Academy Blog
Creating Balance in a 24/7 Digital World
Do you reach for your phone as soon as you wake up? Do you experience high levels of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) if you have to turn your phone off in a meeting? Do you leave your email and social media notifications on all the time even during the night? Is your phone the […]
4 Tips for PR Experts in Using SEO to Boost Google Rankings Ahead of Competitors
For fashion and lifestyle brands, online expansion is inevitable. McKinsey & Company’s “State of Fashion” report states that 30% of fashion executives consider digital expansion as the greatest opportunity for the industry at present. Now that plenty of competitors are out there, fashion and lifestyle brands are trying to ensure they are visible in retail stores […]
Crisis PR – Kellie Harrington, SPAR stores and Off The Ball AM Show
Crisis PR specialist Ellen Gunning analyses the crisis involving Olympic Boxer Kellie Harrington, the SPAR chain of convenience stores and the top-rated Off The Ball AM Show.
“It was a lot better hearing about women’s empowerment from a woman”- Anne Doyle
On Wednesday 10th November Ellen Gunning came in to talk to my year about her job in Public Relations (PR). Women‘s empowerment Ellen spoke to us about all the places she has travelled to and some of her experiences. She told us about how different women are treated in other parts of the world. Ellen […]
You need a good network to progress in your career
The PR Training Academy hosted a webinar recently at which Kingsley Aikins offered some insights into networking – and what a tour de force that webinar was. It created a great understanding of how everyone needs to develop and use a network to get ahead. Here are some of his key insights: Capping your career. […]
The Kliemann Case
Downfall of a YouTube star – and how he can come back again. In May 2022, an Instagram video by Fynn Kliemann caused a stir throughout Germany. In it, the influencer shared a mail from the late night show “ZDF Magazin Royale” asking him to comment on his business. Only a day later, the talk show then published a video in which Kliemann was accused of knowingly concealing the […]
Brands advertising their credentials more than their products
Brands advertising their credentials more than their products On a recent trip to London, I was really taken by the advertising in the tube stations. Brands have definitely decided that it is important to reflect the culture and interests of their customers, and are actively advertising to show how engaged they are. Tribe Tribe, […]
The future of 3rd Level Education in Europe
Background The global university sector was thrown into a state of flux imposed by Covid 19 which created enormous challenges. The sector responded by moving rapidly to remote learning options. Now, post-covid, the sector needs to plan for online, blended and distance learning. The days of full-time college attendance in a lecture hall are over. […]
Women in the Church of England
Image of St. Pauls courtesy of Wikipedia. In 1994, the first women priests were ordained into the Church of England. Twenty years later, in 2014, the UK Independent ran an article titled ”Church of England to shatter ‘stained-glass ceiling’ and allow female bishops”. Figures from 2018 show that the majority of licenced clergy in the […]
Facebook’s Rebranding to Meta
Written By Guest Author Claire Carlin (IAPR Graduate) A corporate identity change or an image shift? On October 28, 2021, Mark Zuckerberg, founder, and CEO of Facebook Inc., introduced in his Connect event the rebranding to Meta. This reflects the company’s updated vision and purpose, now including two different segments: the “family of apps” and […]
Mary Curran Life Coach and Personal Development
Written by Guest Author Robert Riley Ellen Gunning interviewed Mary Curran on the Mediascope programme on Dublin City FM. Mary Curran is a life coach who works with clients from Ireland and the United States of America. A life coach is someone who helps those who feel they aren’t achieving what they could with their […]
Patricia Cortes Ortiz , Colombian Ambassador
Written By Guest Author Robert Riley Patrice Cortes Ortiz is the Colombian Ambassador to Ireland and is Ireland’s first resident Colombian Ambassador. She spoke to Ellen Gunning on the Media scope radio programme this week about the similarities between the two countries and how they can grow together. She hopes to expand and create opportunities for […]
Marc O’Sullivan is one of the most highly regarded PR photographers in Ireland.
Written By Guest Author Robert Riley Photography has always been a key element of good PR, and Marc O’Sullivan is one of the most highly regarded PR photographers in Ireland. Pic:Marc O’Sullivan Marc’s father was a keen amateur photographer, and he became interested in photography from a very young age. After attending UCD, studying […]
Charlene White Talks About PR moving in a New Direction
Written By Guest Author Robert Riley Charlene White is a Public Relations expert who specializes in Digital PR and founded Digipr.com. Now based in her native New Zealand, she has worked all over the world. Over the last six years Charlene has seen a real change in the public relations and marketing landscape as the […]
DCU Professor Dawn Wheatley talks about media consumption in Ireland
Written By Guest Author Robert Riley Dawn Wheatley, professor at the DCU School of Communications, featured on the Dublin City FM, Mediascope with Ellen Gunning. They discussed the findings Dawn’s research that appears in the recent BAI report ‘Digital News Report: Gender & Diversity in Ireland 2016-2021 & Internationally 2021”. The report examines the role […]
“If we don’t bring users along with us then change will fail”. Nicola Byrne, CEO of Shine
Written By Guest Author Robert Riley Putting service users and their families at the centre of the mental health policy in Ireland This week on Mediascope Ellen interviewed the CEO of the Shine charity, Nicola Byrne. Nicola started out as a social worker but has always gravitated towards supporting those with mental health needs. Nicola […]
Our new platform – Mettacomms was profiled in the Business Post
Our new data analytics platform – Mettacomms – was profiled in the Business Post on Sunday 6 February.This exciting new platform is the first data analytics tool designed specifically for the PR industry. It will allow PR consultants and brands position their clients as thought leaders in their sector. Are you interested in thought leadership? […]
Lessons from a Humanitarian Hero
The Business of Helping People is as Difficult as it is Rewarding Ray Taylor is the author of an incredibly interesting book, Mr. Ray Would Like a Monkey. Ray wrote the memoir about how a health scare propelled him into humanitarian work. Ray was running a business when he was admitted to hospital with what was suspected to be […]
Advertisers could be Underestimating the Power of Radio
John Purcell Describes how he is Striving to Change the Way we Think about Radio Advertising Meet John Purcell John Purcell is the CEO of KCLR, chairman of Independent Broadcasters Ireland and chairman of Radiocentre Ireland. Radiocentre Ireland is a new industry body created to promote the medium of radio to potential advertisers. The project […]
The Importance of Marketing to University Students
Jay Reid Lends his Expertise on Marketing to Young People Who Is Jay Reid? Jay Reid is a strategy director for Core. Throughout his long career, he has mastered the art of marketing to university students, which he discussed with Ellen Gunning for Dublin City FM’s Mediascope programme. Some people might wonder if it’s really valuable […]
How Astrology Is Changing Marketing
The Stars Hold the Secret to a Brilliant Communications Strategy Why Is Astrology Trending? COVID-19 has left many people searching for a feeling of control and stability. The hashtag astrology has continued to grow in popularity during recent months, and has now accumulated 26 billion views on Tik Tok and there are 9.2 million photos […]
How to Succeed as a Professional with Brian Commins
Learn the keys to thriving as a leader from someone with decades of experience Brian Commins has worked in the radio industry for over twenty tears. He got into the sector while working for a promotions company in Edinburgh that worked very closely with radio stations. Apart from doing voiceovers for the occasional advertisement, Commins […]
What Professionals can Learn from Facebook’s Whistleblower Scandal
Public Relations Professionals Discuss How Reputation Affects Profits Fuzion PR’s Greg Canty has a unique take on the Facebook situation. Recently a whistleblower made strong allegations about the effect that the social media platform has on its users’ mental health. She stated that the company has thousands of pages of research proving that the company […]
Is Lobbying Ethical?
Is Lobbying Ethical? Aaron Rogan, a journalist for the Sunday Business Post is totally in favour of lobbying. He knows that it would be absurd to expect politicians to avoid the opinions of their constituents. Rogan spoke to Ellen Gunning on Dublin City FM’s Mediascope. Businesses and marketing agents need the ability to advocate for themselves. Voters need […]
What is the Legacy of the Celtic Tiger?
What is the Legacy of the Celtic Tiger? Eoin Ó Broin is a talented author who recently released the book Defects: Living with The Legacy of The Celtic Tiger. Ó Broin is also a Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Mid-West and he is the party’s spokesperson for housing, local government and heritage, and Eoin spoke to Ellen Gunning on […]
The Importance of International Public Relations
The Importance of International Public Relations Global Branding There are so many brands that can be recognised in a split second all across the globe, a white Apple logo, a small Nike swoosh, a yellow McDonald’s M or the blue f for Facebook. Clear brand identity in combination with effective public relations can be the […]
How to get the media to interview you
This blog about how to get interviewed by the media was originally one of a series of monthly guest blogs written by our director, Ellen Gunning, for Microsoft’s Irish SME platform. It has been updated and refreshed by Connor Coleman (Feb. 2020). Not everything that your business does is exciting or newsworthy – but every […]
Social Media Skills for Journalism
“Journalists don’t need social media skills.” Interesting! So what skills do they need? They must be able to write, record audio, shoot video footage, and (sometimes) upload to the web. So what do they not need exactly? The ability to record and package audio and video is a big part of social media. It’s all […]
How to get the media to interview you
“Journalists don’t need social media skills.” Interesting! So what skills do they need? They must be able to write, record audio, shoot video footage, and (sometimes) upload to the web. So what do they not need exactly? The ability to record and package audio and video is a big part of social media. It’s all […]
How can we trust our politicians?
Author: Nicholas Bird, Journalism Graduate, UK. Party at Westminster? If someone was to say to you the words ‘party’ or ‘Westminster’ in very close sentences, you would be forgiven for thinking, ‘ah yes, Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, lawmakers….I know what you mean…’, but you would not be expected to be thinking, ‘ah yes, Christmas parties, […]
The European Super League: A PR Crisis
Image Credit : givemesport.com Guest author: Brian Clifford, Public Relations Graduate. The proposed plan for a European Super League was a PR disaster from the very moment the story broke. In order to understand why it was such a disaster from a PR point we must look at how the story became public knowledge, […]
Covid19: How It Happened
“The biggest problem with communication, is the illusion that it has taken place” George Bernard Shaw Anne Kearney – Communications Manager with the Department of Social Protection reflects on importance of communications during the Covid 19 crisis. Anne Kearney is the Communications Manager for the Department the Social Protection. Anne had only recently taken on […]
Louise Clooney Talks Her Clothing Brand, Fast Fashion and Social Media
Louise Clooney is a social media influencer. She started a blog back in 2014 and has started her own clothing line called CLOO. She has always had a love of fashion, growing up with two sisters and a mother who loves to knit. In an interview on Dublin City FM hosted by Ellen Gunning, Louise […]
Lisa Haskins talks about the importance of mobile video advertising
Lisa is the head of EMEA for Vidmob, an American advertising company with Dublin offices. Photo by Andrea De Santis Liasa’s company is revolunitizing the advertising world. The company works with artificial intelligence to chop up traditional ads and make them suitable for mobile platforms. Data can be taken from the company’s advertising history, as well as individual frames from years […]
Noeline Blackwell Unpacks Sexual Harassment
81% of Dublin’s women have reported experiencing some form of harassment, why is that? Sexual abuse and sexual harassment can change a woman’s life forever. Noeline Blackwell is CEO at a Dublin Rape Crisis Centre in Ireland. “People for the most part feel that, this is not worth reporting” said Noeline. She seemed to be […]
How has COVID-19 Changed Our Economy
Changing your strategy is key to dealing with uncertain times Jim Walsh is a communications expert from Walsh Public Relations. As a communications expert, Jim has had to address his marketing strategies in the quarantined world. The pandemic has led to big changes in a number of organizations. In person events are limited, if not […]
150 Bond Weighs in on Adapting to the New Economy
How the Pandemic Has Required Innovation in Communications Mark O Toole works with 150 Bond, a global operation with offices in the UK, Dublin and Ireland. They primarily are a communications company that helps CEOs present the right image both publicly and privately. He chatted recently with our director Ellen Gunning on her radio show […]
Understanding the Importance of a Value Driven Purpose in Business
Brands have always had a purpose or objective they need to attain.
Did the Irish Government communicate efficiently during Covid-19?
The coronavirus pandemic struck Ireland in March 2020. Since then every aspect of our daily lives has been altered, and some put to a halt.
The Modern Way of Educating -Online
Society is seeing a plethora of changes ever since the beginning of 2020 when Covid changed many aspects of our lives.
The Impact Social media had on the 2020 US Presidential Election
If the words “by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail,” have not been ingrained in your mind by now, well then, I’m pleased to have introduced them to you.
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s final public appearance as royals – International news media perspective of the same event
The Royal family arrive at Westminster Abbey for the prestigious annual Commonwealth Services Day, global media are waiting.
Changing job? You are not alone.
Covid-19 has caused immeasurable impact in all aspects of life, from jobs to education and personal life.
A pivotal moment in US Black history
Never in the history of news media has one item dominated news reporting as the death in police custody of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. News reporting, however, was different in the UK than in the USA.
The British Monarchy- Will history repeat itself?
British media has become a war zone for mostly the duke and duchess of Sussex. Following the news of their interview with Oprah Winfrey not only has this caused a spark with British media but also with US media. Many people were taken back by this interview.
How to create and promote your podcast
The new Masterclass series of webinars jointly sponsored by Irish Academy of Public Relations and the PR Training Academy kicked-off with a webinar on Podcasting
Covid brings plenty of Drama to the Theatre Industry!
The show must go on as they say, but can it? Bringing the Audience to the Theatre took a U-turn during the pandemic leaving communications staff with the new strategy of bringing the theatre to the audience.
All PR should be local in a Pandemic
The name of Irish American politician Tipp O’Neill is etched in global political parlance because of the phrase he coined – ‘all politics is local’.
PR is essential for all businesses and it should be important for your SME.
Public Relations is hard to put a label on for many. People think they know what it is, but it is often mixed up with marketing and advertising. Our director, Ellen Gunning, gave a fascinating webinar on PR and Branding for SME’s where she explained public relations as being ‘the deliberate, planned and sustained effort […]
Cross Cultural Awareness and Communication
In business, there is a need for cross cultural awareness. We are global society now, more than ever. On a daily basis, we are communicating across cultures, whether it be in business or over social media. Social platforms are being used now, that have never been used before. It is getting increasingly easier to target […]
Setting healthy work-life boundaries when home is your new office.
We all thought working from home would come and go within a matter of weeks, but now we are realising it may be here to stay. The kitchen table will no longer suffice as a desk yet the shortened commute from bed to computer is seen as a positive for most. Back in July, we […]
Amplifying Refugee Voices
While conducting research interviews earlier this year with an entrepreneur organisation set up by refugees in Dzeleka camp, we identified the need for a communications strategy and the skills-based training to implement it. In response we created an initiative which we called “Amplifying Refugee Voices”. In association with JWL in Switzerland, and using their vast […]
Duelling Journos : A Comparison of Initial Reporting on the Outbreak of the Hong Kong Protests
Imagine a globally newsworthy event; a hugely public clash of ideologies between a government which prides control above all else and an enormous grassroots movement protesting against it. An event far too big to ignore and one that is by its nature sure to draw international attention. How will the participants attempt to control the […]
Covid-19 and the Cheltenham Festival
With the final furlong in sight for my Journalism course, there was one extra push needed to complete the final and most important exercise, the dreaded Thesis! Given that I was able to use my background in horse racing and my current role with Tote Ireland to complete several of the exercises I thought why […]
Crushing COVID-19 Down Under, One Message at a Time
The famous laid-back Aussie attitude is out and effective coronavirus communications are in, writes Lukasz Swiatek. Australia is known for its glorious natural wonders, the cultural diversity of its citizens and the relaxed lifestyles they enjoy. Over the past couple of weeks, though, these lifestyles have been upended. The population has been abiding by strict […]
Conferences – Creating, Branding and Speaking
This blog will give you a great insight into how to create, brand and speak at conferences. Don’t miss out insure that your conferences are a success now!
Sponsorship – Small Investment/Big Return
Sponsorship is one of the most cost-effective things that a business can do. This blog will show you how to get a great return on your investment.
Social Media – targeting your customers
This blog covers the different social media platforms available and the aspects to consider before choosing which platforms to use for your business.
It doesn’t matter what you say about yourself……
This blog will cover the many different groups you can utilize to garner third party support and what methods you can use to contact these groups.
How do you get the media to interview you?
This blog will help you to identify the exciting and newsworthy aspects of your business. It will help you get that media interview!
Making the most of exhibiting
This blog will inform you on the best methods and tricks to get the most out of your future exhibition projects.
Press Releases – Making the News!
This blog will outline to you how to go about getting your press release published and the benefits of doing so for your business.
“If I was down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on public relations” Bill Gates.
This blog explains with examples the basic fundamentals for why Public Relations is a necessity for any business.
How PR helped Apple to overcome its crisis and grow globally
Apple Inc., the American multinational company that has reshaped and redesigned the world of technology, is the No.1 example which illustrates that with the right Public Relations and marketing any company with specialized products can not only survive but conquer the market. Through many years of innovative advertising and carefully maintaining its image, Steve Job’s […]
Communicating government in today’s era of upheaval and disruption
Guest blogger: Pádraic Ó hUiginn, Irish Academy PR Graduate Cars have changed much since 1984. In contrast, the logos of BMW, Ford, Mercedes, Toyota, and Volkswagen to name a few, have remained more or less the same. Governments and the business of government have both changed and stayed the same many times in that same […]
Something has begun in America…
Guest Blogger: Livia Prem, Stud Manager at HorseNature (Solbacka Stuteri) and Academy Graduate (PR). Thoroughbred race horses have been dying in high numbers last winter at a premier track in the US and apparently nobody knew exactly why. In Europe,we first heard about the increasing number of deaths at Santa Anita in February, when it […]
Sponsoring Art in Tallinn
We are always looking for new ideas or clever adaptations of existing ideas on our travels. When we were in Tallinn for the launch of the PR Training Academy in mid-September, we spotted these panels outside the Nordic Hotel Forum. The hotel is a four star, close to the historicOld Town in Tallinn, with nothing […]
H&M Charging for paper Bags
On a recent trip to Estonia, I wandered into H&M (as you do!) and found a fabulous blouse which I couldn’t resist. So, I headed to the cash desk to pay for it. “Do you need a bag?” asked the very nice guy who was serving me. “Yes, I do” is said, having just my […]
Post-election analysis of the value of posters and political party affiliation
We conducted research last month, with Opinions.ie, to take the pulse of the nation about posters and the importance of political party affiliation, in advance of the local and European elections in Ireland. We asked three key questions and got some surprising answers. Does the communications value of election posters justify the visual disruption? It […]
The Ellen Gunning/Microsoft Blogs
Our director, Ellen Gunning, was invited by Microsoft to create a monthly guest blog from January to December 2017. Each month, she gave an insight into a different area of promotion which is relevant to SME businesses. Each blog is packed with practical hints and tips that small and medium sized enterprises can apply. All […]
Irish Prime Minister visits all-male St. Mary’s Monastery in Ethiopia. Our research shows support for his actions.
Our most recent piece of research at Academy Opinions asked communications specialists if it was right for the Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to enter the all-male St Mary’s Monastery in Axum, Ethiopia, on a recent official visit. The overwhelming response from the survey was YES (51.9%). The NO response amounted to just 17.3%, leaving a […]
Enterprising Spirit in Lesotho
I met Tiisetso Ivy Sefatsane in Lesotho recently when she was introduced to me by the Irish Consul Mrs. Mannete Ramaili. Tiisetso was born in the village of Ramohapi in Botha-Bothe district of Makhoakhoeng in Lesotho. She lived on the outskirts of the village in Abia with her mother and two sisters. Her father separated […]
PR support for Press Freedom
I had the privilege of writing a blog for the Public Relations Society of America recently, about Freedom of the Press. It arose from my radio interview with Tony d’Angelo, Chairperson of the PRSA. My argument is that, effectively, PR professionals are keen supporters of a free press, but the press often lack the same […]
Notorious Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Have you seen the documentary about Ruth Bader Ginsburg (#Notorious RBG), the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America? Check out the trailer here – Honestly – you don’t want to miss this. I saw this 98 minute documentary and it is spellbindingly good. I knew a little about RBG […]
Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland – what the PR professionals think.
Our recent Academy Opinions survey asked communications professionals to give us their opinion about how successfully Pope Francis communicated during his recent visit to Ireland. We deliberately left the question quite ‘open’ so that people could comment on communications with all of his audiences. Statistically the results were surprising. In response to the question “Did […]
Chairing Dublin City fm Radio Station.
I’ve just had the honour and pleasure of being elected Chairperson of 103.2 Dublin City fm for the third year (Nov. 2018). This is the station which broadcasts to our capital city and has a listenership of 125,000 people each day. It is a community station staffed, mainly, by volunteers, with a volunteer board and […]
Leadership, Peace and the Media in Colombia – meeting President Juan Manuel Santos.
I had the pleasure of attending a screening recently in Trinity College about Colombia, which was followed by a Q&A with Juan Manual Santos, former President of Colombia and Nobel Peace Prize Winner. What an incredible man! The man himself is very affable, very ‘normal’ (no airs and graces), very dedicated to peace in his […]
Checking the pulse of PR & Comms Industry: Survey Results
Maybe it’s because we train and teach PR and communications skills, but we’re always fascinated by surveys – who takes them, what they reveal and the gaps that they highlight. We recently completed our first Academy Opinions Survey, a joint venture between the Irish Academy and Opinions.ie to take the pulse of the PR industry […]
Microsoft Irelands Small and Medium Business Blog
Our director, Ellen Gunning, was invited by Microsoft to create a monthly guest blog from January to December 2017. Each month, she gave an insight into a different area of promotion which is relevant to SME businesses. Each blog is packed with practical hints and tips that small and medium sized enterprises can apply. All […]
The World of Advertising
What is advertising? In the world of advertising, someone may think that all it takes is a catchy phrase to get someone’s attention. However, the real art of advertising is not how many people see it, but if they like what they see. Meaning a consumer sees an ad and will think of the product […]
Social Media in Science Promotions
Wouldn’t it be grand to have your own creative, digital space? An opportunity to showcase your latest scientific findings, without peer-review rejection? While the answer is usually Yes!, scientists and researchers are reluctant to use the wide range of online tools to discuss their science. Places of social media platforms like blogs, personalized websites, Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn […]
Ellen Gunning Opens Up About Charity
How and when did you first discover the charity world? From a young age, I was in contact with this world through my father who was involved in community work. He was a volunteer for the local society of St. Vincent de Paul. Besides, my mother was also a committed charity worker. Therefore, my siblings […]
Legal constraints on Journalism
Note: Dail Eireann is the lower house of the Irish parliament. Mary Lou McDonald is an elected TD (Teachta Dala, member of parliament). Did you follow the debate a few years ago about parliamentary privilege? It involved Mary Lou McDonald TD. At the time she was deputy-leader of Sinn Fein. She is now the […]
Help! – Event Management for charity
Help! – Not a day goes by without you seeing someone in a fluorescent tabard emblazoned with the logo of a charity. They stand outside shops collecting money, selling key rings, pin-badges or other trinkets. While it can sometimes be a nuisance, have you ever wondered what goes into putting together such a campaign? That is […]
Social Media Tools for Marketing
Are you a wiz at maximising social media tools? Can you flash up an info-graphic or shoot a quick piece of footage on the fly? Brilliant. But can you say how it has an impact on your business? Can you track engagement and sales? If not – one of your colleagues (who is possibly less […]
Don’t Be Afraid To Fail
Most of us have been watching keenly as the UEFA football teams have prepared, won, fought, lost and entertained us as they tried to become UEFA Champions for 2016. I’ve heard so many people, (who do not even like football), excitedly share their favourite reasons why various teams have inspired them so much. One such […]
Ellen Gunning opened up to Sarah Dascotte about her passion for charities
How and when did you first discover the charities’ world? From a young age, I was in contact with this world through my father who was involved in community work, since he was a volunteer for the local society of St. Vincent de Paul. Besides, my mother was also a committed charity worker, so my […]
Promotional Tools For Science
Wouldn’t it be grand to have your own creative, digital space? An opportunity to showcase your latest scientific findings, without peer-review rejection? While the answer is intuitively Yes! scientists and researchers are reluctant to use the wide array of digital promotional tools to discuss their science. (Those promotional tools are social media platforms, i.e., blogs, […]
Strategic Communications Unit – what’s going on?
Have you been following all the broo-ha-ha about the Governments Strategic Communications Unit (SCU)? Have you been as baffled – and annoyed – as I’ve been at the level of explanation, hand-wringing and buck passing that’s been going on? Fear not – you are not alone. I just had to write this blog to put […]
The Role Of Communication In Fighting Disease
The frequency of pandemics around the globe is on the increase. Therefore, there is a dire need for the role of communications in curbing the spread of these diseases. On 1 September 1976, a man at the Yambuku Mission Hospital in a remote area of northern Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) showed symptoms of […]
Radio Presenting and Social Media?
So you want to work in radio? It’s a crowded landscape – but I can highly recommend it. I just love presenting my own radio show. So how do you get into the business? Obviously, you need radio presenting skills – our one day radio presenter course will take care of that – but you […]
New research on Taoiseach Leo Varadkar highlights positive and negative public perception
We always try to keep our fingers on the pulse of the nation. In late November (2017), we conducted some research through Academy Opinions (a joint initiative of Irish Academy of Public Relations and Opinions.ie) which looked at Taoiseach Leo Varakdar and his image. The results were really interesting. We wanted to find out […]
3 Challenges Facing Every Charity
Did you know there are 12,500 registered charities in Ireland and they employ 100,000 people? With 50,000 volunteers assisting them. The sector is worth €5.7 billion annually. Charity is big business! However, recent scandals have highlighted three key areas charities need to concentrate and focus their attention. 1. Trust for Charity Organisations Charities operate in […]
Event Manager? Be Red Carpet Ready!
Every event manager has to face the dilemma of matching an ideal checklist with a given budget and time constraint. It’s been a long time since 25 March 1965, when one of the most iconic figures in 20th Century American history took part in a civil rights march from Selma, Alabama to the state capital […]
Need a Press Style guide?
Is it just me? Or does anyone else get stressed when there are inconsistencies in reporting? Can we, the media, not agree on terms of reference and create a style guide to use communally and consistently? I was almost driven mad by the visit to Ireland of Britain’s Prince Charles and his wife, the Duchess […]
Reputation
If you think about some of the sayings we heard as children, you will immediately realize how important reputation is. “Give a dog a bad name…” is a favourite of mine. If you have bad reputation it doesn’t matter how much good you do – people will think negatively of you. “Get the name of […]
Building Community Online
On the radio recently, Ellen Gunning spoke about building community online with Katie Moloney (MD of Maximum Media). Katie manages a team of 54 people who create content for four websites. Two of the websites – joe.ie and her.ie – broadly target men and women in the over 20 to under 45 age-bracket while the […]
Career Opportunities in the Esports Industry
Every so often, unique opportunities come by that are just waiting to be snatched up. The Esports industry continues to present lucrative and exciting career opportunities across all fields. Although the industry revolves around competitive video games that are played online and streamed live to viewers worldwide, career possibilities in the Esports industry are by […]
Journalism Ethics in View
Going by Journalism ethics, practitioners know that we, the public, want to know what’s happening particularly in high-profile court cases. In fact, we follow the news assiduously to learn about the latest developments. Journalists report these cases, but they have a responsibility to do so in an Accurate, Balanced and Complete way. This is the […]
Van Morrison’s Use of PR.
Have you been following one of the most interesting PR Consultant/client disagreements of modern times? I’m referring, of course, to John Saunders of Fleishman Hillard and Van Morrison. Saunders initiated legal action against Van Morrison. That was after he found that information he had given to media (and repeated in an interview on RTE News) […]
Media Landscape? Be Informed!
With access to news media twenty-four hours a day, from a variety of different sources, both online and in print, you would be hard-pressed to avoid keeping up to date nowadays. I can’t remember when my obsession with following the news began. I know social media definitely played a part, and in particular Twitter. It […]
Reach Out Through PR
On a recent city break to Glasgow, I paid a visit to the Gallery of Modern Art. I must confess that while I respect the creativity and imagination that went into the pieces on display, I suffer from a general ignorance of understanding exactly how the artists were trying to reach out. After a brief […]
Nowadays It’s All About Social Media
Are you confused by the range of social media? Not sure which one is right for your business? Anxious that you’re a little out of your depth when colleagues start chatting about social media? In this day and age, you need the ability to handle your social media, advertising, and PR all in one place. […]
“If I was down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on public relations”
Does Bill Gates know something that you don’t? If he thinks public relations is so important, isn’t it worth looking at it for your own business? Competition for people’s attention is intense – and will become even more difficult in 2017 and beyond. We are all time-poor but information hungry. Public Relations requires to […]
Creating Balance in a 24/7 Digital World
Do you reach for your phone as soon as you wake up? Do you experience high levels of FOMO (Fear
of Missing Out) if you have to turn your phone off in a meeting? Do you leave your email and social
media notifications on all the time even during the night? Is your phone the last thing you look at
before bed and do you use your phone as an alarm so it’s always on anyway? Do you use your phone
or keep it on the table with the sound activated when you’re eating with friends and family? Do you
keep checking your work phone relentlessly and receive or dial work-related calls while on holiday?
Does your work require you to deal with several different time zones? So you’re always on?
If so, you are not alone. Technology has brought major advances in the last 20 years and is everincreasing but being always on 24/7 can be detrimental to our brains and we can find it such a
challenge to switch off.
Deirdre Murray Executive Coach with PEOPLE RESOURCES explores the challenges for employees in interacting
with social media and the internet on a 24/7 basis. She outlines practical techniques to take good care of your
brain and to create boundaries around the use of social media and the internet in the modern digital
environment we live in.
In this article we will explore 3 key aspects:
1. Why do we need to switch off?
2. What’s happening to our brains when we’re always on?
3. What can we do to create digital balance? Here, I outline 5 key tips to reset your use of
technology that will help you achieve a sense of balance in both your personal and
professional lives.
Currently there are almost 5 billion phone users on the planet and on average they check their
phones over 88 times a day and use social media for over 2.5 hours per day. Some companies can
use up to 200 different apps so the challenge of keeping up is never-ending. Social media exposes
our brains to a constant stimulation and our brains are firing all day long, which makes it very difficult
for us to switch off. In Ireland, almost 90 % of people use social media daily. The Huffington post
found that 58% of people won’t be able to last even one hour without checking their mobile phone.
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Why do we need to switch off?
The concept of work-life balance is a misnomer. With the plethora of emails and social media posts,
it is so difficult to carve out time just to reflect and take stock. Even on holidays we use the phone to
check the weather, plan trips, check out map locations and follow social media posts, never mind
tapping into work emails, despite our best intentions. The most we can hope for is a sense of worklife integration, where we can set boundaries and refocus our attention on the issues that matter
most.
A recent study by Harvard Business Review, (HBR 2017), revealed that over 108 billion emails are
sent daily and that we can be interrupted in our daily tasks 87 times. We check our phones 74 times
a day and switch tasks on the computer 566 times a day. (Dr. Gloria Marks) The brain can only focus
on one thing at one time and when we are disrupted it can take us on average 23 minutes to refocus.
That’s a lot of lost minutes.
What’s happening to our brains when we’re always on?
As Daniel Goleman in his excellent book, Focus, tells us, ‘Overloading attention shrinks cognitive
control.’ Digital media overload can cause migraines and headaches, repetitive strain and can lead to
depression due to complete cognitive overwhelm. Our attention span a decade ago was 3 minutes,
now it’s down to 45 seconds. Tony Schwartz, CEO of The Energy Project emphasizes the need to
manage our energy, not our time. As I always remind people, we only have one battery, and we need
to be mindful to recharge it on a continuous basis.
You might be thinking, I manage social media and communications as part of my job, so it’s
impossible for me to switch off! No matter what job we’re in, the use of digital media plays a huge
part, whether it’s the internet, emails, messaging, or social media. While it may be a challenge to
switch off totally, there are ways in which we can set boundaries on our use of digital media that will
have a huge positive impact on our health and on the quality of our sleep. The CEO of Netflix was
recently quoted as saying that our competition is Facebook, You Tube and sleep!
Sleep is critical to good brain health, as it regulates our emotions, consolidates long-term memory
and our physical repair, and even more importantly, it flushes harmful toxins from our brain through
the glymphatic system and allows us to awake refreshed the next day. Disrupted sleep is the biggest
contributor to all-cause mortality in illness and accidents. According to the Centre of Protection and
Control, 1 in 3 people now are sleep-deprived (CPC, March 2022) and this impacts not only our
physical health but also our mental acuity.
Social media has many positive attributes as it can foster speedy connection and instant
communication. However, it is also designed to be extremely addictive, using very clever algorithms
that keep us connected. Apps such as Facebook and Twitter can also perpetuate hostile or angry
communication threads that incite even more angry responses. When we see a ‘like’ or a positive
‘retweet’, the reward centre of the brain is activated as the chemical dopamine is triggered in the
brain. On the other hand, not receiving ‘likes’ or retweets, have been shown can lead in some
instances, to anxiety and depression. Studies show that feeling of rejection affects the same part of
the brain as actual physical pain. When we hear the ‘ping’ of an email or see the notification icon
light up, the pleasure molecule dopamine is released and is particularly harmful in addictive
behaviours such as online gaming or online gambling. You’ll always notice that the episode on Netflix
or Amazon Prime always finishes with a dramatic ending to keep us hungry for just another episode.
Studies show that often the younger generation under 30, can be consumed by exaggerated self-
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representation and comparison with others and this can lead to over-analysing relationships and
slights and result in diminished self-worth and self-esteem. (University of Kansas)
What can we do to create digital balance?
Her are 5 Key Steps to Achieving a Digital Balance in a 24/7 world:
1. Limit your screen time on social media where possible. Allow yourself a certain time to
engage but keep it limited. Researchers suggest that overuse of social media can lead us into
expecting a constant stream of new content and thus reduces our attention span generally.
We can also struggle to commit information to memory because we are so bombarded.
2. Adopt a digital sunset. As we go through the day our sleep drive increases and as darkness
approaches our level of the hormone melatonin is enhanced and thus promotes sleep.
Melatonin is extremely important as it also is a powerful antioxidant. Blue light from phones
and laptops does the opposite affect and disrupts our natural sleep cycle and increases
cortisol which is a stress hormone. Put your electronic devices to ‘sleep’ or on ‘airport mode’
from about 8-9pm. Use an old fashion alarm or radio to wake you instead of your phone and
preferably, leave your phone to charge outside your bedroom. Studies have shown that even
the light emitted from someone else’s phone can trigger our brain and thus impact our sleep.
3. In meetings, or if you are with your family or friends, put your phone on silent and close off
notifications, unless it’s an absolute emergency. Parents can lead by example by banning
mobiles from the dinner table as they are often the worst culprits! Then you can truly listen
and interact, not just wait for the phone to distract you. One manager I worked with always
brought his phone into a team meeting and asked a colleague to ring him on the half-hour,
so he’d have an excuse to leave! Not very respectful to his team and would certainly not
make them feel very valued.
4. Prior to taking leave, implement an out-of-office notification on your email system. Send a
‘holding’ email to colleagues or customers to let them know when you’d be back, rather than
immediately engage in work issues. If there is some burning issue, set up a particular time in
your calendar to take a call rather than disrupt the whole holiday for your family or friends.
5. Put your phone on airplane mode when out walking and enjoy nature around you to let
your brain rest or listen instead to an interesting podcast or your favourite music instead.
Even taking a few minutes to practise some mindful meditation can be extremely beneficial
for the brain and allows you to be completely present in the moment. At night-time, turn
your phone off and preferably put it out of reach or outside the room. Studies show that
even when we’re trying to resist chocolate, the fact that it is high up and out of reach means
we are 70% less likely to look for it!
The internet and social media have allowed us to communicate and remain more connected than
ever and offers huge advantages in global reach. However, if we set up some useful personal
boundaries, we can achieve a sense of control and balance in how we interact with it in our daily
lives.
About the author:
Deirdre Murray, Founder and Director of PEOPLE RESOURCES, partners as an Executive Coach, Trainer and Facilitator with
leading multinationals and public sector bodies across all sectors. She works with leaders and teams to maximise their potential
through focused and timely coaching and leadership development.”
Deirdre is co-author of “Emotional Intelligence (EQ) – A Leadership Imperative!” Her second book “Communicate with Impact –
Communicate and Influence Successfully,” is out now at www.peopleresources.ie. She is a regular motivational speaker at
conferences, seminars and on radio broadcasts and provides journal entries for leading business magazines
