by Solange Lopes | Aug 26, 2016 | Career
Our Corporate Catwalk feature selects a piece of clothing or an accessory that complements any corporate sister’s wardrobe.
Today’s Corporate Catwalk pick is a funky, stylish one, which also happens to be one of the upcoming trends this Fall. This Capri mule from Nordstrom is as elegant as it is comfortable. Perfect for a casual day at the office, paired with easy slacks or even trouser jeans on casual Friday, it has a sophisticated vintage feel that makes it stand out. It’s $119.95 at Nordstrom!
Would you sport these to work?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis
by Solange Lopes | Aug 26, 2016 | Career
As the summer’s coming to an end, and you may have returned (or are returning) to work after vacation, you may want to pause and ask yourself what you’ve learnt from taking some time off. While your first inclination may be to reminisce fun days at the beach and yummy margaritas, there are other elements of your vacation which may actually apply to your…career.
There’s something about physically and mentally distancing yourself from a project or activity that allows you to see and understand things you may not have grasped before, simply because you were too close to the subject at hand. Kind of what happens when you step away from a piece of writing, or a work project, and come back to it after a day or so.You get a new, fresher perspective you’d have never had, had you remained close to it.
That’s also what happened after I returned from a two-week vacation in the islands. While I did enjoy disconnecting from work and taking some “real” time off, actually being away from the daily grind did allow me to perceive some aspects of my career I hadn’t been able to understand until then.
Here are some career lessons I’ve learnt, away from my email inbox, daily work routine and plumping Maybelline mascara:
It’s quality over quantity
Taking time off allows you to value quality over quantity when it comes to how you spend your time, on and off the job. Being able to slow down and enjoy some time outside of the rat race makes you realize just how much your frenzied, crazier pace makes you less, instead of more, productive.
It also makes you understand how time, and not so much money, is really our most precious commodity. Every time we allow ourselves to slow down and reflect on how we spend our time, we get a new lease on our schedules, and ultimately our lives.
As I come back from vacation, my priority is to prioritize quality over quantity when it comes to my schedule and career. Minimize waste, maximize efficiency and enjoyment, and focus on the ways I can be create more time.
It’s about working well, not more
I was so burnt out I couldn’t wait to get out of work on the day our vacation flight was scheduled to leave. And I wasn’t the only one…About 83% of American workers are stressed out about their jobs, of which 50% say this stress interferes with their sleep and general well-being. Interestingly enough, we also note that 55% of American workers don’t take all their paid vacation.
I even felt guilty taking a whole two weeks to get away. In work time, it may seem like an eternity you could never catch up on. In reality, the work still gets done somehow, some way.
With the distance and perspective, it becomes obvious that a lot of the time we spend at work is not necessarily time well-spent. We work a lot, but are we really working well? If we were, maybe we’d do more and feel less burnt out after all.
Get out more!
As dear hubby and I have family overseas, most of our vacation is spent visiting our close relatives in other countries. As we spend some time away in Senegal, France and the Cape-Verde islands, we get to be immersed in other cultures for some time, and observe how others work.
In Cape Verde for instance, most workers take a two-hour lunch break to go home, eat and rest in between morning and afternoon work hours. In France, most employees take the whole month of August off for family vacation. In Senegal, the many national holidays and allowed vacation give workers much-deserved breaks all throughout the year.
Being able to see different ways of working and various career perspectives enlarges how you look at your own career. You start thinking more about building a life that includes your career, instead of just building a life around your career. You also get to re-assess the way you approach your work, and re-calibrate for better impact.
Keep growing!
Along with gaining a more enlarged perspective from traveling and taking a break, you also get the thirst to keep growing. Doing the same thing over and over again, whether at work or in life, keeps us stale, outdated, and frankly bored.
Every time I go on vacation, or take some time off, it gives me enough distance to want to keep growing. To want to do more things, be more balanced, and enjoy life and work more.
Overall, I found taking the time to get away from work paradoxically lets me learn more about it. That without time off, time on is of a lesser quality, and enjoyed so much less. And that every vacation, every ounce of time spent away from the daily grind is an invaluable opportunity to re-focus, re-calibrate and re-position ourselves to build the careers we truly enjoy.
What career lessons have you learnt from your vacation?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Aug 25, 2016 | Career
Our Corporate Catwalk feature selects a piece of clothing or an accessory that complements any corporate sister’s wardrobe.
Looking for a more feminine, updated take on the traditional tee? You may just have found it in this flattering scallop frill tee from Shopbop. The elegant scalloped edges add a fun and chic touch to this otherwise classic tee, that you can now pair with any bottom, from a pencil skirt to your favorite pair of jeans. And the bonus? A very affordable price of $25!
Other fun alternatives to the traditional tee include this also affordable scallop-edge lace tee, as well as this funky ruffle washed number.
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Aug 25, 2016 | Working Mom & Woman Tips
As a working parent, the end of the summer also spells the proverbial “Back to School” double-edged sword. On one hand, you may be extremely excited happy to actually get an “educational daycare” option for your kids. On the other, you also have to contend with getting said kids ready for yet another school year. Which, in other words, also means “back to school” shopping, “back to school” scheduling, and overall “back to school” stress everywhere you look.
I mean, from deciphering the list of required school supplies (what in the world are washable hypoallergenic crayons?), to figuring out how in the world you can turn your late-night movie-watching little monsters into early risers without losing every single strand of hair on your head, it’s a challenge. Never mind adjusting our summer schedules to the school schedule, without scoring the most late tickets ever recorded in the story of said school district.
I would know… “Back to school” time in my house is a lot like “back to craziness” for me. A lot of trial and error, mixed with some honest scheduling mistakes, and we pretty much always end up with some “back to school” catastrophe or another. Like the year we actually dropped off Dear Daughter a day late without her backpack…But I digress…
After quite a few unfortunate, albeit hilarious “back to school” experiences, here are five of the most noteworthy tips I garnered over time:
Start early
Don’t get caught in the last minute shuffle of “back to school” activities. I used to, and only ended up being immersed in loads of administrative frustration. Instead, start at least a couple of weeks early.
Gather all the information you need, from the important dates to the school supply list. Obtain whatever information you’re missing, and give yourself some time to prepare.
Have a Plan
Considering the limited amount of time you have as a working parent, have a plan of attack. Instead of going at it in one week-end and despising the process forever, list all your to-do’s and spread them over time. Which also means you must start early (refer to tip #1).
Be willing to be flexible
As a working parent, combining full-time work and responsibilities with back-to-school to-do’s can stretch you way too thin. To avoid being overwhelmed, plan to ask for a day off, or a more flexible schedule for a limited period of time. This way, you’ll have the time and availability necessary without the stress of impairing your work.
Cut yourself some slack
You’re doing the best you can. Even when purchasing the wrong brand of stencil pad, or forgetting to sign that school form. Give yourself a break throughout the process, it’ll get done eventually.
Enjoy the process
Remember that it’s not just a matter of checking the boxes and crossing out all the to-do’s. It’s also a process to be enjoyed, as you celebrate new milestones for your kids and watch them accomplish and learn new things.
Yes, it can be stressful to get everyone ready, including yourself, while still striving in your career and keeping your sanity. Yet, in the end, it’s all worth it, wrong brand of stencil pad and all.
How are you managing ‘back to school” time as a working parent?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
What other tips do you have to manage your kids going back to school?
by Solange Lopes | Aug 16, 2016 | Career |
If you’re looking for a classic, chic sheath dress, this ponte knit sheath dress from Brooks Brothers is an amazing choice. The split neck, cap sleeves and flattering top stitch details are all great details of this dress that can easily be taken from the office to after-hours. It’s $198 at brooks Brothers.
It also comes in this beautiful teal color, also at Brooks Brothers.
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
