by Solange Lopes | Aug 10, 2016 | Career
So here you are, on vacation, away from all the hubbub of the office, your overflowing inbox and all those pointless meetings…Except not really, you’re checking your email five times a day, thinking about the last team meeting and what you should have said but didn’t quite say, and how you should have challenged your mid-year review but didn’t…
In our work-meets-life society, the lines between work and life have been so blurred for so long that it’s become commonplace to bring work with us wherever we go. At the grocery store, in traffic, at the gym, and even on vacation…
While we think we should be rewarded for being so “work-conscious” and dedicated to our careers, we may be unwittingly committing one of the biggest career sins ever. And it has nothing to do with snitching on your co-worker or talking trash behind your boss’ s back…
Do we realize the biggest career mistake we can make is to never let go of our work? Certainly, that’s where we spend the majority of our time,, interact the most with people, and produce the most effort (fort he most part)…Yet, being unable to let go of our careers, unplug and disconnect for some time says more about us than we may like to let on….
As much as “busyness” has become the new badge of honor and career burnout the resulting ailment of our times, being “on” all the time, work-wise, is very often more of a negative sign than a positive one. And being on during the only time you get to step away from the rat race, take a breather and reconnect with yourself, turns out to be even more of a career faux-pas.
When you cannot disconnect from work , even while on vacation, here are the signs you’re sending your team, department or company:
Help! I don’t know how to delegate!
Delegation, when properly done, is an art. It takes a competent leader to asses the work at hand, as well as the ability of their colleagues and team members, in order to effectively delegate. Not being able, or willing, to effectively delegate, will force you to work overtime, including on your vacation. While it may look like you’re sacrificing your personal time for your career, what it also may be telling others is that your delegating abilities are not quite up to snuff.
I don’t trust my team/department!
Trust is an important, if not crucial, component of effective teamwork. When it lacks in a team or department environment, it can create huge inefficiencies, redundancies, and ultimately, unnecessary overload and frustration.
I don’t trust myself!
How much do you really trust in your abilities as a team member or team leader, if you must constantly be “on”? If your work should speak for yourself, then you should trust yourself enough to step away from it and let others take the relay. Having a need to constantly be in control is also a sign of lacking in self-confidence and trust in yourself. And if you’re up for that promotion, the last thing you want your higher-ups and team to think is that you don’t trust your own work.
Vacations are the ideal time to not only take a break, re-assess your career and life path, so you can come back more motivated and more effective. It’s also the time to show that you have the necessary leadership traits to step away from your career without losing it.
Are you making this career mistake while on vacation?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
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by Solange Lopes | Aug 10, 2016 | Career
Photo credit: shop style.com
In my Corporate Catwalk feature, I pick a piece of clothing great for work (and that you can rock in life too)…
Nothing like a piece of clothing that reminds you of your last summer getaway! Like today’s Corporate Catwalk pick, this Amalfi button down skirt from Ann Taylor. Love the luscious print on this otherwise classic skirt, which takes it from regular wardrobe stable to spectacular piece! And it’s on sale for $64.99 to boot.
I also like this sundrenched floral pencil skirt, also from Ann Taylor. Oh and this chrysanthemum pencil skirt too…
Which one if your favorite?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
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by Solange Lopes | Aug 9, 2016 | Career
Photo credit: shop style.com
Today’s Corporate Catwalk is the epitome of “classic chic”. This Carmen By Carmen Marc Valvo dress is simply distinctive, what with its original plaid patterning and the unique shoulder cutout details. The contemporary elegance of this dress is so well balanced with the classic sheath silhouette. Not to mention that it’s perfect to transition from Summer to Fall! This dress is $168 at Neiman Marcus.
While we’re still on the plaid bandwagon, I also like this flattering short-sleeve cotton-blend number from Brooks Brothers, as well as this conservative chic (and very reasonably priced) version from Haute Look. This Vince Camuto edgy fit-and-flare dress is also delightful, while this tie-waist shirtdress is perfect for a casual Friday.
Which one is your favorite?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
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by Solange Lopes | Aug 8, 2016 | Career
So there, suitcases are packed, passports are out, you’re ready to jet off on your vacation, finally! No month-end reports or emails in sight for the next few days. Only sandy beaches, margaritas, and relaxation galore! But did you also know that this long-awaited and overdue vacation is not just going to save you from your boss and over-booked calendar?
Actually, this time off laying on the beach sipping on a mango margarita while enjoying the latest summer read could very well be pushing your career to the next level…Are you smiling yet?
We already know taking a vacation, unplugging, disconnecting is good for your career. It helps you reconnect with who you are, what you value, and what’s important, so we can come back more relaxed and emotionally grounded. That ‘s the average, general case scenario.
What we don’t often realize is that we can actually leverage this time to propel our careers forward. Because it’s not just enough to jet off to some exotic spot in the Caribbeans, or run out of the office as if a ghost were after you…However, it takes some practice and a bit of discipline to turn this time of relaxation into an actual career asset (even if that’s not exactly what you’re thinking about as you’re lounging on the hot sand).
I still remember this particularly eventful vacation where I actually spent most of my time checking email and stressing about how much work I had to do when I’d come back. End result? I left stressed, went swimming stressed, and came back to work stressed…with an extra five pounds to boot.
Here are 4 tips you can use to further your career as you’re enjoying beautiful sunsets and skipping email while on vacation:
Set a vacation agenda.
No, this is not about visiting a gazillion museums and trying every local bakery (although there’ something about carbs and vacation, but I digress). This is about being clear about what your time off is about. Is this vacation an opportunity to spend some time with family? Is it a personal time of introspection, or do you need to get away to re-evaluate your priorities?
Being clear about it will help you be more conscious of those areas you need to heal, or ponder about while away. Instead of scattering your time in endless activities, you’ll be more mentally attuned to yourself. You’ll be surprised at how much clearer you are once the vacation ends.
Boost Your Creativity (and Give Your Brain a Break).
As in, stop worrying about that project you handed in before vacation, or that email you may not have sent out. Our brains are flooded every day with huge amounts of information we barely seem to control. And in turn, it blocks the natural creativity that helps us come up with new ideas and innovative concepts.
On vacation, your mental activity is stimulated by new experiences and new sights. Not mention the benefits of mental and emotional relaxation, which also set you up for success. Instead of the usual apathy and mental tiredness you may be used to dealing with, you’ll be buzzing with new ideas and motivation when you get back to the office.
Limit your access to work.
Yes, the point of being on vacation is to unplug from work and really enjoy the time away from the office. Yet, the reality for many is that we’re still connected…even a little bit, when on vacation. Rather than giving in to the guilt of not being connected at all, or on the other end of the spectrum, being surgically attached to your handheld device, why not reach a middle ground?
If you absolutely have to check on work, promise yourself to do it in a limited manner. Whether it’s once a day for no more than a half hour, or once a week, set a limit and stick to it. Only address urgent emails, while keeping in mind this will also lessen the pile of work you find when you get back.
Set goals for your return to work.
Yes, you want to take advantage of every ounce of your vacation. Yet, taking the last couple of days to mentally prepare yourself to return to the office can put you at the top of your game. Think about your goals and objectives for the remainder of the year, and how you can best achieve them.
Even better, take some time to visualize your success at work. If you can, write down some of your most important goals in a notebook or journal.
How do your further your career on vacation?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
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by Solange Lopes | Aug 7, 2016 | Career |
Mantra = a word or phrase that is repeated often or that expresses someone’s basic beliefs (Merriam-Webster dictionary)
There are just days when you need a dose of inspiration. You know those days, when you wake up wondering why you haven’t made Senior Manager yet, or if your life was really supposed to go this way…Or why laundry never ever seems to end (I’ve been pondering on this one for quite a while)…Or on Sunday night when Monday morning’s looming near…
I know I do…There’s only so much mascara and blush to keep you pumped up for the day. Because it all starts in your mind, as you decide to push yourself beyond the daily mundane or obstacles in your way. That’s why successful women (and men) adopt mantras to keep them inspired and motivated.
In the words of motivational speaker and author Abiola Abrams, “your mantra is your fight song“. In the midst of all the negative noise and our chronic “busyness”, we now more than ever need to take back our power; which means we must also adopt new ways of thinking. That’s where mantras come in, to help us change or reinforce positive beliefs through empowering words or phrases we make part of our daily lives.
A few years back, I started realizing that most of the obstacles I was facing were not coming from the outside, but from within. At the time, I was working with a business coach, who started recommending that I write and speak mantras on a daily basis. I have to say it was a struggle at first. Having never questioned some of my most basic (and most limiting) beliefs about myself, learning to believe and say out loud that “I cannot fail“, or that “I am successful“, felt like chocolate cake without chocolate. Weird.
As I faced some of my most potent mindset blocks, I started developing new habits. I looked to successful women around me, and studied their mindsets for success. As a result, here are 7 of my favorite success mantras for successful women:
What are your favorite success mantras?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
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by Solange Lopes | Aug 5, 2016 | Career
This is our weekly career and lifestyle news update, where we round up exciting news of the last week and we let you have it…ahem, news-wise that is…
Think of it as your career gossiping section on steroids…
And while you’re at it, follow us on Facebook, Twitter,IG, and Pinterest!
Here we go…
- Podcast alert! In my latest contribution to the amazing Cubicle Chick site, check out my 7 favorite podcasts for women entrepreneurs;
- If you’ve ver been afraid of not being liked at work, you must read Ellevate’s Sallie Krawcheck’s beautiful (and real) article on making peace with not being liked;
- It’s still summer, and I know, you’d still rather be at the beach than stuck at your desk. Levo confirms these 6 reasons why you’re so much less productive in the summer;
- Night owl alert! Speaking of downsizing the productivity, especially at night, this Business Insider’s contributor lists 6 things she learnt while following Arianna Huffington’s pretty elaborate bedtime routine for a week…and what she found out is pretty awesome;
- If you’re heading to school this Fall, it’s essay writing season! Black Enterprise has a few tips to help you stay ahead of the curve!
- For your dose of inspiration this week, Ellevate Network offers seven tips to succeed as a woman in a man’s world;
- Ever been asked about your work style in an interview? Careerealism tips you off on how to answer;
- Working your butt off but not getting promoted? The Muse tells you why (and it has nothing to do with your skills);
- Speaking of not succeeding at work, could you be having any of these three mindsets that are keeping you from shattering your own career ceiling?
- Wondering what to cook this month to take advantage of the last days of summer? Cookie and Kate has great options;
- Oh, and while you’re at it, how about brightening up your wardrobe with this cheery ponte sheath dress?
Happy Friday!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
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by Solange Lopes | Aug 2, 2016 | Career
“It takes a village to grow your career.”
This quote, extracted from my e-book “The Corporate Sister’s Guide to Taking Back Control of Your Career“, embodies one of the realizations I made later rather than sooner in my life and career. If you’ve ever wondered why you may not be further ahead in your career, business, or even in life altogether, take a good, long, hard look around you. More specifically at your friends…
Who do you surround yourself with? Who do you spend the majority of your free time with? And who do you (or do you not) share your dreams and aspirations with? Because, believe it or not, and as much as you’d like to separate your work from your friendships and personal life, it’s just a fact that your friends end up shaping your happiness, creativity and…career!
After all, we’re social beings, right? The people we know, and and hang around us, affect us, whether we like it or not. According to this 2014 study, friends can greatly influence each other’s choices. And that applies to our careers as well…
When it comes to the types of friends that will help your further your career, I tend to agree with Michelle Obama when she says this:
“We should always have three friends in our lives: one who walks ahead, who we look up to and follow; one who walks beside us, who is with us every step of our journey; and then, one who we reach back for and bring along after we’ve cleared the way”.
In my career, and through my experience with other corporate sisters, this is what it has meant over the years, in terms of the friends who can help you further your career:
The Girlfriend Who Inspires and Motivates You
That’s the friend you can call when your career seems to be heading straight to hell, with no layover or pit stop. I’m not talking about a crutch or a permanent shoulder to cry on, but rather a confidante who can help you get that pep back in your step.
It’s also the friend who herself is motivated, inspired and understands what it is to strive for more in your career and life. She’ll listen to your dreams and craziest ambitions without belittling them or making you feel like you’re being unrealistic. She’ll make you see possibility where you only have a vague inkling for something. And in her own life and career, she’ll model that hunger and ambition for herself and for other women.
The Girlfriend Who Shares Your Journey
You know that woman who’s been there by your side since you were sporting neon-colored skirts and had your straight bangs on? Yes, that one…The one who’s seen you through your ups and downs, having the jitters before marriage, struggling with pregnancy, and putting the kids’ diapers on the wrong way…
That’s the girlfriend who’s walking besides you and shares your journey as you both go through life and career. Granted, you may not always have kept in touch with that girl from high school or college, but you can certainly build new memories with new friends.
This woman will ground you and remind you of the little things to be grateful for, and the big things to look forward to. In the middle of the madness, she’ll be like your anchor, sharing the good times, struggles and a good glass of wine too…
The Girlfriend Who Looks Up to You
Now, this is not be in any ay condescending…But just as you need friends to inspire and mentor you, you also need to be able to give back…This is the woman you can help through the same struggles you’ve faced, the one you can give some advice to on getting that promotion, or adjusting to corporate politics…
It’s the woman you can guide through the doors you cross (and open), and the one who reminds you you’re not just doing all this work just for yourself. That others behind you are also benefiting from your dedication and success…
Do you have these three women friends in your life? Is it time to re-evaluate who surrounds you?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
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