It’s Important

We know vacations are a boon to our mental health, and we might have some awareness that they’re beneficial to our physical health – but chances are vacations are even more important than you realize. Taking part in leisure activities is shown to lead to lower blood pressure, lower stress hormones and smaller waists, and one study found vacations lead to a significantly lower risk of mortality. That’s right – taking a break from time to time can actually contribute to your long-term survival!

Interestingly, even if we have an understanding of the benefits vacations offer our bodies, it’s often harder for us to recognize that vacations are actually critical to being effective at work. Do you know that some scientists have found that stress shrinks your brain (an effect that can be reversed after a period of rest)? Even small vacations actually change your brain waves, leading to improved reaction times, clarity and creativity.

So, when you jokingly (or not so jokingly) exclaim, “I need a vacation!” the truth is, you really do.

For me, because I’m truly nutty as a fruitcake and addicted to goal-setting, I often make mental health-related goals for myself that I hope to achieve while on vacation. During some breaks, I seek to jump start my creative juices by trying new things, while other times I pause to reflect on the directions I’m taking my business and my life. This time, I’ll be doing something especially radical: striving to turn my thoughts off almost completely – to be 100% in the moment, with no thoughts whatsoever (no easy feat for an OCD gal like myself, but I’m hoping it will lead to a helpful recharging).

What vacations or mini-breaks do you have coming up this summer, and what do you hope to accomplish (or avoid) as a result? Let us know in the comments, and if you haven’t decided when your next break is, start planning!

Image: Meawpong3405 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In addition to the downloadable transcript in PDF, the following highlights some of the most popular tweets from the chat:

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for the full discussion. Note that the transcript is in reverse chronological order.

If you weren’t able to join us this week, weigh in on the chat questions below!

The #solopr chat – held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern – is a weekly ritual for some of the most savvy Solo PR Pros on Twitter. Anyone with a Twitter account is welcome to participate – see Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter to find out how!

Those of you who have followed this blog for a while know that I believe regular breaks are critical for preventing burnout and enjoying a long-term, successful career as a Solo PR Pro.  I’ve been preaching the importance of vacations for years.

For the next week, I’m putting my money where my mouth is — I’m going on an unplugged vacation! My first day out of the office is actually Monday, so I guess technically I’m “going fishing’” — not “gone” yet. Hope you all have a great week ahead, and I’ll “see” you when I get back.

But few realize that Sarah hasn’t always been a free agent. Last October at the PRSA International Conference, I spoke with Sarah about her move to independence (technical difficulties prevented me from sharing this video until now). Watch as she opens up about overcoming the fears of becoming a business owner, knowing when to hire, and the camaraderie we all share as self-employed PR pros:

What do you think of Sarah’s story, and how have you overcome fear in your own business?

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Family emergencies can serve as a reminder that there is much more to life than work – these times can offer an amazing opportunity to pause and reflect on our own priorities.

Unfortunately, even during periods of grief or illness, we tend to measure ourselves against others who appear to have achieved superhero status.

As social media has become a part of our daily lives, we see images of superheroes all around us – their plethora of blog posts, never-ending networking and dizzying schedules are on public display. For the rest of us, those who seem to never slow down (and never fail) often are used as the measuring stick of success.

The Real Deal

Most of us know that when you see someone else’s marriage, you don’t really know what goes on “behind closed doors.” The same is true for professional dynamos – those who seem to have superhero stamina and smarts are actually real people with real problems and real failings.

What’s more, sometimes we assign superhero status to those who would readily admit they are far from it, if asked. Fellow Solo PR Pro, Laura Scholz (whose energy has always been a marvel to me), bravely recounted her struggles on her blog recently.

This is not to say the world isn’t filled with heroes – I’m sure we all have many heroes of the human, mortal variety who inspire us daily and keep life interesting. But superheroes only exist in comic books and movies, and constantly trying to be one will only leave us exhausted, unsatisfied and empty.

I loved it when Stuart Smalley, the old self-help-addicted character on Saturday Night Live, said, “I’m should-ing all over myself.” How often do you catch yourself should-ing? What are your tips for avoiding superhero syndrome?

Image credit: Carla216

With so many of us feeling stressed out, and since our longevity as Solo PR Pros depends on effective stress management, this week’s #solopr Twitter chat focused solely on this important issue. We discussed:

1) What are some of the most stressful situations you’ve faced as an independent consultant?

2) What steps do you take in your personal life that help you manage stress?

3) What work-related stress relievers have you found?

4) What steps can we take in our businesses to avoid stress in the first place?

Find out some of the tricks used by your fellow solos by downloading the transcript in PDF. On a side note, so many of us noted that our pets are important stress relievers, just for fun we’ve started sharing pictures of our furry “co-workers” on the Solo PR Pros Facebook page. Take a look and join in the fun!

What additional tips can you share for identifying and managing stress?

The #solopr chat – held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern – is a weekly ritual for some of the most savvy Solo PR Pros on Twitter. Anyone with a Twitter account is welcome to participate – see Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter to find out how!