PR has a reputation for being an alcohol-fuelled profession, largely because of the amount of wining and dining that PROs are supposed to do. However, apart from those who secretly stash bottles of vodka in their desks (you know who you are!), it appears that coffee is the favoured stimulant for many PR professionals. Or at least, that is the only drug that they are happy to admit to taking to PRmoment..com
Rich Leigh, account director at PR agency 10 Yetis says that caffeine is consumed at a frightening rate in his agency. He says, “I’d wager that most crystal meth addicts would think our addiction obsessive. I’m partial to the odd Diet Coke, but with Gloucester Royal Hospital right next to our office, I’m surprised the girls haven’t thought about asking for drips to be installed to simplify the tea and coffee-drinking process.”
In a more serious ‘vein’, Leigh believes that it a motivated team is one that enjoys plenty of fun socials: “I’m a firm believer in the fact that PR is an industry ruled by extreme highs and crap lows. If you celebrate the highs, such as client wins or fantastic coverage, it’ll make wading through the lows that bit easier and more manageable.”
Another PRO who enjoys her caffeine fix is Jill Hawkins, director of PR agency Aniseed PR. When asked what gets her through, she quickly replies: “Coffee, coffee, coffee, coffee!”. Although another addiction she admits to is Facebook, explaining: “I work from home – primarily on my own, so every few hours I take a break, have a little look on Facebook and chat with friends or just to see what’s happening out there in the world.”
But all this coffee drinking may be doing you harm. According to bbc.co.uk, coffee has been linked, “with a number of the risk factors for coronary heart disease, including increased blood pressure and raised blood cholesterol levels.“ Dealing with tricky journalists can send blood pressure levels up high enough, without the added stress that caffeine may place on your body.
One way to get adrenalin pumping without any side effects is to exercise. Teresa Horscroft, owner of PR consultancy Eureka Communications, says that she performs better when she has had her exercise fix: “I swim, cycle, go to the gym and attend a Latin American dance class on a weekly basis.”
It is important to ensure that everyone in your office is active as being unfit costs in terms of days off work. According to a recent article at telegraph.co.uk “Obesity, poor diet, lack of exercise and smoking accounted for more than one in ten days off sick.” But the good news for those who like alcoholic pick-me ups is that “drinking ten glasses of alcohol a week or more was associated with a reduction in sick leave”.
So our advice to get you through the day? Grab a coffee, get on your bike and then when it’s all over, relax with a glass of wine …
Soundbites
What gets you through your day?
Juliet Bernard, owner of Bluebear PR:
“The ultimate stress buster and the one thing that helps clear my thoughts and gives me a positive outlook, while helping me to unlock my creativity and tap into all the ideas in my head – for me it’s got to be knitting!”
Craig McGill, managing director of PR agency Contently Managed:
“As for what gets me through the day – in all honesty, I enjoy what I'm doing as I'm mostly a one-man band, so every penny earned is a penny for me and I still enjoy trying to be more creative than the rest of the industry.”
Rassami Hok Ljungberg, director of PR agency rassami:
“The fact that stuff needs to be done and nobody else is going to do it.”
If it all really does get too much, you can always look for another PR job!
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