Tag: corporate

2021: Second Quarter Goals

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We are already halfway through Q2 but I still wanted to take a moment to share my goals for this quarter. By setting quarterly goals for myself I’m able to actually stick to the goals I set for myself better than if I set goals at the beginning of the year. So much can change in a year so this gives me the chance to re-evaluate every 3 months and set new goals or continue with previous goals if needed.

My goals for Q2 are:

  • Spend at least 30 minutes everyday doing something that I enjoy. I was originally just going to make a goal of spending 30 minutes outside everyday but I want to push myself more than just that. I want to dedicate time everyday to some sort of self-care. That could be taking a walk, reading a book, or working on my garden. Whatever it is I want to be in the mindset of setting this time aside for just me.
  • Work on my nighttime routine. I’ve really been focusing on doing things every night that relax me and set me up for success for the next day. Right now my routine is to log off of work, walk Oscar, make dinner, do the dishes, read Harry Potter while drinking tea, and then shower and go to bed. I try not to watch any tv Monday-Friday and to limit my screen time.
  • Be a positive change at work. I’ve complained about my job for long enough but haven’t done anything really to change the situation. I’m determined to be part of the positive changes that are going to happen on my team. I will be supportive of my teammates and will work hard to be an asset to my team. I also want to make sure that I’m not burning myself out anymore with super long workweeks. I deserve the vacation time that I’m always pushing my teammates to take too.
  • Be patient with myself. This year has been really hard mentally and I’ve brought a lot of it upon myself. I’ve been so hard on myself because I had a goal and I didn’t reach that goal. I feel like I’m drowning in my own expectations sometimes and I need to take a step back and be patient with myself. Good things take time.
  • Continue taking a break from social media. My life is so much better without the constant comparison game that is social media. I’ve eased back into it a bit but I really don’t miss it so I don’t see myself getting sucked completely back in.

You might notice that my goals aren’t that hard this quarter and that’s because I really am trying to cut myself some slack. I’m doing the very best that I can and that’s okay.

How are you doing? Do you have any goals this quarter/month/year?

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

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Making Work-Life Balance Happen

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I’ve mentioned a few times before that I’m a workaholic but basically all I did in 2020 was work and now I’m burnt out and don’t quite know how to fix it.

My company wants us to have work-life balance but we’ve grown so much in the past few years that it just doesn’t feel possible anymore. In order to keep up with the demand we are all working long hours and I don’t see an end in sight. I love the company I work for and the team I’m on but I’m so tired every day and I really just want to be able to take a lunch break or a vacation day without feeling guilty.

In general I’ve been questioning work-life balance. I haven’t been sleeping well because I have anxiety dreams about work and I can’t shut them off. I’m worried about my to-do list, I’m worried I’m missing an e-mail because there are too many, I’m worried about training others while trying to learn new things myself. I’m worried that I will burn out for real before I even turn 30.

2021 has to be the year that I figure this out. I need to take all my vacation days without feeling guilty. I need to have a normal amount of responsibilities. I need to put my mental health first. And most of all, I need to work normal hours because working this much is not healthy.

In 2019 I wrote a post about how my dream job was no longer a specific job. Instead it was a team, my team. I still love my team SO much but I don’t know if it’s enough anymore. 2019 was the best year of work for me. I was in a great place but 2020 changed everything and I don’t know how to go back.

Have you been able to make work-life balance? How do you put your needs first?

Photo by Kevin Bhagat on Unsplash

It’s Okay to be an Introvert

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It's Okay To Be An Introvert

 

Hello, again!

Last week I went to a training class for work and it got me thinking a lot about different personality styles. Where I work, most people seem to be extroverted. They all like gathering and socializing with each other. I, on the other hand, am an introvert so many times I feel like an outsider because I don’t always like to socialize. I find that talking sometimes drains my energy and makes me feel really tired.

I tried to explain this to a family member once and she basically told me to suck it up and made me feel like it’s not okay to be like this. For a long time I really beat myself up over it. I hated being the shy girl and feeling like an outcast all the time. I just wanted to make friends and be like everyone else. But as I have grown older I have realized that I cannot change the way I am. I just have to embrace my differences and communicate them to my co-workers and family members.

It’s almost been a year since I have been hired and I think people are finally starting to get it. I now have work friends and they have just come to understand that sometimes I do need my alone time to re-energize and re-group. I’m not being anti-social I just have different needs than they do.

I still remember my first day of work. I started my day with walking around the whole company and meeting the 100+ employees. We chatted and exchanged names and job roles. It was really nice to meet everyone and I am so glad I got to do it but the second I got home I went straight to bed. I was exhausted!

I know that I am not the only person who feels this way. I met another introvert at training and we talked about how hard it is to be this way in the corporate world. But we also talked about all of the amazing things too. I feel like I really understand how others are feeling, I am able to watch their emotions and put myself in their shoes. I just have time to really focus on others even though I seem stuck inside my own head.

I do understand that it is not always easy to be an extrovert either. All I am saying, is that sometimes this world makes it seem like it’s a bad thing to be an introvert. Like there is something wrong with you, but I have learned that it is okay. It’s okay to be an introvert. It’s okay to need alone time or to just want to sit and watch other people socialize. I can easily gain and lose energy from those around me so I am very careful with who I surround myself with.

I hope this helps you understand yourself a bit better or maybe someone that you know. Just remember, it may seem like someone is shy and “anti-social” but maybe they are really just more introverted than you are. It’s okay to not try to change who you are to fit a certain mold. Try to look at someone and really figure what makes them tick. It’s really insightful to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

I’m thinking about doing a post on tips for surviving the corporate world. Let me know if that sounds even remotely interesting and thanks again for reading!

 

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