by Solange Lopes | Sep 4, 2014 | Career
Barely Boot Editor Pants – $39.99 – express.com
I always liked Express pants for their uber-flattering shape and near-perfect cuts. Hence today’s pick, these double weave barely boot editor pants in no other color than…power red! These pants are simply fabulous, for work or after hours.
I’m loving the sleek, nearly straight line from hip to ankle of these pants. The lines are clean, and the fit flawless. I’d pair these with an easy tee or shell under a coordinated jacket, or an elegant cardigan for all-day comfort. These pants are on sale for $39.95 at Express.
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 4, 2014 | Career
Happy Thursday!
If you’re reading this, you may be having a slow day at work. We all do, from time to time. And as much as we love talking about how busy we are at work (after all, hasn’t busyness become a badge of honor), we tend not to put quite as much focus on the lack thereof. What about those days when projects are at a stand still, waiting for some approval or another? Or when a deadline is pushed back, and as a result the ebb and flow of work is hitting more of a low tide?
Do we chuck the downtime at the office to seasonal or structural fluctuations? Or even record it as a productivity loss (although spent on browsing the Internet, scouring online sales or playing Angry Bird)?
I’ve learnt early enough that time is a precious commodity, and that slower times should not slow you down in your progress. As much as we can’t, and shouldn’t, always be on the go, taking advantage of slower times at work to build or reinforce our progress and success should not be left to chance. Whichever you look at it, you’re still at work, so make it count:
1. Learn something! Now may be the perfect time to catch up on the latest accounting pronouncements, check out some optional webinars, or finally get a hold of that Access training! Learning is key to success, and while work may be slow, you may be able to use that time to speed your learning and growth…
2. Hang out! Have you been so busy lately you haven’t had time to take a coffee break with the team? How about going to lunch with your boss? Relationships are key to your success, at work and in life. Take advantage of slow days to enhance your rapport with your colleagues and team. You’ll be thankful for the brownie points…
3. Get Organized! I love slow days at work, because they allow me to catch up on my organization. Nothing like a well-organized inbox (does that even exist?), or a desk that does not look like a war zone! Welcome the opportunity to get some order around, declutter so you can start fresh…Your mind (and clean desk) will thank you…
How do you use your downtime at work?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 3, 2014 | Career
Balance app – Photo credit: lifehacker.com
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you couldn’t possibly have missed all the talks, posts, articles and deafening noise about work-life balance. Especially if you’re a professional woman, what with all the “leaning in”, “climbing up to the glass ceiling” and “closing the pay, gender and all sorts of gaps”…Of course, there had to be an app for that…
So if you’ve been wondering exactly how much time you really spend at work (and are not afraid to have a conniption), the Balance app can help you do just that. This iPhone app uses data from another app called Moves, charts it all out, and spits out a nice infographic of how you spend the precious minutes of your life.
My $0.05: Would I get this app? Or rather, do I really want to have my life quantified in terms of what I do (and everything else I could be doing instead?) Hmmmm….While I would not be tracking this information on the daily, I would still be curious to know where my time goes (and where it shouldn’t). Plus it’s available on iTunes for free…
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 3, 2014 | Career
Trumpet skirt – $88 – Photo credit: whitehouseblackmarket.com
Happy Hump day! I’m loving this trumpet skirt from White House Black Market. It’s a nice variation from the traditional pencil skirt, and makes for a flattering, yet professional silhouette suitable for work and after hours.
I’d pair this skirt with a crisp white button-down shirt and classic black pumps. This skirt is $88 at White House Black Market.
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 3, 2014 | Career
Photo credit: newsone.cM
Happy Wednesday!
I’m an unapologetic perfectionist. Whenever I received a bad grade in school, I would cry, pout and ultimately deflect the blame on something or someone else. Fast forward a few years, I still cry and pout at a not-so-good work review, except I don’t like to smear my mascara so instead I tend to focus more on deflecting the blame on circumstances, people or lack of chocolate. And it’s something I’m not proud of, and am learning to do away with…but chocolate and self-victimization are hard addictions to break…
In the midst of all the talks about gender parity at work, and women’s rights in general, it may seem women are labeled as victims in the workplace from the start. And considering the difficulties and pressures faced by many a woman in the workplace, it would be easy for us to play the victim card at work. After all, the professional obstacles we face are unique, considering the pressures of family, children and work both traditionally and in modern society. Folding our hands and blaming our declining performance on circumstances, a bad boss or a toxic, unsupportive environment at work wouldn’t exactly be such a stretch of the unfortunate and difficult reality….
Yet, as many of us have learned, it only offers a temporary fix to a permanent problem. Very often, whining and moaning behind people’s backs, responding with procrastination and disguised humor as a way to perpetuate this constant victim’s mentality only brings our performance and the way we’re perceived further down. Instead, there are ways to reframe our victim mentalities into a proactive, effective way to address challenges at work:
1. Learn to say no! People who perceive themselves as victims tend to also be people pleasers. As women, many of us were raised to conform to certain societal expectations, and whether directly or indirectly, please others. While we may be able to wage the toughest life battles, the simple act of saying NO may seem insurmountable. I know it seems so to me in many a situation, but it’s slowly becoming one of my favorite words…
2. Buy yourself some time and space! Understanding and dealing with a difficult situation at work in an effective manner requires time and space. To avoid the temptation to deflect blame and falling into the victim trap, step away, take the time and space to rethink the situation and come up with solutions, rather than blame…
3.Use the power of Choice! Whenever possible, get ahead of negative situations by choosing the outcome! Decide that you’ll be prepared enough, assertive enough to successfully complete a project. Choose to set your own successful terms and boundaries, at work and in life.
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 2, 2014 | Career
Photo credit: porchdrinking.com
So it’s the end of the summer…Kids are back to school, schedules are tightening up, and morning traffic jams are getting worse and worse. And as many of us return to work after Labor Day week-end, a small vacation, or just a day off here and there, the mood is not exactly the best…
I believe in rituals as a way to help ourselves ease life’s transitions and new seasons. And if we value rituals as part of our everyday life, why not integrate them as part of our work life too? An ex-colleague of mine used to decorate her cube for the different seasons. A few of my teams in Public Accounting welcomed the Fall (and the start of busy season) with a celebratory lunch and spicy happy hour. All in all, we all understood celebrating new transitions at work or life give us that extra boost to produce our best work.
What are your end of summer rituals at work?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 2, 2014 | Career
Leather-waist dress – $134 – bergdorfgoodman.com
I’m loving this Carmen Marc Valco cap-sleeve leather-waist dress from Bergdorf Goodman. The classic, timeless elegance of the puffed cap sleeves and sheath silhouette is perfect for work or even a semi-formal evening. And of course, the originality of the leather waistband only adds to the sophistication of this dress.
I’d pair it with minimal accessories to let the pique fabric and jewel neckline of the dress shine. This beauty is on sale for $134 at Bergdorf Goodman.
The Corporate Sis.
