PR is fast-paced. That’s one of the first things you hear about the industry, and from my experience so far, it’s completely true. There’s always something moving – deadlines, requests, shifting priorities – and not much time to pause.
So going into Ramadan, I wasn’t entirely sure what that would look like in practice.
Fasting changes your whole routine. You’re up earlier, your energy levels shift throughout the day, and by the afternoon you’re definitely feeling it. I think I expected the month to feel like something to “get through” alongside work.
It turned out to be a bit more nuanced than that.
A different way of working
One thing that made a real difference was the flexibility my team put in place.
I shifted my hours to 7am-4pm, which sounds simple, but had a big impact. Starting earlier meant I could get through a lot of my work while I was still feeling focused, rather than trying to power through later in the day when energy naturally dips.
The workload didn’t change – PR doesn’t really slow down – but the structure made it feel manageable. It was less about doing less, and more about working in a way that actually made sense for that period.
The pace doesn’t change (but you do)
If anything, Ramadan made me more aware of just how constant the pace of PR is.
Things still needed to be done, deadlines didn’t move, and the expectation to keep everything ticking along stayed the same. At times, that was challenging – especially mid to late afternoon – but it also forced me to be more intentional with how I worked.
You can’t rely on coasting. You have to be organised, prioritise properly, and just get on with it.
And weirdly, that’s where the shift happened for me. Instead of seeing the pace as something overwhelming, I started to see it as something I could adapt to.
Small moments of support
One of the things I’ll remember most from this Ramadan is the support from my team.
In the last week, some of them decided to fast alongside me. Everyone approached it slightly differently, but that wasn’t really the point; it was the effort that mattered.
The morning was enjoyable. There was a bit of a shared energy, and it made the start of the day feel lighter. By the afternoon, we were all definitely feeling it, which if anything just made it more of a bonding experience.
It’s a small thing, but it says a lot about the kind of environment you’re working in.
A pause in the middle: the team summit
In the middle of all of this, we also had a team summit.
Timing-wise, it could have felt like a lot, but it ended up being one of the most valuable parts of the month. It gave us a chance to step away from the day-to-day and actually focus on how we work together.
We looked at things like our colour profiles, which helped us understand each other’s working styles a bit better. It sounds simple, but in a fast-paced environment, that kind of awareness makes a difference.
More importantly, we aligned on our goals for 2026. Having that clarity – especially in an industry that moves quickly – made everything feel more focused.
Looking at it differently
Before this, I think I saw Ramadan and work as two things I’d have to balance carefully.
Now, I see it slightly differently.
If anything, getting through a month like this has made the pace of PR feel more manageable, not less. It’s shown me that I can keep up, adapt, and still deliver, even when things aren’t necessarily easy.
It’s also made me think about where I can contribute more. Having experienced Ramadan in this environment, I’d be interested to see how that perspective could feed into ideas or opportunities next year – especially in a way that feels more considered and relevant.
What I’m taking forward
Ramadan didn’t make the job easier. But it did change how I approach it.
It pushed me to be more structured, more aware of how I work, and more appreciative of the team around me.
And if I’m honest, it’s given me a level of confidence I didn’t have before.
Because if I can manage a fast-paced PR role while fasting, adapting my routine, and still keeping everything moving, then the rest of the year feels a lot more straightforward.
It’s less about getting through it now, and more about what I can build from here.
