PR is an industry built on urgency, but the pace that drives results can just as easily erode resilience. In this piece, Kaila O’Connor, founder of KMO HAUS, offers a grounded framework for rewiring how publicists relate to stress, productivity, and their own nervous systems. Through practical strategies and a fresh perspective on boundaries, she makes the case for a calmer, more sustainable way to excel in the field, especially during this busy season.
If you’ve been in PR long enough to instinctively check your inbox before brushing your teeth, congratulations — your nervous system is probably fried. We don’t talk about it enough, but the truth is: PR professionals live in a perpetual state of “almost on fire.” We operate at the intersection of adrenaline and anxiety — running on caffeine, approval, and the faint hope that this next pitch will finally land.
But here’s the secret no one teaches you in PR school: you don’t have to live like this. You can be brilliant at your job and have a calm body. Actually — that’s the only way to sustain it long-term. Let’s rewire the system — literally.
In PR, everything is “time-sensitive.” Every client request feels the most important.
But here’s the truth: most “emergencies” are just bad boundaries with lipstick. Before you spiral, pause. Take one deep breath — in for four, hold for four, out for six. Then ask yourself:“Is this truly urgent, or am I just conditioned to think it is?”
Nine times out of ten, it’s the latter. And in that tenth case? You’ll handle it better because you paused.
That buzzy, wired energy you feel during crisis mode? That’s not flow — that’s your nervous system in fight-or-flight. Adrenaline tricks you into thinking you’re productive. But you’re not focused; you’re frantic. You can’t create a powerful strategy with a body that thinks it’s under attack.
Instead, replace the rush with rhythm and/or rest:
When your body moves, your mind softens. When you body rests, your nervous system resets. That’s when real creativity comes back online.
Boundaries aren’t selfish — they’re professional. And here comes the tough love, if you fail to stand by them then it’s no one else’s fault but your own. Communicate boundaries as your way of business operations and your level of standard from day one - transparently in a proactive way versus a reactive way.
Something as simple as a new contract line item that outlines “client emails will be responded to within x hours of the day and to allow at least 24 hours for a response for non-urgent matters” can make all the difference. This will transparently set expectations for both your clients and your nervous system. Protect your mental space with the same ferocity you protect an embargo.
Try these micro-boundaries:
Every “no” to false urgency is a “yes” to regulation.
When your phone buzzes with an “ASAP” text, your brain doesn’t know it’s just a deliverable — it thinks it’s dangerous. That’s why you tense up, your heart races, and your shoulders become earrings.
You can override that by naming the moment:
“This is not dangerous.”
“This is a client email.”
“I’m safe.”
Or by placing mini reminders that show up when your clients show up - such as adding your client contact in your phone as “(breathe) client name” so every time you get a text message you’re first reminded to breathe. The brain needs repetition and more repetition. It sounds simple. It works like magic.
If you lead a team, you set the tone. Your energy becomes everyone’s energy.
Model regulation. Normalize saying, “Let’s sleep on it.” Praise measured responses as much as fast ones. The best PR cultures are the ones where calm isn’t just encouraged — it’s respected.
PR veterans, this one’s for you: You are not the sum of your press hits. You are not your inbox response time. You are not the urgency of your clients. You’re a storyteller — not a stress sponge. You get to slow down. You get to rest. You get to be human.
Because when your nervous system is regulated, your ideas sharpen, your empathy expands, and your work gets ten times better. Also, when you embody worthiness and confidence, that’s when clients innately trust you more and the relationship shifts from service provider to advisor. The calm publicist doesn’t do less — they just do it without panic and without the need for validation.
Final Thoughts
What’s the real evolution of a PR professional? Learning to operate from peace, not panic.
How we feel while doing our job matters. If we are inspired, rested, confident when sending an editor a pitch - that is felt on the receiving end. The same goes for the opposite. So next time your inbox lights up and your pulse spikes, remember this mantra: “I don’t have to earn rest. The world won’t burn if I breathe.”
Then breathe.
That’s how you stay in PR — and still love it — decades later.
