by Solange Lopes | Jan 2, 2018 | Career
Workwear: Lightweight Down Coat – Photo credit: llbean.com
Our Workwear feature presents various pieces of work-appropriate attire at different price ranges and sizes.
When the temperatures start dipping so low you can see the air you breathe, it’s time to seriously cover up! I love that this LLBean ultralight down coat combines exceptional warmth with a lightweight look and feel. I’m not usually much for puffy down coats, but this one weighs much less than traditional down coats and looks much more fitting too. It’s on sale for $199 at LLBean.
In similar styles, I also like this hooded version, also from LLBean. This belted long down coat from Lands End is also a great choice.
What pieces of workwear would you like us to feature? Email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
This post contains affiliate links and The Corporate Sister may earn commissions for purchases through links in this post. Thank you!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 2, 2018 | Career
If you ask most working women what their biggest concern is when it comes to thriving in their careers or businesses, the answer can usually be summed up in one word: Productivity. With so much on our plates, it can be a challenge to be as productive as we’d like to be. This is especially true considering all the distractions we now customarily have to face on a daily basis, from social media to unnecessary meetings and last-minute to-do’s.
As a working mom, being more productive is like trying to lose those last five pounds from my first baby. It’s this endless race to do as much as feasible in as little time as possible. The only thing is, it ends up being just that, an exhausting, oftentimes unproductive, race. As a result, we end up chasing the elusive badge of honor of “busy-ness” instead of the fulfillment of true productivity.
Rather than this endless busy race we too often find ourselves in, here are 10 hacks for working women to be more productive at work:
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Plan at least a week ahead
This may sound cliché, but the results are anything but. Planning a week ahead allows you to prepare the resources you need to complete whatever task is on your to-do list. Rather than rushing at the last minute, you can give yourself enough time to tackle your to-do list.
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Hack your mornings
Mornings are a sacred and precious time, especially for busy working women who are always on the go. Hack your mornings by getting up earlier and starting your day before the rest of the world, and their associated distractions, gets up. If you’re not a morning person, start by small increments. The point is to get an early and productive head start.
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Exercise
Exercising is one of the most underrated productivity tools. The more physical exercise you practice, the more mental and physical energy you actually have. It may sound counter-intuitive, but it’s actually true. Schedule some time to exercise daily, even if only 20 minutes, and notice how your productivity increases.
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Prioritize
Rank your tasks in order of priority. Consult with your manager or team to agree on what needs to be completed first, and focus your efforts there. Don’t squander your time and energy trying to do it all when you can knock off the most impactful items on your list instead. The point is not to do it all, it’s to do it well.
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Eliminate distractions
The biggest obstacles to peak productivity consist of the distractions surrounding us. If you happen to have a smartphone, 99% of these distractions are stored in there. From social media apps to texts from friends and family, there virtually exist a gazillion ways out there to take your focus off of what you’re supposed to do.
The easiest, and by far most effective way to limit these distractions, is to eliminate them. This means deleting these apps from your phone, stopping your notifications, and postponing checking your email, among other ways.
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Control your calendar
Don’t let your calendar control you! Instead of leaving it open and at the mercy of unlimited meeting requests, block off the time you need to tackle your priorities. You don’t need to have a meeting scheduled or some other event to block off your calendar. Instead, use your discretion to keep your calendar off-limits.
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Set a strict limit on meetings
Meetings are one of the biggest time suckers at work. Don’t allow these to reduce your productivity though. Instead, set ruthless time limits on any meeting you attend. Keep them to their allotted time too. Make sure to inform the other meeting participants that you will not be able to stay past the scheduled time. If you see the meeting is lasting longer than scheduled, you may even consider excusing yourself.
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Group your interruptions
Interruptions are almost impossible to avoid at work. To limit their negative influence on your productivity, consider grouping them instead. Ask your team members, reports or even managers, to schedule a time with you when you can go over any open items or questions they may have. This way, you don’t have to be constantly interrupted and waste unnecessary time.
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Delegate and outsource
You can’t do everything. More specifically, you can’t do everything that you’re not particularly good at. Take a look at your schedule and consider delegating and/or outsourcing the tasks or chores that are least impactful and are not aligned with your strengths.
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Schedule breaks
Being productive doesn’t mean working tirelessly and endlessly. Instead, the most productive people are also those who periodically stop and take breaks. To ensure that you don’t skip on your breaks, schedule them in your calendar.
What are your best hacks to be more productive at work?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Dec 30, 2017 | Career
Welcome to our weekly career, entrepreneurship, lifestyle and fashion news roundup! Think of it as your online watercooler/work gossip station/coffee break spot for now…Want to add anything to our list? Email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
Cheers!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister
by Solange Lopes | Dec 28, 2017 | Make More Money
The final version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed on December 20, 2017. There are many aspects to this new tax plan, which mostly benefit corporations and wealthy people. However, one aspect that may be overlooked is the impact it can have on working women and their families.
The new Tax Bill will raise taxes for over 83 million middle-class families in the U.S, and it also will have important implications for employees and careers. Here are various implications for you and your family if you’re a working woman:
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Your tax rates will be lowered (although the income tax brackets will remain the same)
| New Tax Bill Rates and Income Brackets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| New Tax Plan Rates |
Current tax plan rates |
Married Filing Jointly- Income Levels |
Single- Income Levels |
| 10% |
10% |
$0-$19,050 |
$0-$9,525 |
| 12% |
15% |
$19,050-$77,400 |
$9,525-$38,700 |
| 22% |
25% |
$77,400-$165,000 |
$38,700-$82,500 |
| 24% |
28% |
$165,000-$315,000 |
$82,500-$157,500 |
| 32% |
33% |
$315,000-$400,000 |
$157,500-$200,000 |
| 35% |
33%-35% |
$400,000-$600,000 |
$200,000-$500,000 |
| 37% |
39.60% |
$600,000+ |
$500,000+ |
Please note that these rates revert to the current rates in 2026.
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The standard deduction has been doubled
When filling out your tax return this year, you’re able to choose between the standard deduction or your itemized deductions to deduct from your Adjusted Gross Income in order to get your taxable income. If you don’t qualify to itemize your deductions, then you may have to choose the standard deduction.
If you’re a single filer, your standard deduction just went from $6,350 to $12,000. If your status is Married Filing Joint, your standard deduction is now $24,000 from $12,700 under the old tax plan. Note that this change will revert back in 2026.
Since the standard deduction has now increased to such levels, it’s more likely that most taxpayers will pick it over their itemized deductions.
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Most of your itemized deductions are now eliminated
Itemized deductions are made of various types of expenses you incur throughout the year. If the total of your itemized deductions exceeds the standard deduction, your best bet is to deduct those itemized expenses instead. These generally include your home mortgage interest, property, state and local income taxes, investment interest expense, medical expenses, charitable contributions, miscellaneous expenses.
Some itemized deductions that are now eliminated include your moving expenses, with the exception of members of the military. If you are paying interest on your home equity line of credit, you can no longer deduct this.
However, the following deductions have not been eliminated:
- Charitable contributions
- Property taxes
- Mortgage interest
- Property taxes
- Retirement savings
- Student loan interest
Note that the deduction on mortgage interest is now limited to the first $75,000 of the related loan. As for state and local income taxes, taxpayers can deduct up to $10,000 whereas there was no cap before.
Good news! Your medical expenses deduction is now expanded for 2017 and 2018, as you can now deduct medical expenses that are 7.5% or more of your income. This is in contrast to being able to deduct medical expenses that are 10% or more of your income in the old plan.
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No more personal exemptions!
A personal exemption is the amount you can deduct from your income for each taxpayer and dependent you’re claiming on your tax return. You can claim a child, friend, relative, fiancé (etc) as a dependent on your tax return.
Under the old plan, you were able to deduct $4,050 per person claimed on your tax return. These exemptions are now eliminated, which puts families with many children or dependents at a disadvantage.
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Child and Elder Care Deductions Are Increased
You may be able to claim the child and dependent care credit if you incurred expenses for the care of a qualifying person to allow you (and your spouse if filing a joint return) to work or look for employment. Under the new Tax plan, the Child Tax Credit has been increased from $1,000 to $2,000, but only $1,400 at most will be refundable against payroll taxes.
If you have a 529 plan or are planning to have one, you can now use it for tuition at private and religious K-12 schools. You can also use these funds for any homeschooling expenses you incur.
If you’re caring for a non-child dependent, you can claim a $500 credit. This is especially helpful if you’re caring for elderly parents.
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Your job expenses and miscellaneous deductions are gone!
Under the old tax plan, you could deduct miscellaneous deductions exceeding 2% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). However, these deductions are eliminated from 2018 through 2025. These include unreimbursed employee expenses such as tools and supplies, as well as tax preparation expenses. Note that this doesn’t affect business-related deductions.
Overall, this new tax plan helps higher-income individuals and families the most. However, the changes to Obamacare may mean that less women may have access to healthcare. Career-related expenses which could have benefited women to further their careers are also gone. There are many changes involved, so make sure to consult with a professional if in doubt.
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Dec 27, 2017 | Career
As women of color, we face unique challenges in the workplace and in business. Being double minorities in work environments in which we are often the “only ones in the room” comes with its share of obstacles. There’s a reason why it is said that women of color face a concrete wall in business.
As a Black woman in Big Corporate, like so many others, I’ve experienced many of these obstacles. Yet, as much as they affect many a woman of color at work, they’re not usually widely shared. My girlfriends and I would discuss these, and even laugh about them at times; but we’d never share them outside of our small group. We were too scared of being misunderstood and adding even more grief to the whole situation. Besides, some of these challenges can be so subtle that it makes it hard to even demonstrate their existence.
Here are 7 unique challenges that women of color face at work day in and day out:
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Being judged according to false stereotypes
The “angry black woman” stereotype is only one of the damaging images used to portray and unfairly judge many a woman of color. Many are the negative ideas that precede women of color before they even enter the room, speak up, or perform at work. It’s because of these very false stereotypes that many retreat in a professional corner, or get extremely defensive.
Being aware of these stereotypes is a hard realization, yet one that is necessary in order to combat them. Unrelenting dedication, commitment, assertiveness, along with a good dose of patience, are also key.
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Playing the advocate to the entire Black race (along with other minorities)
Issa Rae’s hit series Insecure does an amazing job at exposing how women of color, and Black women in particular, are sometimes expected to be representatives of their entire communities. At the non-profit organization she works, Issa is pretty much considered an “urban encyclopedia”. Her best friend, Molly, is the only Black woman associate in her law firm, which prompts one of the senior partners to ask her to speak to one of the new Black interns whose boisterous ways are not aligned with the firm’s culture.
When you’re the only woman of color in your team or department, or one of a only a few, you can quickly become the advocate for the rest of your community. Which means being asked to pass along sensitive messages, like Molly in Insecure, or explain just about anything and everything that has to do with your culture.
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Working twice as hard
Poppa Pope said it right in the hit series Scandal: “You have to be twice as good as them”, when referring to what Olivia Pope would have to do to be successful in her career. Sadly, it’s advice most women of color receive from their childhood on, and have to apply through most of their careers.
How many times have we seen women of color over-studying, overdoing, and outperforming everyone else at work; only to be passed over for promotions or asked to trained someone else they would later report to? As sad and infuriating as it may be, it’s very much a reality for many women of color at work.
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Being the odd woman out
Have you ever found yourself in the midst of environments where you have no cultural references to contribute? For many, if not most women of color, it’s more the norm than the exception.
When you’re the only woman of color, or one of very few women of color in the room, your experiences, culture, entertainment are seldom discussed or shared. Instead, you may find yourself getting relegated to the silent corner. Or, on the opposite end of the odd spectrum, you may be at the end of interesting observations and compliments about your hair, skin, or even body shape. This is not always intentional on the part of colleagues and managers. However, it’s a hard reality that many, if not most women of color, deal with every single day.
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Being at the end of double standards
There are many instances in which women of color are subject to double standards in the workplace. From differences in work expectations and perks to dress codes, these double standards can be as subtle as they can be disheartening.
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Having to do the “voice switch” and other ways of watering ourselves down
If you’re a woman of color at work, you may have had to do the “voice switch” at work. You know that time when you water down your natural voice tone to sound more “professional”. Somehow, hitting the proper “business” tone may contribute to giving more credibility to women of color who are routinely considered unprofessional, from their natural hair to their assumed aggressiveness.
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Being rejected by other women of color
When there is a belief that there are only so many spots available to women of color, it can create an atmosphere of prejudice between them. The same occurs when it’s also believed that these same women may not be competent.
The fear of associating with other women of color and being misjudged keeps many from mentoring and supporting their counterparts. Instead, they opt to stay away.
All in all, being a woman of color is a very unique experience that is seldom shared and discussed for fear of the lack of understanding or judgment that may result. However, it’s important that we start telling the stories that can change the landscape of work for the better. The more we can talk about the obstacles we face, the more we can share tools and find the appropriate solutions.
What unique challenges have you faced as a woman of color at work?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
