That Solo Life: The Solo PR Pro Podcast

Episode 65: Professional Development in a Pandemic

Keeping up with professional development in a COVID-19 world is a challenge, especially with in-person events either cancelled or held virtually. Screen fatigue is real, so we need to create ways to stay sharp. In today’s episode we talk about how creating community can fit the bill. Whether it’s a virtual book club, an accountability partner, or seeking out professionals outside your industry to interact with and learn from, any interaction that can wake up our minds and our senses during this time of isolation will be beneficial.

We’d love to hear your ideas. Share with us a soloprpro.com.

Episode 64: Boundaries - A Reminder

We covered boundaries in an earlier episode but we also know creating and keeping good boundaries is an ongoing work in progress. We need that gentle reminder – whether it’s scope creep or establishing limits on accessibility (especially in our current work from home era) – that boundaries are essential to performing at our best.

What is your biggest struggle with boundaries right now? Share with us a soloprpro.com.

Episode 63: Review to Renew

When was the last time you reviewed your progress in achieving your goals? Are those goals still in line with what you would like to achieve personally and professionally, or do your goals need to be updated?

In today’s episode, we talk about reviewing our progress, about getting in the habit of checking in with ourselves, not just on an annual or monthly basis, but weekly or even every day.

We can be our most productive, and that’s not the same as overly busy, but working with purpose and staying aligned with our goals if we check in with ourselves on a more consistent basis.

In this blog post from RescueTime, they ask three questions to help with this process:

• Did you complete what you set out to do?
• Does your calendar and your commitments match your priorities and values?
• What was your allocation of $10/hour work vs. $10,000/hour work?

Get in the habit of regularly taking stock. You may be surprised at the time you find, and how it will increase the joy and purpose you have in your work.

Can you relate? Tell us how at soloprpro.com.

Episode 62: Rituals

Today’s episode was inspired by an article in Psychology Today by Nick Hobson, Ph.D., How Rituals Alter the Brain to Help Us Perform Better.

Rituals can be grounding and comforting. They can also prepare us for performance. Dr. Hobson explains that rituals help us to reduce anxiety associated with potential failure by changing how your brain responds to failure.

We need to incorporate ways to refuel and refocus ourselves to enable us to do what we do well and maintain our physical and mental health, not just during this pandemic but afterward too.

What are your favorite rituals? It can be for relaxation or for getting powered up to get to work. Share with us at soloprpro.com.

 

Episode 61: COVID Communication Fatigue

We are in the sixth month of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we know that you as a communicator and the audiences you serve are tired. And yet, we need to continue crafting and sharing messaging effectively, to cut through the (sometimes subconscious) inclination of our audience to tune out.

In today’s episode we talk about ways we can approach our communications strategies and messaging with a new perspective.

How about you? How are you keeping your messaging fresh and effective right now? Tell us at soloprpro.com.

Episode 60: Communications Clichés

Today’s episode was inspired by Nicole Schuman’s recent article in PR News, The Top Communications Clichés and How to Avoid Them. As communicators, we need to craft messaging that is authentic to those we are writing for and to make sure we are always reviewing our work with an eye on eliminating the use of clichés and overworn phrases.

 

What is the cliché you love to hate? Tell us at soloprpro.com.

Episode 59: Stress Break

It’s midsummer and we’re living through a pandemic, so on this week’s episode we’re taking a stress break. It’s important – with looming uncertainty about the school year, work, vacation (vacation?) – to take the time to find calm for ourselves and to seek out what makes us laugh. Doing so is restorative and we need to take care of ourselves, perhaps now more than ever.

 

What is your favorite way to relax? What’s making you laugh right now? We want to know! Visit us at soloprpro.com.

Episode 58: Should We Change How We Do PR?

Fundamentally, what we do as communications professionals does not change. What does change is the way we do it. Is it time to change our approach to our work, our methods, and our tactics, given the state of current events? Now is an ideal time to reexamine and find new opportunities in the value we offer our current and prospective clients.

Have you changed how you approach your work in PR? Let us know. Visit us at soloprpro.com.

Episode 57: Helping Clients Navigate the Now Normal

Everyone is dealing with a lot these days. A LOT. Work life is different, home life is different. While it seems like this COVID-19 era will go on, we know from past pandemics that this is only temporary. That’s why in this episode we refer to this time in our lives as the “now normal” instead of the “new normal.”

How can we as communicators continue to add value to our clients and our own businesses as we work our way through this? Join us for this conversation.

And, as always, we want to hear from you. How have you been helping your clients navigate the now normal? Visit us at soloprpro.com and let us know.

 

 

Episode 56: We’re Halfway through 2020. Now What?

You did it! You’ve made it through the first half of 2020. Sit for a moment. Exhale. Congratulate yourself!

This year has been challenging on so many levels, all at once. In this episode we talk about how to head into the second half of 2020 with hope, determination, and joy.

Tell us your thoughts. We truly do want to hear from you. Visit us at soloprpro.com.