When I started working in PR I was, perhaps, let’s just say, a tad naive. Like most bright young things I was under the impression that the world of work was geared towards working ‘a bit hard’, but playing ‘quite a bit harder’.

Well, for many people in many professions, it is! And whilst I wouldn’t want to imply that PR is the comms equivalent of being the leader of the free world, it can be pretty full on. It can be a tough task-master, and not a master that everyone can get along with.

Only one problem. I LOVE what I do. And I mean really, totally, will you be my valentine love it.

I thrive under pressure and I deliver under duress – often. I cautiously asked colleagues to describe me in one word in a meeting the other day (cue heads down, shuffling feet) and the words that flew back at me were ‘tenacious’, ‘driven’ and ‘focused’ (they were being polite).

And whilst it can, at times, feel relentless and thankless, it can also be incredibly rewarding. Coverage for a client can result in business leads, a company making the shortlist of an award can bring a much needed boost to the morale of the team, and the formation of a strong relationship with a key journalist could, further down the line, help to keep the ‘bad news’ at bay should the need arise.

To that end you simply have to look forward to the ups. They are always just around the corner, it’s just a case of keeping focused and keeping going.

The best advice I was ever given? Do what you love, it makes loving what you do a whole lot easier.