By Madeline Balicoco
Living life in the fast lane isn’t as easy as you think. As PR professionals, we’re constantly monitoring for new trends and opportunities, sharing amazing stories, connecting with journalists, influencers and other media contacts, measuring our results, and adapting to an ever-evolving digital landscape. Woah. You might be thinking,” It’s time to stop and hit the brakes!”
Our team loves tackling our dynamic day-to-day with the mindset of “full speed ahead!” But we also understand that it’s important to check your personal speedometer and realize when to slow down before you burn out. If you’re ready to come to a cruise, we’ve got five surefire ways to relax and unplug:
- Set a personal goal to try something new. This might sound challenging, but it can be as simple as stepping into a local coffee shop for the first time or trying a new weekend activity. When you juggle a fast-paced daily routine, it’s easy to fall back into the same pattern of pastimes. Whether it’s catching up on your shows or deep diving into Pinterest, we all have our favorite end-of-the-day activities. But don’t underestimate the power of broadening your horizons. Discovering new experiences will give you something exciting to look forward to. And it will widen your knowledge of local hotspots, entertainment and fun, which could come in handy in the future.
- Get creative! Even if you don’t consider yourself an artist, don’t let that stop you from enjoying all the benefits of engaging in art. As we step into adulthood, the acts of doodling, coloring, painting, playing music or fiddling with building blocks are seriously undervalued. What we fail to realize is that these simple activities can relieve stress, enhance your problem-solving skills, expand our perspectives and strip away any self-imposed inhibitions. You don’t have to be the best of the best to jump into art — the act of creating something is a cause for celebration!
- Schedule a coffee or lunch date with a friend. As PR experts, we know that relationships are crucial, so don’t forget to tend to your personal relationships too! With a robust agenda, a coffee date is probably on the bottom of your to-do list. But if you’re overwhelmed, it’s best to move it to the top. What better way to alleviate stress than chatting with a good friend? And they could offer you some fresh insight on how to approach the hurdles you’re facing.
- Treat yourself. When’s the last time you did something just for you? Treating yourself differs from person to person, but simple delights go a long way. Maybe it involves spending a whole day at a museum or going to the spa for some serious pampering. At the beginning of each month, choose three ways to treat yourself and schedule days and times to do them — we dare you.
- Take a short staycation. Don’t take your hometown for granted! We usually forget that there are one-of-a-kind experiences at our footsteps. Create a bucket list of must-see, local spots you have yet to visit. Peruse your city’s farmers market, check out the newest restaurants or cafes, tackle a regional hiking trail for the first time — the possibilities are endless.
What makes Olive special is that when someone needs to pump the breaks, we all step in to support their recharge. If you’re looking for a team that can balance hard work and play, shoot us an email at info@olivecreativestrategies.com!