A PR's New Year’s resolutions
By Reka Agopcsa
When I heard that ‘brain rot’ was the Oxford University Press’s word of the year for 2024, I couldn’t help but laugh. Brain rot has an intimate presence in my life – and I think, if you dare to admit, probably yours, too. It’s the mindless and excessive consumption of low-quality online content, especially on social media.
If it wasn’t the end of the year, I might have found this information merely amusing. But with the new year – and the potential of a better, fitter, richer version of myself – looming on the horizon, instead, I have spiralled about it.
Brain rot has to go. In fact, fellow Word of the Year nominees ‘AI slop’ and ‘manifesting’ can also get in the bin in 2025.
If you work in PR, I’m here to inspire you to set some new personal and professional goals:
Beat the brain rot
If your TBR (To-Be-Read) pile is as big as mine, then it’s time to use these heavy objects as ammunition against brain rot. Replacing late night doom-scrolling with some light reading will not only help you sleep better but also stave off anxiety.
You could even go the full hog and embrace the self-development vibe of the new year by reading (or listening) to one of these books:
Move beyond manifesting
‘Manifesting’ is sooo last year! Literally – it’s Cambridge University Press’s word of 2024.
We can do better than that in 2025. Whatever it is that you’ve been wanting to do, just make a start – even if it’s 6pm on a Wednesday, you’re tired and craving nachos. Here’s a little (abridged) reminder that I’ve found helpful:
"Preparing to do the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Scheduling time to do the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Making a to-do list for the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Hating on yourself for not doing the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Hating on other people who have done the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Hating on the obstacles in the way of doing the thing isn’t doing the thing.
The only thing that is doing the thing is doing the thing.”
And because “telling people you’re going to do the thing” is also not doing the thing. I’m not going to divulge further on this, and instead, move on to some professional development goals.
Stop the slop
I think all PR pros can agree it’s time to put a stop to ‘AI slop’ (a notable contender on Oxford’s 2024 shortlist). We all remember a particular time when ChatGPT saved the day by helping us do or learn something faster, but when it comes to writing, the formulaic and overly-polished style of AI-generated content is painfully obvious.
In fact, when I asked ChatGPT to write AI slop, it did not disappoint:
"In today’s dynamic and ever-evolving landscape, the role of AI continues to expand across industries. From enhancing business efficiency to transforming personal experiences, AI serves as a powerful tool for innovation. As society embraces these advancements, understanding their implications becomes increasingly important."
You can see it; journalists can see it: AI slop has gotten out of hand. 2025 is the year to draw new boundaries with ChatGPT and reclaim the joy of content creation!
Get ‘bratty’
‘Brat’ is Collins English Dictionary’s word of the year in 2024. Inspired by Charli XCX, it means having a confident and independent attitude. I may be late to the party, but I’ve decided I’ll be getting bratty regardless – and I would encourage you to do the same.
You could get bratty with networking by auditing your LinkedIn network, discovering new connections or reigniting the conversation with old ones. Get bratty with your personal brand by getting out there, speaking up on client calls and bringing new ideas to team meetings. You could even get bratty with writing company blogs, so the boss doesn’t have to prompt you when it’s been a while.
And on that note… my job is done here! See how I ended this blog? Very mindful, very ‘demure’ (coincidentally, Dictionary.com’s word of the year).