Tips to help public relations professionals manage the stress of the job.

1. Trade Tips: How to Survive and
Stay Passionate in PR
Helpful hints for public relations
and marketing professionals.
By Nicole Hayes
The early bird truly does get the worm in PR, which can equal an
incredible amount of never-ending, overwhelming stress.

2. PR moves quickly. No one day is the same, deadlines are always looming,
and clients (and managers) are always pushing for more.
What can you do to battle that and, most importantly, not burn out?

3. Take a break1
It’s important to take a step
back and rejuvenate in order
to keep moving forward.
Leave your cell phone and
email behind and spend
some time laying on the
beach, floating down a river,
or reading a novel in a
hammock under the
Caribbean sun.

4. Remember to ask, “Why?”2
Sometimes we tend to get wrapped up in doing things because
it’s trendy or it’s something the client wants. At the end of these
projects, we usually realize they had nothing to do with the goal
of the campaign.
“Why?” is the key question that any PR person needs to ask
before jumping into a project.
 Why am I doing this?
 How does it relate to the goal of the campaign?
 How is it going to achieve results?

5. Work smarter, not harder3
Think about three things that you can
do to cut your workload.
 Prepare the day/night before
 Start a draft
 Return to it later with fresh
eyes

6. Know what you love4
We are not all good at everything. Some people are great writers;
others relish the thought of picking up the phone and pitching.
Embracing your passion will help you love your job and ensure your
success.

7. Talk to me5
PR people are natural
communicators, yet sometimes
we forget to communicate with
each other.
Step away from your desk, move
out of your office or cubicle and
talk to your colleagues.

8. This presentation was adapted from our Voice Matters Blog.
To learn more about McKinney & Associates, visit www.mckpr.com
McKinney & Associates was founded in 1990 with a commitment to
social justice that has prevailed for more than 20 years. From the beginning,
McKinney passionately and skillfully practiced Public Relations with a Conscience
for local, national and international organizations.
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