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Leadership: The ability of an individual or a group of individuals to influence and guide followers or other members of an organization.

Volunteering: A voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. 

Leaders and volunteers are so important, not only for PRSA, but for all non-profit organizations. Making a difference in your community and making society better is truly something to be proud of.

Here at PRSA, we are always looking for our next group of leaders and volunteers. Whether it be serving on the board or a committee, hosting an event, reaching out to current and prospective members, helping with the Pepperpot Awards or judging another chapter’s award submissions, your help is needed!

If you are interested in volunteering or serving in a leadership role, please reach out today. We need your
help here at PRSA to keep things running! We are currently looking for a secretary, treasurer, diversity and inclusion chair and other positions. Please spread the word to your fellow PR colleagues and on your social media channels. And if you haven’t stepped up to the plate yet yourself, give it a try. Volunteering can provide a healthy boost to your self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment. If you're interested, feel free to email me at michele_besso@yahoo.com. 

Thank you to our current leaders and volunteers and here’s to finding new ones as well! Enjoy the beautiful fall weather. Looking forward to hopefully “seeing” everyone at the Pepperpot Awards on December 1. Don’t forget to get your submissions in before the deadline on Wednesday, October 13!

Fondly,
Michele Besso
President, PRSA Philly

World Mental Health Day:
A Time to Reflect Both Personally and Professionally

By: Brittany Eifert, Assistant Account Executive at RPA Advertising

A lot can change in a year and a half. March 2020 marked a significant change in societal “normalcy” across the globe with business shutdowns in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The world adjusted to at-home education and work-from-home environments, along with social distancing guidelines and mask mandates in public places. Following the widespread availability of Covid-19 vaccinations earlier this year and recent booster vaccination approvals, the CDC has since eased guidelines particularly for public gatherings and some offices and schools are back in-person. However, the global pandemic continues to affect one very important aspect of everyday life: mental health.

Celebrated on October 10, World Mental Health Day is a time “…to make quality mental health care for all a reality,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO). As someone who continues to work from home until further notice, I find that the biggest challenge is striking a healthy balance between my personal and professional life. There are days where I log on early, work through lunch, and carry on until an hour or more past the end of my workday. Even if my workload is on the lighter side, I may continue to track emails on my phone well into the evening to either answer a quick question or jump back on my laptop if something “urgent” arises. In thinking back to these instances where I did not set boundaries for myself, I realize how anxious and overwhelmed I can become. I started researching some helpful tips for achieving work-life balance a while back and I recognized a trend across various articles: the importance of self-care. 

Here are some suggested key actions from Kevin Guest, Chairman and CEO of USANA Health Sciences, that I find helpful when I lack a sense of balance (Usana).

• Get enough sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep a night.

• Eat a nutritious diet and exercise regularly: This can “bring a noticeable sense of balance and harmony” to your lifestyle.

• Minimize screen time and get outside: According to Guest, "…today is the time to unplug, minimize screen time, be more mindful of how long we're on devices, and look up to engage with other people, nature and things around us." He suggests just one hour a day in nature can contribute to balance and harmony.

I also find that setting a timer on my mobile device(s) is helpful in becoming more mindful and attentive.