By Lexie Alcon Chaudhuri

In the fast-paced agency life, be sure to take mental moments to check in with yourself.

I still remember the anxiety of being a junior PR professional: the imposter syndrome I felt as a small-town young woman who landed a competitive job in a big city; working within the dynamics of a toxic team; the fear of having to present to a mercurial client; and most importantly showcasing my results! 

So when I recently read that PR is one of the most stressful jobs, I had to agree. Working in advertising or PR (and, in my case, both) can be demanding and yes, at times, high stress due to the stakeholders involved. 

My experience in business school helped me get really clear on the most important points (MIPs) in my personal and professional life. MIP is a strategic framework for learning and storytelling. So, If your life is a story, what would it say? 

Here are my MIPs to navigate agency life and prioritize my health and wellness:

Get clear on your priorities, because every “yes” means “no” to something else. 

Being accountable and following through on your commitments to your team and your clients builds trust, as does transparency. And success is built on trust. Learning to ask the right questions about client priorities and communicating early and often when priorities need to shift helps manage expectations all around.

Romanticize your life and your workspace. 

While this trend started during the pandemic, it’s proven to be a lasting one to appreciate some of the mundane realities of everyday life. My dad, a military vet, has always told me that how you keep your personal space is reflective of what’s going on in your mind. While my workspace isn’t always spotless, I love creating an atmosphere that sweeps me away to a coffee shop with a jazz playlist from YouTube, opening the window by my desk and enjoying the birds chirping around my orange trees, or making cardamom tea with vanilla creamer as an afternoon pick-me-up. 

Perfection is the enemy of crossing the finish line. Getting sh** done gives you the freedom to move on.

In this season of my life as a mom to a toddler, I appreciate the understanding and flexibility that comes with working for a kind boss like Jeff. I have set clear boundaries around my commitments to my family. Analysis paralysis to make something perfect can be an invitation for stress and anxiety. Get comfortable getting things done and not perfect on all fronts.

Prioritize your health.

Lastly, we all know how important it is to get up and move. But let’s face it, I’m sometimes in back-to-back meetings for two hours straight! On these days I let my team know during internal meetings that I’m going camera off so I can get up and walk around. I’ve also learned how important it is to take a moment to get up and make a mid-morning breakfast or put a calendar item up for my lunch break. Since I work from home, getting out and going to Pilates is a high priority at least three times a week. And lastly, I try to go for a walk with my family a couple of times a week in our favorite spot, at the California Botanic Garden in Claremont. Nature is a great remedy to calm the mind. 

My husband is a physician and I’ve been with him on his medical journey from med school through fellowship, and I can say with 100 percent confidence that agency life is not as serious as a patient coding on the table. Do you work to live, or are you living to work? Be kind to yourself, and have grace for your team.