Five Lessons I Learned in 2020
⌛ By Kaylin R. Staten ⌛
2020 has been a formative year #behindthehourglass.
Not to stress pandemic-induced cliché words and phrases, but most of us have been forced to pivot since March 2020. We have experienced lockdowns during a pandemic, social injustice conversations, the ups and downs of an election season, and more. I think I echo everyone’s sentiment when I say this: bring on 2021!
While this year presented its own brand of challenges, I am blessed beyond measure to still be at the helm of a successful PR and writing company. For nearly six years, I have been telling clients’ stories with a blend of art and science. I have written millions of words, and I am still in love with the company I crafted from nothing to what it is today.
I am in a completely different mindset than I was a year ago. I think 2020 has done that to each of us in its own way. Now, as I pen these words, I have added a new role to my life: being a mom to my almost-four-month-old son. I have brand-new Hourglass Media headquarters in our new home. I have more clarity than ever before. This is actually the first blog post I’ve penned since returning to work from maternity leave in mid-October (earlier than expected). I wrote the other blog posts prior to my son’s birth.
Each December, I take a look back at some highlights from the year as I plan for the next calendar year. Here’s last year’s blog post, for reference and good measure.
Here are five lessons I’ve learned in 2020:
Keep working but adjust your strategies and tactics.
The path to your goals may look messier than it did in 2019 or even in the first couple of months of 2020. Many of Hourglass Media’s clients have been forced to cancel events, halt planning in-person gatherings in 2021, and completely restructure the way they do business. If you own a small business, manage a company’s communications in some capacity, or were laid off and are looking for a job, don’t let yourself give up. It can be challenging to meet your target audiences where they now live and work, but adjusting the way you communicate is essential in reaching people. You’ll have to figure out how to cut through the clutter, communicate with empathy, respond to the world’s happenings, and remain true to who you are as a brand, company, and individual. Managing all of that can be daunting, but taking small steps in the right direction will aid you. Being flexible with your messaging, conversations about socially important issues, and how and when you work are all essential when you’re managing a company and its communications. Be willing to look at issues from all sides and do what your heart and mind tell you is right.
Streamline your processes.
Since 2020 was full of distractions, I really needed to streamline my processes. What I learned is that my memory serves me well most of the time, but I also tend to forget tasks if I don’t record them (ESPECIALLY as someone who was pregnant the entire year until late August). Asana saved me personally and professionally this year! (This isn’t an affiliate-sponsored blog post, but I would love to partner with Asana. Hint, hint.) You can get all fancy with the colors and features of a paid account, but a basic free account should serve your purposes. I add tasks and subtasks like they’re going out of style. Here is an example:
For me, streamlining my processes also looks like walking away from work and other things taking up precious time. I’m not telling you to shirk your responsibilities, but really fine tune what matters to your company’s bottom line. There’s nothing like being a mom that has taught me what matters and what I can let go of. And it’s OK to walk away from something that no longer serves you or you feel like you can’t give undivided attention to.
And invest in new technology. I am the queen of keeping devices forever, and I’ve had my MacBook Pro since 2014. It’s time to retire U.S.S. Hourglass Media in favor of U.S.S. Hourglass Media-A, the MacBook Pro with the new M1 chip. There’s nothing like being the host of a virtual meeting or working on an important document and having your computer freeze up. It couldn’t be because I hoard information and take up every GB of my devices’ storage, but I digress. ;) Do your Windows/Mac/phone updates. Stay on top of your inbox.
Resilience can be one of your best assets.
Often, we are so engrossed in the day-to-day to-do lists, client requests, and personal endeavors that we don’t reflect nearly enough. And 2020 was a TOUGH year for so many people. Remember that you have your own brand of resilience, and that looks differently for each person. Anxiety and depression plague millions of individuals on a daily basis, and the COVID-19 pandemic, racial injustices, the 2020 election, and other happenings this year have contributed greatly to our faltering mental health. Each year, I ask myself, “How did I even handle all of that when I have anxiety and depression?” The answer is that I am stronger than I know. I focus on what needs to be done, do those things, and then only reflect on my accomplishments less than half of the time. From a personal standpoint, being pregnant and giving birth during a pandemic is NO JOKE. If you have ever experienced pregnancy or have been close to someone who has, you know all about the morning sickness, aches and pains, and other complications. I’m in awe of every woman who has given birth because it’s one of the strongest things you can ever do!
I have been living this hybrid life as the Hourglass Media CEO and my newly minted (and honestly, most favorite) role of Luke’s Mom. I’ve been paving my own way during the fourth trimester and beyond. Read more about the fourth trimester here in one of my latest Harness Magazine articles here.
Go with your intuition.
Recently, I was approached by a radio network that wanted to offer me this illustrious radio hosting gig. My initial thought was, “Holy crap. I would be able to host my own radio show?” I would have creative control, could interview anyone I wanted, and brand the show in my own likeness. Cue the “I’m listening” vibes from Frasier Crane. Then, the reality of the terms hit. I would need to pay thousands of dollars for the privilege of being a host of a program that would get buried on the 24/7 network. And I don’t need to tell you that such an investment isn’t lucrative when you are a PR practitioner for a living. While I would LOVE to host a podcast or radio show, I knew this wouldn’t be a viable option. As a business owner, I have developed the mentality of, “That’s great, but how will it help my bottom line?” It’s important to invest in the right opportunities, but you should be paid to be a radio host instead of paying the company for the “privilege” of being on their network. Period. Know your worth! If something seems off, it probably is. I honestly feel like business acumen is mostly intuition, connections, and then your talent for what you offer.
Also, don’t give away the keys to the kingdom when you hire someone. Give him/her all of the necessary tools needed to do a good job, but leave the parts you aren’t willing to part with to your own abilities. And follow your gut when you hire someone, too. I have had positive and negative experiences with hiring as a CEO and in my previous career positions. As someone who is a natural control freak, don’t overcompensate for this by being too lax with employees. You’re not their friend. You’re their employer -- and they are getting paid to help move business forward.
A digital detox can do you some good.
I love being on social media with regards to Hourglass Media. I enjoy telling my company’s story and how my professional journey led me to these a kaleidoscope of moments. All in all, I use my narratives to help others. But, like Ernest Hemingway before me, I employ the iceberg theory, only revealing parts of my story. As I get older -- and especially after becoming a mother -- my social media personality and strategies have morphed into a more mysterious and to-the-point storytelling style. You won’t see photos of my son on my personal or professional social media accounts, but you will hear various degrees of my story through the written word and other formats. It’s safe to say that I have become disillusioned personally with social media. While it does have merit for business purposes and to drive positive, accurate information to the masses, I just don’t see the need to post about my son’s every milestone
It’s OK to keep parts of your life sacred and off the Internet. During my maternity leave, I took social media apps and other time-wasting apps off my phone. This digital detox allowed me to be fully present in moments I want to remember for the rest of my life. Even now, I employ a sense of a daily digital detox by implementing limitations on my devices, not downloading certain apps (I still don’t have Facebook on there!), and putting away screens during quality family time. It has made all of the difference in rediscovering some old hobbies, too. While this is still an imperfect process, I have made incredible strides to not being tied down to my phone at all moments.
Here’s to 2021: Memento vivre. Remember to live.
A note: I have been writing consistent blog posts for years, and in 2021, we will continue writing blog posts! However, it will look a little differently, starting with December’s blog posts. We will release a longer-form themed post centered on one of three main focuses: public relations, writing, and education. We’ll also still give a voice to mental health in our Mental Health Moments blog posts, but like the business-centric blog posts, we will just release one comprehensive blog post per month. Of course, there will be special circumstances that call for more posts, but our focus will be writing high-quality, longer pieces that add more value to you, the reader. We’ll also repurpose our older content, too, because there are so many golden nuggets of wisdom to still share in those!
Kaylin R. Staten, APR, is an award-winning, accredited public relations practitioner and writer based in Huntington, WV, with 18 years of professional communications experience. As CEO and founder of Hourglass Media, she uses her compassionate spirit and expertise to delve into the heart of clients’ stories. She is a recovering perfectionist, mental health advocate, wife, boy + cat mom, and Leia Organa aficionado. Connect with Kaylin on LinkedIn.