by Solange Lopes | Feb 14, 2017 | Career
Ask me to list my favorite romantic movies of all times, and Love Jones is pretty sure to feature right next to the top. If you’ve seen the 1997 movie featuring my imaginary boyfriend Larenz Tate (he doesn’t know yet) and the ever-gorgeous and talented Nia Long as two artsy lovebirds on the rebound from Chicago, then you know all about getting the “love jones”, at least when it comes to your relationships…If you haven’t seen, Netflix people, Netflix…
via GIPHY
But how about getting the “love jones” in your career? You know, where you spend the majority of your time doing what you do? Remember when you started your first job, all fresh from college/school of hard-knocks/Mama’s basement, and you were all excited on Orientation Day? When you felt your first “love jones” for your career?
via GIPHY
According to a recent #LoveWhatYouDo survey by Adecco USA, 71% of women in the workforce love their jobs. And 29% of us don’t exactly got a love thang going on with work…Let’s admit it, there are times in your career when you’d rather skip dessert for a month than pull in to work. And other times when you’re ready to bring in homemade cookies to the team every other day…
Yet, if we’re going to spend most of our lives at work and fulfill our best potential, we deserve to love what we do. Besides, there’s something about having that “love jones” for your career that puts a pep in your step, a smile on your face, and some inspiration in your soul (in addition to seriously slowing the aging process)…
So for all you who may need to get that career love thang going, here are a few loving tips to fan those work flames all over again:
Keep It Fresh!
In relationships as in your career, boredom is a silent killer! Doing the same tasks over and over again can have you sink in a deep rut with no end. Instead, challenge yourself to keep it fresh! It could be as simple as learning something new every day, whether it’s meeting someone new, or researching new information, or even taking a course or reading a book.
You can also try switching things up a bit by collaborating with other teams, asking for a rotation, changing work locations every so often, or offering innovative solutions to old problems. As long as you make an effort to keep it fresh…
It’s About Relationships!
It’s one thing to keep your head down, getting your work done as effectively as possible. But it’s another to avoid or limit your interaction with other humans in the workplace, and may end up hurting your career and happiness altogether…
Strive to connect with others and develop healthy, collaborative relationships. This will not only make you more connected to the company as a whole, but will also immensely help out on those days you need a hand (or two) to help you out with your workload. Besides, what’s the point of coffee breaks without all the chatting (and gossip)…
Stand Empowered!
In relationships or at work, not feeling valued or important can negatively impact our love for what we do. If we don’t feel like we belong, or are not sure what role we play in the big picture, it can be easy to call it quits in search of more welcoming, meaningful professional pastures…
Instead, try and understand how you fit in, and how your particular responsibilities support the company’s wider objectives. If necessary, have a conversation with your manager or colleagues about it. You may very well get out of this with a pep in your step, and a better appreciation of how much what you do makes a difference…
Have a Life Outside of Work!
Work is important, but it’s certainly not everything. It can be tempting to focus so much on our careers that we forget that a large part of appreciating what we do, lies in appreciating what we do …outside of it. You know what they say, “absence makes the heart grow fonder”…Well, you ungluing yourself from your computer screen may just be what you need to rekindle that love thang with your career…
So enjoy your time away from the office, take a mental day every now and then, and stop checking your work email every other second like you ain’t got no social life…Call a girlfriend, order some Chinese food and watch a re-run of Love Jones, for love’s sake…
Ok, so now, got a love jones with your career going?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Feb 13, 2017 | Career
Long-sleeved striped blouse – Photo credit: shopstyle.com
Stripes are in this Spring, but not just your regular, flat navy stripes. I’m actually going diagonal (stripes that is) today with this Rag&Bone long-sleeve blouse, perfect for the office and after hours. Loving the classic cut of this basic top, which features an elegant caftan neckline and flattering surplice front. But it’s the shirttail back that turns heads on this top that’s sure to complement anything in your wardrobe…
I also like this fun V-neck Alfani number from Macy’s, and this cool H&M top too.
Seen a piece you’d like to be featured? Email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
Cheers,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Feb 12, 2017 | Working Mom & Woman Tips
As I watched Beyonce glowing in all her expectant glory on the stage of the Grammys, I literally had a moment. As in all the goddesses of times past, present and future (plus those you occasionally call on to when you’ve had one too many coffees and still can’t tackle your to-do list) came down together on that Grammys stage all at once…I mean, there aren’t enough hashtags to picture the glorious career moment Queen Bey laid down for all of us to see (ahem…including the now silent and unidentified souls who claimed she used surrogates to have her babies, just sayin’…)
As a career gal, I was particularly mesmerized to watch an accomplished woman show up in her career, not in spite of being an expectant mother, but precisely because of it. How many moms-to-be, and moms in general, can proudly show off their belly on the job with as much pride as Bey did, and actually get a huge career boost for it? Granted, most of us don’t exactly grind the way the Queen Bey does, but still…
Most of us wait to find the right time to announce our pregnancies at work, and despite our genuine happiness at the prospect of carrying Life, silently make peace with the fact that our bulging bellies also mean we may not advance as far in our careers as we’d like during this time. And unlike Bey, many of us may not be particularly keen on displaying our growing baby bumps in the Board room for fear it may make us look slightly inadequate, or even worse, hormonal…
But it took just ONE performance by Beyonce to show that not only is it OK to rock your baby bump while on a major work event, it’s also just become highly advisable. Because: carrying double the bundle of joy while rendering a MAJOR performance, all the while lighting up the whole stage/world/universe, is something only women can do! And so is carrying through entire pregnancies while holding down a job, raising another one (or many) little humans, being a wife, and not giving up on dinner/laundry/contouring…
So next time the world tries to convince you that carrying babies may make you less competent/productive/extraordinary, just think about that time Beyonce lit a whole Grammys stage with her double baby bump, and got an award for Lemonade to boot…
And go on and proudly show how you can actually get that month-end presentation done, while positively slaying in that maternity suit and glowing from all that mommy-to-be-unstoppable-creature vibe…
via GIPHY
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Feb 10, 2017 | Working Mom & Woman Tips
So you’re working from the comfort of your home, in your PJ’s, sipping on your hot cup of cocoa while dropping some nuggets of professional wisdom on your laptop….All is well, you don’t have to wear pants, comb your ‘fro, or look human for that matter, and you can still get your work done without the office buzz and constant interrupting.
That is, until your toddler comes crashing into your office with a full cup of juice now spilling all over your laptop, actually, ahem, the company’s laptop…And there goes the romantic aspect of working from home, right out the window, as you proceed to call IT to figure out how you can save that spreadsheet you’ve been working on for the past day, or resuscitate the almost-defunct machine…
That’s the story of many working moms (and dads) who get the luxury of working from home, with the steep discount of doing it all in the lovely company of their active, attention-needing kids. And while there’s a lot being said out there about working productively from home, and eliminating all the distractions that come with it, what’s not being said enough is that doing the whole work from home thing with kids is a whole ‘nother ball game. As in juggling ten thousand balls in the air, and dropping all of them, all at once…Yeah, like that…
Many companies allow their employees the flexibility of working from home. It’s a great perk that’s often used as a backup for school closings, unavailable childcare, doctor appointments, etc. Except in most cases, it also means you’re working extra hard to deal with your kids, your work, and looking for your pants in the meantime…
From catching up on my work from home day with a work-from-home evening/night/whatever it takes, to having full-blown conversations with my kids about the importance of letting their parents earn a paycheck (so they could buy toys), here are some of the best most practical tips I’ve gathered over time. Nothing glamorous, just what works without anyone losing their mind, hair or allowance for the next 10 years:
Start early!
As in: wake up before the storm starts! At least that’s how I call it… I try to set my alarm for at least an hour before everyone wakes up, not just to be able to hear my own thoughts, but to get started on any major task I have for the day…
Have a P-L-A-N!
It’s one thing to have somewhat of a plan when you’re working from home alone and trying to stay away from the fridge or keep from getting it done and over with that pesky laundry!
It’s another when you’re surrounded by kids who have zero concept of your professional obligations! Hence the P-L-A-N! I’m not talking about your basic to-do list, but an actual kid-proof contingency plan, complete with games, fun activities, and even sugar bribes….because: sanity…
Be realistic!
Let’s be real! Working from home with one or multiple little humans is not going to be as productive as being in your comfy cube listening to jazz music… Just sayin’…
To avoid major frustration and chocolate meltdown, be realistic about how much you can REALLY get done! Adjust your to-do list to reflect the most urgent tasks and use early morning hours, naps and other quiet times to get your hustle on…
Take breaks!
Between running after your kids to make sure they don’t accidentally lock themselves in the freezer, and being on conference calls while singing the “happy poop” song to your toddler, it can get rough! I mean, I remember dreaming of the peace and quiet of my cube while begging the kids to keep quiet so I could explain why my project status was down to zero…
So give yourself (and the kids) some breaks during the day! Whether it’s taking a quick walk outside, playing hide-and-seek for 10 minutes, take a load off sometimes…
Keep the communication with your team open!
Make sure to keep expectations on par with your team! Set clear deadlines and allow yourself what I call some “buffer” time…. You know, in case the little one unplugs the wireless connection, spills juice on your (company) laptop, or has a serious crisis over non-cooperating Lego pieces…
Use the rewards system!
You don’t know what working from home surrounded by little humans is until you’ve actually done it…And come out of it alive with some sanity and professionalism left!
So reward yourself for holding it down all day and still be sending civil emails and well-crafted reports… Oh, and give the kids a hug for actually trying to understand why “mommy” has to keep her job to be able to buy more Lego pieces…
Get feedback!
Don’t forget to seek and get feedback to improve on your productivity while working from home. It could be a simple “hey how am I doing?” to your boss, or a personal assessment of how many projects you’re completing in the office versus at home…
Oh, and ask the kids how mommy’s doing too…You’d be surprised how many ideas of legitimate kids’ bribes they can come up with…
What’s your best advice to work from home with kids?
To Your Success,
Solange
by Solange Lopes | Feb 10, 2017 | Career
Peony Blossom Blouse – Photo credit: shopstyle.com
I was looking for a fun, yet professional blouse that I could sport on a casual Friday at work, but also recycle on a serious Monday morning. Hence today’s pick, this cool, retro-but-really-in English Factory peony blossom blouse from Shopbop! I absolutely love the embroidered tie at the collar, which takes this top from basic to head-turner! It’s perfect with your casual Friday jeans, and would look ah-mazing with simple slacks or a pencil skirt.
In similar styles, I also like this Vivetta heart-collar long-sleeve blouse (perfect for a themed-Valentine’s Day event), and this Re:named floral neck-tie top too…
Seen a piece you’d like to be featured on TCS? Email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
Cheers,
The Corporate Sis.
