Fear not public relations and communications professionals eager to learn the definitions of popular words used in our industry. After a two-week holiday in sunny and warm Nicaragua, I am back and defining the words you know and love.
I thought is was relevant this week to define a word I love and hate at the same time. It means big money, but it also means reduced free time. That word is March Madness.
March Madness
(märCH ˈmadnəs)
noun
When suddenly your PR friend disappears from the earth, and that includes social media: that is March Madness. When you leave the office at 8 p.m. and you are not the last to leave: that is March Madness. When you have your yearly mental breakdown: that is March Madness.
March Madness is the bane of our existence in PR. Profit margins shoot through the roof and in one month companies make up for every single slow day of the year. With more money; however, comes more work and more stress.
Why March?
PR and communications professionals work hard all year round. What makes March so different? The answer is simple, it is the end of the year, the fiscal year that is. At the end of the fiscal year, governments, associations and organizations need to wrap things up financially to ensure a clean start for the new fiscal year. In a lot of cases, this means spending that last bit of budget left or finishing up any outstanding projects. All needs to be wrapped up by March 31.
Use the 3 Rs to help you survive March Madness
During this month of madness, make sure you don’t forget to relax, rest and ride the wave.
It is important to nip that stress right in the butt when it starts. Relax, everything will be okay. You will finish your project on time and the world won’t come to an end. Stress is infectious and can cause an entire team to panic. Panic is a productivity killer. So when you feel stressed take a five minute walk and relax.
With a lack of sleep, weird eating patterns and stress, illness comes easy. So, make sure you get your rest. Sleep will help you get rejuvenated. You will think clearer and work more productively.
And finally, ride the wave. March Madness is inevitable. So take advantage of the interesting projects you may be working on. Learn from your mistakes and find out your limits.
So, if you have a PR or communications professional in your life, make sure to be extra kind and helpful during this season of madness.
And, to all my PR and communications buddies out there: Good luck and happy March Madness!