by Solange Lopes | Jan 2, 2015 | Career |
Photo: fullplatenofork.com
That’s it, 2015 is here, new year, new (mostly failed) resolutions, and unless you’ve secured yourself your dream job for the New Year, you’re back, or getting ready to be back, at no less than…your old job! Same ol’ (untidy) desk, unfinished projects, and great expectations… For some, starting the new year fresh starts with their mindset, for others, much of a greater and bigger change is needed…
Yet for most of us, our daily circumstances, the “daily grind” as we like to call it, does not change much from December 31st at 11:59pm to January 1st at 12:01am. Actually, some think the so-called “New Year resolutions” can actually do you more harm than good, while others would argue the whole concept, unlike its name indicates, is simply outdated. While I don’t necessarily believe in resolutions or decisions that are simply spurred by a new calendar date, I happen to believe, on the other hand, that we all have the capacity to start fresh in the midst of old, and at times, undesirable circumstances:
1. Love the job you have now (at least enjoy one good thing!): Penelope Trunk said it right when she said in order to enjoy your current job, you have to focus on one thing! It’s jut like anything else, if you start putting all your eggs in one basket and overly thinking every matter, you’re bound to end up mad, with a nice headache to top it all off. Just like you’d have to pick between your thighs and your smile to keep from re-thinking your gym habits, when it comes to your job and career, put the focus on one thing. Whether it’s the flexibility, the team spirit, or the opportunities for learning or travel, pick one good thing, let it simmer and catch yourself smiling!
2. Commit to growing where you are! You may not have the power to alter your circumstances right now, whether it’s finding a new great job close to home with added flexibility (or making your boss magically disappear on Monday morning), yet you can work on you! Make a plan, an actual, pen and paper in hand, plan to learn and grow! Take that new certification, improve on a skill, look for opportunities outside of your company, etc. Decide to add something to your skill set every quarter, and get to work!
3. Start with a clean slate! Before adding too much to your slate this year, clean up what’s there first! Feelings of inadequacy, lingering sense of failure or lack of confidence, all of that excess garbage weighing your career down has got to go! Think of ways to feel better about your performance and leave behind the failures and misses of the last year. Forgive yourself for what you think you did not accomplish, toss the “what-if’s”, take a deep breath and start over!
How are you starting fresh this year at work?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Dec 30, 2014 | Career
Lace crewneck sweatshirt – $58.80 – Photo: nordstrom.com
Lace is definitely in this year, hence today’s pick of this NYDJ embroidered lace crew neck sweatshirt from Nordstrom. Loving the mix of casual and sophisticated in this sweet raglan-sleeve sweatshirt. This contemporary beauty is on sale for $58.80 at Nordstrom!
Other alternatives for lace sweaters include this lace inset sweater, also from Nordstrom, as well as this marled lace hem sweater.
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Dec 30, 2014 | Career |
Photo: huffingtonpost.com
The advent of the New Year, and its slew of failed resolutions, is prime time for questioning our current careers, jobs, bosses, or even how the mess on our desks is blocking success in our career. We want a new start, a new “us”, as fast as it takes to say “Happy New Year”! We job hop more than ever, thinking the grass is greener in the other cubicle.
Yet what many, if not most, end up discovering is that new jobs, careers or bosses do not necessarily translate into better jobs, careers or bosses. That all workplaces have some form of more or less insidious (and annoying) political BS, all bosses have pet peeves and shifting moods, and all office spaces require some minimal level of cleaning.
Although there indeed are many cases which warrant a drastic change, what we find at the end of the day is our mindsets about work need to also change. And since everyone is talking about change, resolutions and new everything, what with the New Year and spikes in gym memberships, how about altering the way we think about and view work?
1. Are you standing in your way to career success? We are our own friends and our own enemies when it comes to success. What ideas and concepts do you have about work that are preventing you from fulfilling your potential? Is your constant desire to please, risk aversion and/or fear of negative outcomes paralyzing you? Or do you need to adopt a gentler approach to yield results out of your team?
2. What can you change about you to bring more success to your career? While you can’t control your co-workers’, teammates or even bosses’ reactions, you can change YOU and the way you approach work. Do you need to speak up and be more assertive? Do you need to allow others to speak up? Is it time to seek new opportunities or pursue your passions? What can you concretely and practically change?
3. Start NOW, right where you are! Action is key. After identifying opportunities and obstacles, you need to act! Just start, right where you happen to be. Speak up at the team meeting, offer new ideas, seek new opportunities, write that book, do something! The more you do, the more you are able to do…
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Dec 29, 2014 | Career
Photo: dailymail.co.uk
The frenzy of Christmas is slowly subsiding, gifts have been opened, food eaten, and budgets abused…Now what? For many of us, we are back to work, or remotely psyching ourselves up to get back to work with an unhealthy dose of post-holiday blues…And the worst is, it can last up to a week…or longer!
My $0.05: The post-holiday blues is real (and so are all your credit card bills piling up as the year starts!) Acknowledge that you may not be at your best right after the holidays, and give it some time. Exercise, sleep at least 8 hours (nix your favorite shows if necessary), and drink lots of water. Taking care of you will take care of your work too!
How do you handle the post-holiday blues?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Dec 29, 2014 | Career |
Peplum hem midi dress – Photo: asos.com
Hiii everyone! I’ve taken a few days off (not exactly by choice), and am back for my Work It feature (which I’ve greatly missed). Today’s pick is this peplum hem midi dress from ASOS, that immediately caught my eye. Love, love, love the original peplum hem on this midi dress, which adds to its elegant “couture” style build. This beauty is on sale for $37.90 at ASOS!
This dress pretty much stands on its own, I wouldn’t add much to it, except for some killer, yet professional-looking heels like these blue suede Kate Spade beauties from Zappos.
Happy Monday!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Dec 29, 2014 | Career
Photo: transformationsmassage.com
I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. Neither do I subscribe to crash diets, or the absurdly remote notion that anyone can look like Beyonce after giving birth. Basically, anything that involves drastically changing anything, from abandoning our beloved carbs to losing baby weight, is pure BS (excuse my French).
According to Maxwell Maltz’s “Psychocybernetics, A New Way to Get More Living out of Life” book, it takes about 21 days to form a new habit.
Work habits, like any other habit, are hard to change. Like pregnancy weight or addiction to carbs, they didn’t just happen. They were lovingly cultivated over years of work and career-building, and are as much part of us as those love handles we keep denying…Changing, modifying or altering them in any way requires time, patience and occasional chocolate treats:
1. Be (brutally) honest! It all starts with the truth. Acknowledge what works and what does not work in the way you approach your career. Make a list of the “does” and “does not work”, and be honest, brutally honest!
2. Start at your own pace! While some of us have incredible (and annoying) willpower, the rest of us mortals go at our own pace. Wait at least three weeks before you start assessing results, and forgive yourself for not being as consistent as you’d wish! It’s a process!
3. Change one habit at a time! For all of you multi-taskers out there, take a moment and breathe! You can’t force change, so tackle it consistently, one habit at a time. Whether it’s speaking up in meetings, or being more thorough in your work, limit yourself to one habit at a time!
How do you manage to change your work habits?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Dec 28, 2014 | Career |
Photo: mainstreet.com
Happy Sunday! This is the last Sunday of 2014, can you believe it? As we get ready to close this year, I’m sharing one more time the news that made me smile, laugh, and go “shut the front door” this week:
- CNN rounds up the leading women of 2014, and each and every one of them is simply amazing, while Fast Company rounds up the 100 most creative people of 2014;
- The holidays are still upon us, and Levo League gives us a few tips on how to manage the inevitable holidays stress;
- I’m all about educational toys, especially in this season of gift-giving. Yet, the Washington Post writes it’s nothing but a myth (worth the read);
- After the tragic passing of curly hair line Miss Jessie’s co-founder Titi Branch, Black Enterprise features Dr. Janet Taylor giving advice to women with depression;
- Side hustling is real, and SalaryShark explains why millenials need a side business (check out my post on minority millenials at work);
- The Daily Muse lists 10 signs you should quit your job ASAP;
- Looking for your professional happy? Lifehacker lists the happiest companies to work for, according to CareerBliss reviews;
- Speaking of happy news, Fortune reveals Americans’ confidence in the job market is highest since recession;
- In less happy news, CNBC confirms there’s a new normal for Wall street divorces (as if there’s ever a “normal” for any divorce);
- Last but not least, this week I wrote about why your career does not need New Year’s resolutions (not this year!).
Happy Sunday, and happy reading!
The Corporate Sis.
