (i.e., no complaining!).
How to survive fashion month.
It's not just about the week of shows—it's also about the weeks before, during and after. Here are some tips for each stage:
Before:
Get your sleep schedule in check. You'll want all your energy for 16-hour days at the runway, so plan on getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night. If you can swing it and have time to do so, try taking a nap before going out for dinner or drinks with friends. The buzz from a couple glasses of wine will help you relax and fall asleep faster than usual once you get home.
Make sure you have enough time to work out—and make sure it's something that works for you! A good way to start is by setting up an exercise routine where all of your sessions take place over two days (for example Monday/Tuesday or Wednesday/Thursday). This way they won't interfere with any pre-show fittings or meetings but still give them enough time in between each one so that they don't overlap with other events happening on those days either (like lunch meetings).
During:
Take care of yourself! Self care means not only making sure that our bodies are healthy but also giving ourselves time away from work as well through things like meditation or journaling sessions where we can reflect on what has happened lately both professionally as well as personally."
You're only as good as your last job.
You're only as good as your last job. If you don't perform, you won't get the next one. This applies to any industry and is a constant refrain for freelancers, but especially so in writing. Proving yourself again and again is tedious, but it's also necessary—you need to stay sharp by consistently doing good work for clients. You also need to be proactive about finding new clients and keeping track of what's happening in your industry (via newsletters or other online resources). Finally, if you want to thrive in this field over time, it helps to be a team player: make sure those around you are doing well too!
Go home already!
When you’re in a job where you have the power to set your own schedule, it’s easy to get into the habit of working late. There are even some companies that pay employees extra money for working past 5 p.m. But if you don’t know when to say no, and when to take a break, then your work will begin encroaching on your personal life—which is not only bad for your health but also can make you look unprofessional in front of clients or customers.
Here are some tips for knowing when it’s time for self-care and how best to implement it:
Know the difference between being busy and being productive: If there's always something more that could be done at work, then chances are there will always be something more that needs doing at home too...and guess what? That's okay! Every person has different priorities for their time away from the office (and some people have none). Just because one person wants more time with their family doesn't mean another person has less value as an employee just because they prioritize going out on Friday nights over staying late on Monday mornings.* Know when enough is enough: It may seem obvious, but this can still prove challenging even among those who know better than anyone else how essential taking breaks from work really is! Be sure not only do we understand how important it is—but also why it benefits us so much.* Don't let someone else dictate how many hours per day (or week) should go towards our jobs; instead plan out what works best within those parameters ourselves according
You're always connected.
The first “C” is to always be available. With our phones in hand, we are constantly connected to the world around us. This can be a good thing when it comes to work! But if you don’t take steps to disconnect from time to time and make sure that your job doesn’t become 24/7, it will begin to feel like your job—and not much else matters.
We are all guilty of having our phones on us at all times and checking them every few minutes (or seconds). Personally, my phone is usually the first thing I look for when I wake up and last thing before bed; it truly never leaves my side. The problem with this habit is that we are missing out on experiences around us because we are too busy interacting with our devices instead of living life as it happens in real time.
If you have an issue with feeling like there aren't enough hours in the day due to constant texting and social media notifications coming through at all hours of the night or day—I'm right there with ya! For me personally, this has been one of the hardest parts about being self employed: making sure my family still feels like they matter without sacrificing everything else because I'm working so hard on building my business so suddenly everything else seems trivial by comparison...and then realizing what am I doing?
You have to be on top of the news 24/7.
You have to be on top of the news 24/7. This can be overwhelming for anyone who isn’t already an avid reader and viewer of news, but it’s especially hard if you have a demanding job and a busy personal life. In order to care for yourself, you need time away from the internet so that your brain can recharge; however, when working in any industry that requires being up-to-date with current events (which is all of them) there will always be something happening somewhere that needs your immediate attention.
You need to know what people are saying about your clients, such as celebrities and politicians; what your competitors are doing and saying; how the economy is affecting consumers; etc., etc., etc.. In addition, there are social media algorithms full of articles about these things which might affect how well-known or popular certain topics become over time directly influencing whether or not they could impact potential business success down line with potential customers buying products/services offered by these brands/organizations...
You have to take the good with the bad.
To be a good leader and a good person, you have to be able to take criticism as well as compliments. You also have to be able to understand that not everyone is going to like everything you do, but if they voice their opinions, it's up to you how seriously you take them.
In some cases, this will require taking responsibility for things that aren't entirely your fault or responsibility—like when people complain about an event not going well (or even just happening). In these situations, it can be easy for leaders who are used to being praised for everything they do in their personal lives feel like there's no one else at fault except themselves. But these situations call for self-care skills too: leaders need the ability stop feeling so guilty about what happened and accept full responsibility for making sure it doesn't happen again."
Sometimes you're forced into uncomfortable situations... And you have to just deal with it.
Sometimes you’re forced into uncomfortable situations. You might be required to work long hours or deal with difficult clients, coworkers, or bosses. And sometimes all of those things come together at once—a client who is extremely demanding and unreasonable, a coworker who constantly interrupts your work and expects you to do even more work than they are doing themselves.
It’s easy in those moments to feel like you need to push through the discomfort and just power through it because that’s what needs to be done at work. But what if self-care actually helps you get better results from your job? Or maybe even makes it more bearable?
Self-care is necessary in this industry!
You may not think of self-care as an especially important way to take care of yourself, but it is. Self-care is important in all industries. It’s not just about taking time off; it's about being aware of how you're feeling, your mental health and physical well-being, and making sure that you have the support structures you need at work and at home.
Self-care can help you maintain a healthy work-life balance by helping you manage stressors or burnout from long hours at the office—or even if they're not physically taxing, they might still be emotionally draining because they aren't interesting or engaging enough to keep your mind engaged throughout each day.
Conclusion
That’s why it’s so important to take time for yourself every day. It doesn’t have to be a big thing—just a few minutes here or there to decompress and reflect on your goals. And don't forget about those non-negotiables! If you want to stay healthy and balanced, exercise, eat well (and not just pizza), and make sure you get enough sleep at night. I know it can be tough when there are too many parties happening in one week (or month) but finding balance will help keep your mind clear so that when new opportunities come along, they don't seem like such a burden!
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