HOW TO KEEP THE LOVE ALIVE: Or in public relations, the momentum

Burnout. We all know what it looks like and, let’s face it, it’s ugly. So how do we avoid this nasty beast? I’ve found that a vacation can help, but honestly a week away (by the time you get where you’re going and get back it’s over) isn’t really the respite you need. Plus, how many of you are constantly connected to your PDA? By staying connected you stay burnt.

I run my own business, so I’ve come to accept a certain amount of burnout will go with the territory. However, I have a vested interest here since I willingly signed up for it. My employees are the ones I’m most concerned about. Burnout is bad for morale and it takes the edge off of a vital player.

Here are some ideas to avoid burnout and I hope my employees will read this and follow along:

DON’T READ ANY EMAILS ON THE WEEKENDS OR BEFORE WORK UNLESS THEY ARE FLAGGED URGENT. Bosses like me like to get their ideas out and move on. BUT that doesn’t mean if I send an email at 6:30 a.m. I expect a response. (And bosses like me should get more organized and compile all thoughts into one document that they share with their people at an appropriate time).

SCHEDULE A LONG WEEKEND AT LEAST EVERY 1- 2 MONTHS. It may not seem like a real vacation, but a long weekend can REALLY make a difference in your month. It’s something to look forward to, plus one or two extra days can often feel like a week. So get organized, make sure your division is covered and schedule some “me time.”

GO OUT TO LUNCH. Everyone I know who works in NYC eats lunch at his or her desk. It may seem archaic but getting out and getting a breath of fresh air can improve your look on life. DO IT.

MAKE A HABIT OF SMILING. I spend most of my day with a scowl on my face (ok, I’m stressed out). But every now and then I remember to smile, just for the heck of it, and guess what? When I smile on the outside, I start smiling on the inside. Corny, sure. But we’ve all heard that it takes more muscles to frown than smile. Try it…

Try these soul lifters (we’ve had enough of the suckers) for a month and see if it doesn’t help. And when you do go on vacation, leave a great travel memo and turn off your PDA. You most likely deserve it!