PRs and burnout: an expert speaks
Ahead of her speech at CIPR Horizon on Tuesday, Subira Jones (aka The Corporate Hippie) tells us what PRs can do about their overstretched work lives…
Your Horizon speech next week is on preventing burnout. You learned about burnout the hard way, working as a “high-functioning stress addict” in investment. Tell us more…
I started my first investment job just four days after my mum’s funeral. Although my new company urged me to take compassionate leave, my response was ‘I can’t do this when joining a new company’. So, after burying my mum on Thursday, I started work on Monday. It gave me no time to process what had just happened; I thought work would distract me.
Nine months later, I went to bed one night with what I assumed was the flu. The next morning, I couldn’t feel anything below my hips. Still, I carried on. I also started developing migraines so intense I couldn’t look at my screen. Then, one morning I suddenly went blind in my right eye when doing my makeup. It didn’t stop me going on holiday: I flew out of Gatwick in a wheelchair and no eyesight in my right eye.
I was later diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurological condition that affects the central nervous system. Eventually, I got sick and tired of being sick and tired, so decided to step away and retrain as a holistic health practitioner. Within five months of hitting rock bottom, the symptoms came to an end. I’ve now been relapse-free for four years. Although the medical world still isn’t clear about what causes MS, eliminating stress from my life seems to have helped me.
How can PRs know whether they’re feeling a little exhausted or if they’re suffering true burnout?
To determine whether you’re feeling run down or suffering burnout, ask yourself these questions: 1) Do you feel like you’re in control of your life? 2) Do you have a clear vision, purpose or sense-of-direction?
Oftentimes, when people experience burnout, they feel like they’ve no sense of autonomy or agency in their lives. If you feel like you haven’t got any control of your life and don’t know why you’re doing your work, then you’ll never be fulfilled. It’s like being a passenger in a car, but with no idea where it’s heading.
I don’t believe in work-life balance; work-life satisfaction is more important. Before suffering burnout in my old job, I went to the gym six days a week. Today, I still work ridiculous hours, but because I love my work and am fulfilled by it, I don’t burn out. And when my battery is run down, I do something about it.
PR is a sociable job. How can the lack of sleep, networking events and client parties (where alcohol is often flowing) take their toll?
Going to lots of social engagements can burn you out. You need to ensure it aligns with what you want. Realise that while there is an expectation for you to be the fun PR girl/guy in the room, you don’t have to perform entirely. And you don’t have to partake [in alcohol]: you are working at these events, after all.
Burnout can also happen if you’re an introvert PR and the idea of socialising at events fills you with dread. This fear can consume your life – at weekends you’ll be thinking about the party you’ll be attending on Thursday night.
Social media has created an ‘always-on’ culture for many PRs, who find themselves tweeting at midnight then rising at 6am to correct a client’s Insta feed…
I’m addicted to LinkedIn and on it at all-hours. But try to address [out-of-hours screentime] by building on moments into your lifestyle where you rest and recharge. One of my core values is,'leisure'. I know some days it’ll be out of my control to visit the gym or spa, but there will be other slower days, when I’ll allow myself to do it. This keeps me fuelled. Many paramedics are also on-call, but they still fit in breaks around their work hours.
What can PR bosses do if they suspect their employees might be suffering burnout?
The worst thing you can do is tell them you think they’re burning out. The type of workers more susceptible to burnout are usually resilient, high-performing individuals. And they’ll do everything to prove you wrong, which will only expedite their journey to burnout. Instead, coach your line managers on the red-flags to look out for. And hire a specialist to come in and build awareness.
Subira Jones, aka The Corporate Hippie, is an award-winning high performance and burnout specialist. The former stress addict has developed the Burnout Free Lifestyle programme to help support organisations retain talent and avoid an epidemic of burnt out professionals.
Jones will be delivering a keynote on Preventing burnout for sustainable high performance and success at the CIPR’s Horizon event taking place at Ham Yard Hotel in London on Tuesday 14 November. Tickets available from £75.
