by Solange Lopes | Jun 25, 2014 | Career
Doing Nothing – beautiful browngirls.com
Hello corporate sisters…So the workday is over, you even got quite a bit of stuff done at work and at home, maybe fit in a quick workout, and are now spending some quality time with the family or your significant other. If you’re single, you may be catching up on personal emails, cleaning your inbox, and even getting a head start on the quarterly forecast for work. Or mixing business with pleasure networking during happy hour (while infrequently updating your Facebook timeline just in case anyone is wondering what you’ve been doing since…5 minutes ago). You got this, you’re used to multi-tasking (which now, according to Fast Company, has morphed into super-tasking!), and for you, there’s never a dull (or inactive) moment (except when you sleep, although theoretically your heavy-duty anti-aging cream is working and your brain cells are regenerating for that morning staff meeting)!
We pride ourselves on doing it all, the job, the housework, taking care of the kids, the hubby and the fake plants…and looking well-rested in the process (thank you ultra covering, SPF 1000 concealer!). And even though we like to think it’s 50/50 in our marriages or relationships, women still spend nearly an hour more per day on chores than women, as The Atlantic confirms.
But how about doing nothing? How about dropping it all, letting it all hang a bit every day? How about allowing after-hours to mean what they really mean? How about getting re-acquainted with the good ol’ boring days (ok, let’s be realistic, 10 minutes) of your younger selves. Think about how you would just sit at your favorite Boston Commons bench after that science elective you pushed back to your last semester, doing a whole lot of…nothing! And how good it felt?
Yes, life is different, you have a job, kids, this guy saying you willingly married him, and some dead plants…You’re busy juggling making that 30-minute meal while updating your Facebook timeline. You’re busy, busy, busy, and…tired, grouchy and unproductive!
In a time when not being glued to your smartphone, not constantly answering “How are you?” questions with “Busy” is apparently socially unconscionable, doing nothing can not only help you relax, recharge your batteries, but also allow your brain to get enough rest to make you more efficient and productive over time. So whether you choose to get your beauty sleep (unplugged from your smartphone, that is), call a girlfriend, or enjoy saying no to your mother-in-law’s crochet appointment tomorrow, be kind to yourself today and spend some time doing…NOTHING!
So, how about doing nothing (yes, it is a science, read more here...after you’re done doing nothing, of course!)
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 25, 2014 | Career
Combined leather High Heel Court Shoe – $39.90 – zara.com
Happy Coffee Break! Time for that boost of energy, and if you’re skipping the caffeine today, well, feel free to load up on this shoe eye candy from Zara! Love, love this high heel court shoe in black and green (pistachio to be more exact) !
It’s THE perfect statement shoe for work or play, and would give an of your work ensembles, suits, or even your evening LBD an exciting (read non-boring work clothing) peek-a-boo effect!
And what I like even better, that it’s on sale for $39.90 (down from $89.90) at Zara!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 25, 2014 | Career
Two-button jacket – $94.80 – the limited.com
It’s fashion time, and for our hump-day fashion escapade today, we are heading over to The Limited, with this two-button jacket very much reminiscent of Olivia Pope’s wardrobe on the cult series “Scandal”.
Loving the classic and polished cut of this suit jacket, perfect for the office! The grey hue is a perfect alternative to the classic black suit, and adds a touch of fashion consciousness to it while still remaining uber-professional! I would wear this suit jacket both for a formal interview with the matching trousers or skirt, or for a work meeting mixed and matched with a skirt or pants in a different color!
It’s on sale for $94.80 at The Limited (pssst….The Limited is having a sale of up to 70% off, with an extra 30% off sales items!).
In other exciting news, The Limited and the Scandal show are teaming up to launch a fashion collection this fall inspired by Scandal’s own Olivia Pope! Now to mention that I will be right there at the storefront come Fall is an understatement. Read more about this great collaboration here.
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 25, 2014 | Career |
Rejection at work – idiva.com
Happy Wednesday! Hump Day already, we’re halfway there!
If you’ve experienced any kind of rejection, you know that it’s far from being an easy thing to deal with. And when rejection happens at work, where frankly we spend the majority of our time and unfortunately at times tend to get most of our personal validation from, it can be a seriously tough pill to swallow!
Yet it happens, and more often than we’d like…The project proposal that got rejected; the lackluster quarterly review, or the straight up, unequivocal “No” to our request to be involved in the steering committee for that new implementation. Put mildly, rejection simply “sucks”, and professional rejection is right up there in the “sucky” pantheon of moments we’d rather forget…
So then, what do we do? Do we just suck in our teeth and pout at rejection? Does it mean we failed miserably and all hope is lost? Or, rather, is rejection really one of the most powerful catalysts for redirection, change and improvement? I’d say the latter:
1. Use rejection as an “off course” signal: If you were driving and your GPS kept saying “you”re off course”, wouldn’t you change directions? Well, the same goes for professional rejection. Instead of taking it personal, step outside of your ego and consider whether you’ve just been going in the wrong direction. If what you’ve been doing isn’t working, how can you change it so it does work? If you’re going in the wrong direction, how can you get on the right path?
2. Face rejection and ask how you can improve: Once you acknowledge that you’ve been heading in the wrong direction as related to a specific project, assignment or job, face the rejection even further by asking what you can do differently. What can I do to change this review rating? How can I get to a 10 from a 5? Ask, and you shall receive the feedback you need to take you to the next level…
3. Now put it in practice: Now is the time to apply the feedback you’ve received earlier. Start over, but this time with the lessons and principles learnt from experience and by asking what works! Add the necessary improvements to your craft, career or job, and measure the results you get over time!
How are you dealing with professional rejection?
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 24, 2014 | Career
OMG Travel bag – $275 – loandsons.com
Are you heading out to one of the hot professional conferences this summer? Or just packing for a week-end getaway? Stress no more! Organization and style can be yours to take on the fly, with this dainty yet oh so practical Lo&Sons travel bag!
I have to admit, I am a horrible packer (and equally dreadful traveler)! One of the main reasons why I don’t enjoy traveling so much (other than packing is a royal pain in the you-know-where) is that everything gets thrown out of place, I end up not finding what I need when I need it, and before you know it, things get real chaotic…
Well, I’m loving this lightweight carry-on from Lo&Sons, because not only does it actually have compartments (bye disorganized tote!) to store your laptop and tablet, it also has a space specially reserved for…your shoes. Now if you’re a true shoe addict, you know how important it is to have at least one extra shoe on hand (did I say at least?)…Not to mention the adjustable sleeve to slip over your luggage handle…
It’s $275 at Lo&Sons! Where are we packing to again?
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 24, 2014 | Career |
Paneled flare dress – $128 – crew.com
It’s lunch time! And as usual, time for our fashion mini-escapade! Today, I’m loving this paneled flare dress from J. Crew! I cannot speak enough about how alluring, flattering and oh so forgiving, the fit-and-flare silhouette is! This classic silhouette is nothing but boring, and here’s the proof…
This body-contouring ponte dress acts like Spanx for workwear, as it is structured yet stretchy at the same time, and offers enough coverage without sacrificing style and yes…feminine appeal! I am all for the red power color as well, which gives it the added “oomph” for that marketing presentation or brown lunch bag you’re about to head to…
It’s on sale for $128 at J. Crew!
Pssttt…J. Crew is having a 30% sale on select styles for women, men, girls, boys and baby…in addition to an extra 50% of sales styles. Use code HISUMMER!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 24, 2014 | Career
madamenoire.com
Happy Tuesday!
Much has been said on and off about work-life balance. The White House hosted yesterday a celebrity-filled conference “focused on efforts businesses could take – including paid maternity leave – to make their environments more amenable to work-life balance and working women.”
While the very concept of work-life balance is certainly overdue for consideration (and application), it’s also a very elusive one. Indeed, the US is one of 3 countries worldwide, along with Oman and Papua New Guinea, which lacks guaranteed paid maternity leave for working moms,as reported by the United Nations. As a result, today the US ranks 17th in female labor participation among 22 of the world’s wealthiest countries.
So yes, as corporate sisters in the US, we are seriously behind! And as much as we welcome and applaud the government’s efforts to establish an equitable balance of responsibilities at work and at home, we also need to take one step further and consider what is really, actually feasible for us.
The reality is that as women and corporate sisters, we are most often at the intersection of work and home, rather than actually trying to balance the two. Rarely can we draw a distinct line between our careers and personal lives as one keeps intruding into the other constantly. Establishing balance between the two would almost imply that we could realistically separate one from the other, which in many cases, is not…the case!
Doctors’ appointments happen during work hours, so do pumping times for new moms, and kids’ sick days. Real life happens as work is in session, and rather than balancing the two, what most of us want companies and top corporate players to understand is that we need to integrate both in order to be most successful and most productive.
There are times when work will take over and home may take a back seat, and vice-versa. Or when emails will be addressed in the doctor’s waiting room. Or when we may miss a family dinner to meet that deadline.
The balance is not always going to be there. Yet what will always prevail is the need to understand and accept that life will happen, and the pieces will somehow somewhat have to fit in together for the good of all concerned. Now that is real, and much better than any balance in the world…
Would you agree?
The Corporate Sister.
