Ashleigh Johnston, Account Executive
As the days continue to drag on through an exhausting bitter cold winter, it seems like we are all stuck in an endless loop. Wake up, go to work, come home, go to bed, do it all over again tomorrow. The energy is waning, patience in thinning and fuses are shortening. Since spring in Chicago is barely more than a myth, I thought a couple articles to lighten the mood might be in order as we stare down what will surely be an equally dismal February.
My first recommendation is to check out Buzzfeed’s “24 Ways to Tell You Don’t Understand Work-Life Balance.” If you are a fellow PR pro rolling your eyes at the mention of Buzzfeed, hear me out. My colleagues and I relate to far too many things on this list and at the very least, it should bring a smile to your face. Take the mental break and have a chuckle, it’ll do more good than you know.
My second recommendation is an article published on Matador Network, “Zen for non-hippies: How I optimize happiness at work.” It puts everything into perspective; particularly pointing out that we needlessly put way more pressure on ourselves at work than at home. It takes a conscious effort but the payoff is huge. It’s all about awareness and being more thoughtful in your actions. What worked yesterday may not work today, what generates someone else’s success will not generate your own, and above all, no one can control your happiness but you.