Mindfulness Meditation and PR: The perfect combo?
Published on March 23, 2017, at 5:41 p.m.
by Josh Downey.
Everyone knows the public relations industry is very stressful. Public relations ranked number six in the list for most stressful professions of 2016. It is very important to be able to manage stress to stay effective as a PR practitioner, as well as find a balance for your daily life. Mindfulness meditation can teach you to properly manage stress and find a balance in your life.
For as little as 15 to 20 minutes a day, mindfulness meditation can make a huge impact on your life. Mindfulness is a form of meditation that asks you to pay close attention to what your body and mind are feeling. You merely observe your feelings in a non-judgmental way while meditating.
Being non-judgmental is the key to mastering mindfulness. You are supposed to observe your feelings and not act on them. A good way to put it is, imagine a scientist observing a monkey in an enclosure. The scientist is non-judgmentally observing the monkey and merely taking notes of what he sees the monkey do. This is similar to what mindfulness is, but you are simultaneously the scientist and the monkey. You are studying yourself.
Learning how to non-judgmentally observe your thoughts and feelings could help reduce stress in high-pressure situations, because you know why you are feeling what you are feeling and can calmly understand why you are feeling that way. Mindfulness teaches you to better understand yourself and why you are experiencing certain feelings. This skill will help you take action to calm yourself down in times of high stress.
Like any other skill, it is important to practice every day. You need to allot at least 15 minutes a day to allow yourself time to meditate properly. Whether it be in the morning before work, a mid-day break or after work, it is important to give yourself time throughout the day. You must stay consistent and practice every day. Mindfulness is a skill that is gained through practice and repetition. Also, having a routine can help the mind become accustomed to relaxing throughout the day and as time goes on.
Mindfulness meditation can be very valuable in the public relations industry and for its professionals. It is a skill gained through practice, much like writing a press release or a social media schedule. It takes time to master, but once mastered it can be a significant tool in your daily life, and we can all appreciate that.
