Crisis Leadership: Protecting PR Pros in the Remote Era

How can PR professionals protect their mental health during a global crisis?

Managing relentless corporate crisis communications from a chaotic home environment requires unprecedented mental and physical resilience. To survive overwhelming pressure and avoid total burnout, public relations professionals must ruthlessly schedule non-negotiable breaks for deep work, outdoor sunlight, and strict daily cutoff times.

It’s 8:00 a.m. but already feels like Midnight.

You’re about to join your first of five (or more!) video conference calls today.

You’ve been up since 4:00 a.m. but haven’t eaten yet.

You thought you had time for breakfast but that urgent email you received at 6:30 a.m. has taken over your life.

Your kids are driving you crazy and aren’t going anywhere.

You’re about to start the 8:00 a.m. call when you realize, “I’m still in my sweatpants”!

It’s ok. Judge the sweat, not the sweatpants.

This is not the time for me to tell you how to set up lighting for video conference calls, or what clothes to wear, or share my list of favorite standing desks.

This is about acknowledging YOU and what YOU are doing.

I am YOUR cheerleader today.

I see the blood, sweat, and tears that you are pouring into your work every day.

I read it in the press releases, the company updates, the social media posts.

You’re creating tight, concise messages that are helping your audiences feel informed, calm, heard.

You’re using well-developed crisis plans.

You’re rewriting those plans.

You’re throwing those plans out the door.

You’re commanding trust and respect as you pour sweat into your work fighting people with big egos who are thinking more about their legacy than the message that needs to be delivered.

You’re putting on the brave face and ensuring your employees that their voices are being heard, while you are an employee yourself.

You’re responding to stressed and overworked reporters who are constantly asking for updates.

You’re showing compassion for your colleagues, your teams, your bosses, your directs who are dealing with difficult situations at home.

And you’re doing all this from home, running a family, managing tight quarters and trying to manage YOURSELF.

What you are doing requires the sharpest mental and physical strength you have.

You are prepared for this. You are prepared to lead.

All this said: please put on your oxygen mask first.

I need you to three things, every day.

First, you need to PLAN your alone time. The Slack notifications, the IM messages, the constant pings. You need time during the day to think! Allocate whatever time you can, even if it’s 15 minutes, for your personal “No Contact Zone.” Block this time in your calendar.

Second, you need to PLAN your outside time. Find a couple of hours per week during the WORKDAY that you can dedicate to being OUTSIDE. Find SUNSHINE. Block this time in your calendar.

Third, you need to PLAN your work time. It’s very easy to start logging on when you wake up and constantly work until you go to bed. Set (some) boundaries! Set a reminder on your calendar or an alarm on your phone.

I have never been prouder of our industry than I am today.

We are in this together.

Thank you, everyone, who are pulling those LONG days, nights, and weekends to ensure you, your organization, your clients, your teams are set up for success.

Show grace. Give grace.

Finally, you have permission to wear whatever you want.

Judge the sweat, not the sweatpants.