A new year begins…
And just like that, a new year begins.
The transition from holiday to work mode can often be jarring. Sifting through the inbox can seem like a thankless task amid the constant updates of changes at work, at home, with life.
Plugging back into the vortex is overwhelming, but the start of a new year also offers the opportunity to re-evaluate, pivot if needed and set some ambitious goals.
As this is my first re-entry back to work as a business owner, I'm choosing to focus on the below principles to guide this fresh new year.
1. More intention, less pleasing.
In a service-based profession it’s easy to get caught in the ‘yes’ cycle. As an optimist I like to think there is no solution that cannot be solved and sometimes yes, you do need to ‘have a crack,’ but differentiating between agreeing to please and genuinely thinking it’s worth a shot is a critical distinction.
Reflecting on 2022, I learnt clients value your expertise and are relying on you to say ‘no’ if something is a bad idea. Conflict is never easy, but the hard conversations are often never as hard as you think. Save yourself and your clients the heartache, because sometimes ‘fetch’ is not going to happen.
2. More thought, less rushing.
No one enjoys feeling rushed or hurried. However, its often-unavoidable working within a fast-paced deadline driven industry like media. When engaging media, it’s difficult to strike the balance of giving opportunities the time they deserve and missing an opportunity because you have taken too long to respond. Which is why sometimes, as Sheryl Sandberg famously said, “Done is better than perfect.”
Nevertheless, starting a new year is a good opportunity to review existing comms strategies to evaluate if this still aligns with overarching business objectives. Reviewing existing plans is an important exercise which requires thoughtful attention. By spending the time agreeing what success looks like and mapping out the execution will hopefully avoid ‘rushing’ in the future.
As the late Queen Elizabeth said, "We all need to get the balance right between action and reflection. With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock." Sometimes, taking a beat is just as important as taking action.
3. More joy, less worrying.
After the challenges of the past three years, I finally feel a collective re-emergence from the melee of the pandemic and that should be celebrated. Therefore, I’m challenging myself to seek joy in everyday moments and try to worry less.
This includes celebrating wins more thoughtfully, reflecting on why things haven’t worked so well and generally trying to live more presently. A challenge for any PR professional who is always seeking the next story or opportunity for clients.
I have learnt the world keeps spinning even when you are on holiday. So, taking the time to switch off for a time and embrace Joie de vivre is beneficial for everyone. You have greater clarity, more enthusiasm and generally are revived to do better work.
2023 already feels filled with more optimism and hope. Wishing everyone a gentle transition.
