Many people celebrate Groundhog Day by viewing the enduring film of the same name. Watching the "Groundhog Day" movie is actually a great way for communicators to learn some inspiring lessons on finding that elusive work-life balance.
"Groundhog Day" (1993) follows curmudgeonly TV meteorologist Phil Connors (Bill Murray), news producer Rita (Andie MacDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott), who work for a Pittsburgh TV station and travel to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities on February 2.
Phil files the report but a blizzard forces the team to spend the night in Punxsutawney.
Phil wakes up to find that he is reliving February 2 over and over. The day plays out exactly as it did before, with no one but Phil aware of the time loop. The phenomenon gives Connors license for all sorts of misanthropic behavior. He steals money, drives recklessly and gets thrown in jail.
After telling Rita about his predicament, Phil is inspired by her positive outlook and vows to improve himself. Rather than use Groundhog Day to wreak havoc again and again, Phil leverages the day not only to be a good Samaritan, but expand his horizons.
With that as our backdrop, here are five tips for PR people on how to create a work-life balance and avoid—despite the fluid changes in marketing communications—endlessly reliving their own Groundhog Day.
- Be kind to your colleagues and clients. Work challenges can be mitigated if you are inherently simpatico with your collaborators.
- Find a personal connection to your audience. The daily grind can be monotonous. Find that one element about your audience that keeps you inspired, so the inevitable rough patches are easier to navigate.
- Take up a hobby, or hit the gym. A great way to break up the workweek is to have a class (or some diversion) to go to so you don’t suffer from tunnel vision. Having an enthusiasm or two should help to keep the day-to-day gig fresh.
- Create alternative ways to tell the story about your products and services. Peel the onion back a few layers to find some of the unheralded benefits of your products and services as well as who the end users are and how you can cultivate relationships with them.
- Take your job seriously; don’t take yourself seriously. It’s an old standby, but one that, if mastered, will endear you to your colleagues and, perhaps more important, prevent you from living your own Groundhog Day.
Follow Matthew Schwartz on Twitter: @mpsjourno1
[Editor's Note: This article was updated on 2/2/23.]