Work Life Balance | Classy Career Girl

Networking Interview #10: How To Get Into the Fashion Industry

April 20, 2012 by Anna Runyan ·

Today in my networking challenge I am interviewing Jen Worman. Jen has a long career in the fashion industry with years of experience as a Merchandiser for big name brands. Jen and her sister started a jewelry design company called T+J designs. Jen also blogs at Red Soles and Red Wine. Thanks so much for sharing your tips Jen!

(PS. Sorry about the pounding…apparently someone decided to work on my roof that day!

In case you are reading this at work and can’t watch the video, you can read all of the great advice below instead!

1) What is the best part of having your own business?

The best part of having my own business is the fact that everything I do I feel rewarded by and I love what I do. Part of loving what I do is that I work with my family. I love that I get to see what happens when I make decisions and I learn a ton everyday. Owning your own business is definitely an adventure but so far it has been excellent. Everything I have learned in my previous job I have been able to move forward with owning my own business. We launched in August and worked on the collections before that. We gave ourselves a timeline – 3-4 months to see how it went and it has been going so well. We are extremely happy with our supporters and our customers

2) How did you make the decision to leave your job as a Merchandiser and start your own business?

I think everything happens for a reason and I lived in New York and my husband got an opportunity to come back to Chicago. When I moved to Chicago, I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do. I loved being a merchandiser and I was a merchandiser for 8 years. But, I couldn’t find anything that was a perfect fit here. I think after working in several companies you know that you want a job that is a good fit for you and you won’t just take anything that comes to you. A lot of the jobs were quite far away for traveling with the traffic and my dad is an entrepreneur. It was the best opportunity for me to think what do I really want to do. And I thought why don’t I do something on my own? My sister has had her own blog for three years and with my background in fashion and her expertise in blogging we came together. WE both love fashion and jewelry and it just all came together.

3) How can job searchers get into the fashion industry?

There are a lot of people in fashion and of course people say that you need to move to New York or LA. There are a ton of retailers out there right now. I think a good education is important. I definitely think going to a University is important and having a good background. Some people ask me, do I need to go to an art school? And you don’t necessarily have to go to an art school to learn design or merchandising. I think having a good background in business is fundamental if you want to get into merchandising. But, a big thing is networking. I think you see that in blogging. Getting to know people and it is word of mouth. Same thing in fashion, there is a small fashion community. Taking opportunities and using them to the best that you can. I did a lot of internships where I didn’t get paid but I learned a ton. Having experience is important even from sales or doing PR or volunteering for fashion shows. Those things are out there. LinkedIn is an important community as well as resource. A lot of recruiters find me from there. REally investigating what is out there instead of thinking it is just going to come to you.

4) How do you find the time to volunteer with a full time job?

I think that even if you do have a job and you are looking for something else, you should look at the pursuit as a job in itself. If it is something that you are really passionate about, you should take the time and plan out when you do it. It is like blogging, blogging is a second job because you have to plan out your regular schedule and when you are going to post things. And you have to love what you do. I loved fashion and merchandising and I think that is what really pushed me to succeed. Everything I did, didn’t feel like work.

5) How did your previous job experience prepare you to start your own business?

Being a merchandiser, you really control your own business. I worked on a $80 million business and I had to have quarterly plans. I worked with designers and traveled to Paris and london. It is very similar to owning your own business. I presented my retail plan and designs and how I was purchasing them to the executive team four times a year. It really prepared me to plan out my production cycle as well as think about why you are buying something. You are not buying something because you love it, you are buying it because you see opportunity in where it can go and what your customer loves. We also look at our analytics and figure out what do people love and what they are not loving.

6) What are your tips for surviving work travel trips?

Have a plan. Plan what you are going to do everyday. Sleeping is very important. I am a big fan of sleeping pills because if you don’t sleep you are not going to be able to work. Also, plan out what you wear so that you can pack light because you don’t want to haul around a bunch of stuff.

7) How do you find work life balance?

I think for life balance is important especially now that I am going to have a kid. I think even more planning and figuring out what my schedule is going to look like. Of course there is going to be some changes. But realizing that nothing is an emergency and things will always get done. Take time out of your day to do something for yourself. This is very important if you work for yourself since you could work 24 hours a day. Take time to do out and take a walk. Take a break like a lunch break. If you are sitting at your desk all day long sometimes you are less efficient. You get side tracked or bogged down. I am also a huge list maker which also helps you time out your day because you can figure out your priorities.

8 ) How do you manage your time to fit everything you need to do in during the day?

I am the organizer. What I love about technology these days is your have Skype and Facebook and Twitter and the phone. We are easily accessible even if we aren’t next to each other. The best technology for us has been Skype because you can see the jewelry and each other.

9) What do you wish you would have known when you were a young professional woman just starting out in her career?

You need to promote yourself. You are going to have great bosses and bosses your don’t love but but the only person that will speak to yourself and your goals and expectations and how well you are doing is you yourself. Really use your voice to show people that you know what you are doing and promoting yourself within the company and networking. Because no one else is going to do that for you. Have that confidence to say hey, I do a good job. I think sometimes people expect other people to do that for them but YOU need to push yourself.

10) If people want to learn more about you where can they find you online?

Our jewelry website is www.tplusjdesigns.com and my personal style blog is Red Soles and Red Wine.

Filed Under: how to network, Networking, Success, Work Life Balance | 2 Comments

Networking Interview #6: Time Management & Work Life Balance

March 23, 2012 by Anna Runyan ·

Today in my networking challenge I am interviewing ChaChanna Simpson. ChaChanna is a motivational speaker and small business and life coach for women entrepreneurs at her company, Your Stellar Star. I am so excited to share with you her tips about time management and stress so thank you ChaChanna!

In case you are reading this at work and can’t watch the video, you can read all of the great advice below instead!

1) What are your time management strategies and how can we complete all of our tasks in our day?

I like to talk about managing yourself better than managing your tasking. I think it is more that we know what we do, but we just don’t do it. When you have the excuse of you don’t have enough time, 1) when multi-tasking is multi failing. We put so many things on our plate because we want to get everything done. The internet has trained us that we have to get everything done now. But, you can’t get it all done and you aren’t really focusing on anything. So instead pick the top things that you can focus on. We also underestimate the time that something is going to take us. If you don’t limit the time of the project, it will take the entire day. So block out time and do the project from this time to this time and don’t put anything else on in the Internet. Also, think of the top three things that you need to get done each day and focus on those.

The other tip is especially for women, we have a tendency to let other people’s priorities come before ours because we want to help everybody. Many times we help other people that we don’t have enough time remaining to get our own jobs done. Sometimes, that can become a pattern because someone else can start expecting you to always help them. As women, we are afraid to say no sometimes because we don’t want to hurt other people’s feelings. But, they will be fine. You have to get your stuff done so just say no.

There are also a lot of tasks that will be on your daily tasks that you just hate. If you don’t want to do it, just take it off your list. Sometimes we think that just because we put it on our list, we have to get it done but you don’t. If it isn’t going towards your professional or personal goals, drop it. It’s OK, just drop it.

Also, at the beginning of the week, I list the things I want to accomplish for that week. I have primary tasks which are things that I must do, secondary tasks are not that important yet, but they will be and then I have ongoing tasks which happen every week and I have personal tasks so you don’t forget about yourself such as doing yoga or reading a book or something fun.

2) How can we recognize the signs of burnout and how can we eliminate burnout?

When I talk about burnout, I equate it with Superwoman. The workshop that I do is called Superwoman is dead. I call it that because we like to be everything and do everything for everyone. BUT, even Superwoman wasn’t Superwoman. She would have her powers for a certain amount of time and then they would go away. So why are we killing ourselves and trying to do everything? In organizations, sometimes there are only a few who are doing the work of the many and that can be really annoying. But you have to let go and let someone else do it. When women suffer from the Superwoman complex, it is really self inflicted. Your body will tell you when you are burning out. You will start to have headaches, physical ailments, colds, flus and you will get sleepless and depressed. So if you think you can just work through it, your body will shut down. It can affect your relationships and is not a good thing so if you are suffering try to relax. What you can do is start saying no and sit back.

Also, come up with a morning practice that works for you instead of jumping out of bed and going to your to do list. Wake up 15 minutes earlier and just lay there. Sit and prepare for the day and do meditation and enjoy the quiet for 15 minutes. Also, pick up a hobby or creative outlet to express yourself. You can change your eating and exercise habits can help you as well.

3) How can we build up your self-confidence so we can create the stellar life that we deserve?

Sometimes people are uncomfortable around you when you are confident and they don’t know what to do around you. Sometimes confidence is mistaken for being full of yourself but I really work hard to tell my clients that it is good to have confidence and high self esteem. Self-confidence is having belief in your talents and your abilities and if you don’t believe it, how is someone else going to believe it? Especially in your career, you have to be able to sell yourself. We need to put ourselves on the forefront and because men have no problem walking into a room and telling you how great they are. When women walk into a room, we will be quiet, meek , we won’t talk about our skills.

Start tracking and celebrating your wins. It doesn’t have to be life changing but we all have little wins throughout the day. Write down how your life was 1-3 years ago. And then write how it is now and how you have changed and how your life has changed positively. It may not change the world right now, but you are on track to changing your world. There are wins that you have that need to be celebrated and recognized. I also create a win folder and I collect things that motivate me. Also, ask your friends what they like and admire about you because we never see ourselves how other people see us. Write down what they say in your journal. And start saying thank you when someone compliments you!

4) What are your tips to starting a business while working full time?

Don’t quit and jump into the business. If you have never run a business before, it is going to take time to grow and when you don’t have money coming in, it can become extremely stressful. When you are starting your business, getting your time management together is a top priority. It is important that you make time to relax otherwise you are going to be really stressed out and that doesn’t make a good business person at all. Also, know what your goal is for your business. Is it just to do it part-time or to eventually make the leap from employee to entrepreneur? Until you know your destination, it is hard to figure out how to get there. I call it the stellar life vision, what does your business and life look like when it is as amazing as it is going to be? Figure out how you really want your life to be, not just your business but in your health, your finances and your relationships. Also, know who your clients are. Many people who start a business think that everyone is a client. But, everyone cannot be your client. There are clients there specifically just for you and you have to know where to find them and how to talk to them and you have to know what they want. Many times business owners give their clients what they thought they wanted and needed but they are completely wrong. I teach my clients to do surveys instead of guessing and being completely wrong.

Also, have financial goals. If you don’t have a number, how are you going to know when you hit your goal and how will you know what you need to do to get there? What products are you going to create? How much do you need to charge? Also, have networking goals because networking is extremely important. From networking can come strategic alliances and referrals. I tell my clients to go to networking events twice and month and to work on following up. So build that foundation so that when you do take that leap, you can be successful.

5) This question I ask at the end of all of my interviews, what do you wish you would have known when you were a young professional woman just starting out in her career?

I wish I would have known that the career I started in didn’t necessarily have to be the career I stopped with. I was really stressed when I started out because I picked this plan and it wasn’t working and I didn’t really like it as much as I thought I would. I didn’t really know that I could be flexible. I wish I would have known that I could have left that path earlier and gone on and done something else. There is freedom in your career and you don’t have to stick with one career. You can be so many things, you don’t have to stick with any one career.

6) If people want to learn more about you where can they find you online?

You can stalk ChaChanna at so many places! The main place is at her website, Your Stellar Star or Twitter.

What tip from the interview are you going to implement?

Filed Under: motivation, organization, personal development, Productivity, time management, women at work, Work Life Balance | 3 Comments

The Top 3 Ways to To Stay Motivated At Work

January 20, 2012 by Anna Runyan ·

It’s Friday so there is a good chance you are pretty unmotivated to do a lot of work today before the weekend hits. Today, Kristin Mullen is going to help us learn how to start our day right so that we can beat procrastination and boredom. Kristin is an author who writes guest posts on the topics of business, marketing, credit cards, and personal finance. Additionally, she works for a website that focuses on educating readers about consolidating debt.

Procrastinating can be a very easy thing to do when you’re supposed to be working. I know this from personal experience because I work from home and don’t have someone looking over my shoulder to make sure I’m being productive. On the other hand, I also know that working in an office or other place of business can also be distracting. No matter where you work, you might find it hard to stay motivated every day. The following are just a few tips that have worked for me in the past. They may not all apply or work for your job, but my hope is that you find at least one of them to help you stay motivated at work.

1) Start Your Day in the Right State of Mind.

As soon as you wake up in the morning, think of something you are looking forward to that day at work. This will start you off in a good mood that should last throughout the day. With motivation, attitude is everything, so if your attitude toward your work is positive, it is much easier to stay motivated. From there, get out of bed and get ready to start your day. Even if you work from home, you should still get ready, take a shower, and put on nice clothes. When you wear your pajamas or sweat pants to your home office, you really aren’t preparing yourself for your work day. Most people will need to put themselves in the right state of mind in order to work properly.

Also, start off with a good breakfast to keep your energy up. When a person skips breakfast, they are much more likely to lose their energy throughout the day, which usually leads to a lack of motivation in the afternoon. A large breakfast and a healthy lunch will be much better for your energy level than those 5 hour energy drinks or countless cups of coffee.

Finally, make sure you take a few minutes each morning for you. Watch your favorite morning show, read a book, or hop on the treadmill. Take some time to do something you enjoy and don’t think about work until you are finished. If you do happen to think about work during your morning activities, try to make those thoughts as positive as possible. Thoughts like I really don’t want to work today will only cause you to dread the day ahead of you, and this will usually end in an unproductive day.

2) Create a Comfortable Work Space

No matter where you work, you should make sure you are comfortable there. Don’t make it so comfortable that you want to fall asleep, but make sure you are happy when you sit down at your desk. Put up pictures from your latest vacation and set a few knick knacks on your desk, but make sure your decorations aren’t too distracting. If you work from home, crate a space that is used for work and nothing else. That way, when you are done for the day, you can leave your work in its proper place, which leads me to my next tip.

3) Leave Your Work at Work

This can be especially difficult when you work from home, but that is why it is so important that you have your own work space. When you try working from your bed, for example, you condition your brain to think that the bed is a place for work and not necessarily for rest. Then, when you go to bed at night, you may find yourself thinking about work instead of sleeping. Find a place in your home where you can work comfortably, and then, at the end of the day, shut the door and leave those tasks for tomorrow.

Sometimes, bringing work home with you from your place of business can also cause a lack of motivation. When you set outrageous goals and aren’t able to get them done in a day, you might feel defeated and decide to take work home with you to finish what you have started. If at all possible, you should avoid this habit. Your home should be a place of relaxation. It may not feel like this all the time, with kids screaming, laundry to do, and dinner to cook, but those are the tasks you need to finish at home. When you stay motivated at work long enough to reach accomplishable goals, you can leave your work for the day, and come home to what is most important: your family.

How do you stay motivated at work?

(photo credit: Planet of Success)

Filed Under: motivation, Work Life Balance | 2 Comments

Going Back To School? 5 Must Read Tips For Your Significant Other

January 6, 2012 by Anna Runyan ·

Today’s post, written by Erica Moss, is for those of us who are married/dating someone who is in grad school. Erica Moss is the social media outreach coordinator for Georgetown University’s online Masters in Nursing program, which has one of the nation’s leading online nurse practitioner programs. She also loves exploring New York City, photography and meeting new people.

When my husband received his acceptance letter from a top MBA school in New York City, I was ecstatic. All of his hard work was finally paying off, and we would be starting a new adventure in one of the greatest cities in the world. But it’s not always unicorns and rainbows, and my husband tried to mentally prepare me for the grueling class schedule, intense recruiting period and happy-hour-a-day culture that we would encounter. But it’s tough to truly wrap your brain around the express train that is business school until you’re in the thick of it, holding on for dear life.

So for those who are just starting the process and wondering what to expect — and for those who have been through it and need a good laugh — here are a few nuggets of wisdom I’ve gathered along the way. Whether you’re in business school or getting a doctorate of education or business, these should be helpful:

During orientation week, life will feel like a never-ending frat party. Like the mother who fosters a connection with her newborn in the first month of its life, the week before school starts is a crucial bonding period for new b-school students. As such, his or her every waking hour will be occupied by pep rallies, cluster/block (groups of students) competitions, pre-happy hours and more. As the student’s better half, you’ll be encouraged to attend any event you can, and you’ll soon find yourself wondering how you’ll ever be able to keep up with their schedule and yours. It gets better (somewhat), but it can be exhausting to push through that first week.
Expect to get less help with chores around the house. My husband is recruiting in banking, which is notorious for being one of the biggest time-suck processes for any b-school student, including countless hours of schmoozing, informational interviews and writing thank-you notes. So when he leaves the house at 9 a.m. and doesn’t get home till 11 p.m., it can be tough to ask him to do something like take out the trash. It is not, however, a Get Out of Jail Free card for the entire two years, and it is OK to expect him or her to be a productive member of your household. My advice: Pick your battles, and keep reminding yourself that your b-school student is also sacrificing a lot for the greater good of your future together.
All business school students suffer from FOMO. It’s the fear of missing out, and most are powerless against it. The thought of not being able to talk about that crazy (insert ridiculous story here) thing that happened at Jake’s Dilemma the following day in your Corporate Finance class is almost unbearable. And it’s important to understand that while attending each and every event isn’t feasible, there is value in the relationships he or she is building at these social events. They are, arguably, more important than anything they’re learning in class because it’s helping to build the foundation for a network that will be fostered throughout the rest of his or her career. It’s OK to push back if it’s becoming too much, because your life as a couple is important, too, but keep in mind: It really is about much more than drinking and casual conversations.
They’ll welcome you with open arms. I may as well be pursuing my MBA at this point, because I have become fully entrenched in the community. My husband’s fellow students are Facebook friends of mine, they offered to connect me with their former colleagues when I was job hunting, and they usually ask where I am if he attends an event without me. This isn’t me tooting my own horn; it’s simply to illustrate the idea that these people have embraced me as one of their own, and really helped make the transition to business school student’s wife a bearable — and enjoyable — one. With all they have going on, it would be easy for them not to make an effort, but that just isn’t the case.
Communicate till you’re blue in the face. In general, my husband and I have always had open lines of communication. We swap work frustrations, family drama, celebrity gossip and more. But something happened as soon as that first class started, and soon he was coming and going, not knowing which way was up, and certainly not organized enough to let me know whether he’d be home at 1 p.m. or 1 a.m. It felt chaotic, it felt out of control, and I felt like, God forbid there was an emergency, I’d have no sense of where on the island of Manhattan he might be. So we started talking more about his schedule. In the morning, I’ll often ask him what’s on his plate for the day, and not only does it give me a general idea of where he’ll be, but it also shows that I’m interested in what he’s got going on. We even ended up sharing a Google Calendar that I can pull up and see, “Oh, that’s right, I shouldn’t expect him for dinner tonight because he has an event in Midtown.” I don’t need to know where he is every second of the day, by any stretch, but by keeping those lines of communication open, it helps things run more smoothly.

I’d love to hear about the experiences of other significant others: Was your transition a challenging one? Did anything surprise you? Let us know in the comments.

Filed Under: Grad School, relationship, time management, Work Life Balance | 6 Comments

Work Life Balance: How to Deal With Stress at Work

October 25, 2011 by Anna Runyan ·

We all feel a bit stressed from time to time. Whether you’re fed up with your computer being on a permanent freeze mode or trying to get a seat on the train during your morning commute, work can be stressful. However, when stress really festers and starts to get too much, it can make your work life unbearable. But, there are ways to stop yourself from reaching that point.

Believe it or not but sometimes stress can be a positive thing. If you have a big project and your workplace is buzzing with lots to do, it can help you to be more creative and efficient. And we’d all be bored without a little bit of pressure, right? The key is to know when the stress because too intense to deal with.

Here are several different reasons why stress may be too intense to deal with:

Demands

If you feel that you have too much on your plate or don’t feel confident that you can complete your assigned work, it can lead to stress. Before it gets too intense, speak with your boss or HR department about obtaining extra training to help you with your assigned tasks. Also, review the work and see whether it would be better suited to share with a colleague. By facing the problem and talking about it openly, you can deal with the stress before it takes hold.

Support

Do you feel alone at work? If you don’t have anyone you can talk to at work, it can lead to workplace stress similar to a bullied kid in the playground – and it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. If you can, find someone you can confide in – whether it’s a colleague, someone in HR or find the courage to tell your boss. It is their job to ensure you have the support you need and they must make arrangements to ensure your voice is heard.

Role

If you’re not exactly sure what your role entails and your workload varies wildly from one day to the next, your uncertainties can cause a lot of worry and stress. You should always have a clear job description and your role should follow it closely. Although we are all expected to do what is necessary to make the business thrive, your job shouldn’t involve things far beyond your experience and knowledge – that’s unfairly placing stress on your shoulders. If this is the case, speak with your manager for the reasons why they’re doing this (they may be valid) and if there is an end in sight.

Does my employer have to deal with my stress?

Definitely. An employer has duties under health and safety law to assess and take measures to control risks from work-related stress.

This post is sponsored by Total Jobs, a leading job site that offers a wide range of jobs from engineering jobs to environment jobs.

Photo Source ( 1 , 2)

Filed Under: time management, Work Life Balance | 8 Comments

Everything You NEED To Know Before Entering the Professional World (Part I)

September 28, 2011 by Anna Runyan ·

One thing I learned from participating at Girls World Expo last weekend is that teen girls are SO hungry for advice. They want to hear everything you have to say and learn from your mistakes so that they can succeed. If you know of a girl 11-18, please share this post with them! Thank you for sharing your career and life advice for young girls on this post (CLICK HERE)! I had so much fun at Girls World Expo and I will be sharing all of your advice with the girls over the next year.

Here is your college and life advice for young girls!!

Never stop learning. Study hard, work hard and eventually you’ll be able to play hard. Be kind to everyone you meet. Aim high. Challenge yourself, daily. Study abroad. Work for free. Start building your resume in high school. Never throw away a business card. Take chances. But, most importantly, be yourself.” -Jennifer Straub
When I was younger, I rejected anything mainstream and what my parents defined as “normal”. I will never regret being myself, but I do wish I was less stubborn and more open minded. Even if I truly did not like the idea/music/tv/clothing/etc. presented to me, learning about something beyond the boundaries of my world would have only enriched it. Also, work hard at everything you do – but remember to take time for yourself. Burning out before you graduate college is not the best way to enter the real world! -Nicole Martin from Employed Panache
I wish I would have had learned more about finances. And the implications of taking out student loans to pay for school and living expenses. I think educating young women on finances, debt and the importance of working through college, attending a less expensive school or earning scholarships and grants in order to fund ones education. I wish someone would have helped me with. I believe that we must teach girls to be able to take care of themselves and not rely solely on debt. – Ashlee
Something I wish I had done is to start working/temping in an HR related field while I was studying towards my HR degree. After obtaining my qualification I still had no clue what a day in my industry looked like, which made it really tough to find a good entry level position. I bet my course material would also have made more sense to me if I could put into the context of an actual job. I would have known a few business contacts by the time I graduated. -Kobie
I wish I would have known the importance of being organized and sending follow-up letters (back then, we used snail mail and our letters were either hand-written or typed). We had less technology to remind us of things back then and there was a tendency to forget to send follow up letters. – Gloria at All Things Digital Marketing
They should look into what opportunities are available for advancement. I wish I had know it was going to be difficult to move up in my job. If I had, I may have choosen a different job within the same field. And if they are ever offered an internship, take it! These often lead to job offers. – Michelle at Reading Escapes

So much great advice! I will be continuing to post your great advice next week! Stay tuned! What is your career and life advice for young girls? What do you wish you would have known before going to college and entering the real world?

(And here is me at my booth at the Girls World Expo!)

Filed Under: How to Find a Job, motivation, personal development, Work Life Balance | 13 Comments

A Must Watch Video For ALL Working Women

September 21, 2011 by Anna Runyan ·

Stop whatever you are doing right now and watch THIS VIDEO (CLICK HERE) of the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg.

The video is a MUST SEE for all working women (or soon to be working women) about why we have too few women leaders. Women are not making it to the top of any industry and the numbers have not moved since 2002, even going in the opposite direction. How do we change these numbers? Keep women in the workforce. Sit at the table. Don’t quit before you quit. And don’t underestimate our own abilities, especially in negotiating our first salaries! Watch the video and let me know what you think!

The video was sent to me by Natalie at The Bobby Pin (Thanks Natalie!). I asked her to give us a little synopsis of the video and what she thought:

Women like Sheryl Sandberg who “do it all” and willingly explain how they got there inspire me. She’s a COO of one of the most talked about companies in the world, and she left Google to go there. She’s a wife to a CEO and a mother.

She reminds me of a new wave of feminism that says, “OK, we’ve crushed through the legislative issues of the glass ceiling. Now it is up to us to take what’s ours.” We have to be willing to sit at the table, we have to assert ourselves as equals. We have to stay committed to the job — and not leave early if we think we might have a life change coming up.

I’ve seen women pull back if they are thinking of starting a family, or if they are unsure of their skills. We can learn from the opposite gender here — men don’t do that. Just like if you are running a marathon, you push and push until the finish line. It bucks our mentality to make sure everything stays perfect, i.e. if you don’t take on a project because you are thinking of having a baby and the project has a deadline a year from now, you are thinking of the team. But truthfully, if you aren’t pregnant, and you already stop taking on projects, you slow down your progress.

I love that Sheryl Sandberg is out there talking about this and inspiring women to sit at the table. We can’t go anywhere but up.

What do you think about the video? Why do you think we have too few women leaders? Would it be a better world if 50% of all companies and countries were led by women?

Filed Under: motivation, women at work, Work Life Balance | 3 Comments

Work Life Balance: Why Staying Healthy Can Improve Your Life

September 15, 2011 by Anna Runyan ·

I know, most of us were too busy watching the latest episodes of the Bachelor Pad to find time to work out this week. But we should, right? Today, Pasha Lubeck, a health buff and single mother of two young boys, tells us why we should exercise regularly. Pasha works at Kichler Superstore and always joins in on company sports activities! Do you?

One of the classic excuses why people give up exercise is that they don’t have the luxury of time to do so. As workaholic career women, we subconsciously neglect the most important asset for us to reach our goals in life – our health. As a career woman myself, juggling time between my daily workload and my wonderful kids (I’m a single mom, by the way) gives me almost zero opportunity to take care of myself. But I have realized that balancing my day-to-day activities should not hinder me from keeping myself healthy. This is because my physical and mental health has a direct effect on the outcome of what I do in my professional and personal lives.

Here are 5 reasons why working out and staying healthy can benefit you:

Lack of exercise can increase your risk of getting a heart disease. We already know this. Doctors have told us. TV shows have told us. It’s no longer a surprise that working out is good for your cardio. We experience a lot of stress at work and at home, and this kind of stress can have an adverse effect in our heart. According to the Mayo Clinic website, getting the habit of a regular exercise for at least 30 minutes every day can greatly reduce your chances of having a heart disease. Combining this with healthy food intake and lifestyle can provide you with even more favorable result. Here’s the good news: you don’t have to actually go to the gym to do your daily workout. There are various everyday activities that you can perform to accomplish this. Walking the dog, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or the escalator, walking instead of commuting or driving – these can all work for your own health benefit.
Exercise can help you control stress. Stress, whether we like it or not, is a constant part of our daily lives. One of the best ways of relieving stress is by working out. It eases the tension in your muscles and relaxes your brain. The website Holisticonline.com tells us that exercise is a good way for us to vent our negative feelings and emotions, such as anger, disappointment and bad temper, and replaces them with good vibes and positive disposition. Of course, make sure that the workout routine you choose is something that you enjoy. With exercise, we focus on what we like to do; we tend to rest our brain from worrying and give it time to repair itself, which, in the long run, helps us cope with stress.
Exercise can improve your concentration and mental alertness. Because you know how to manage every day stress which results in a healthy state of mind and positive well-being, your concentration and alertness also improve. You become sharper and more focused in performing your daily tasks if you have a worry-free lifestyle. The health benefits of exercise and how it positively affects the brain is discussed on the website of The Franklin Institute. According to their studies, bodily movement and physical exercise boost oxygen intake and heart rate which results in more blood circulation to the brain. Simple exercises, such as walking, are not strenuous to the leg muscles which mean more blood supply to the brain. This is why we feel more focused and alert after a good workout.
Exercise can make you look younger. Learning to live in a stress-controlled environment and having a positive outlook in life can definitely reflect on your physical attributes. A worry-free life can make you look years younger that your actual age. According to an article on UK’s The Sunday Times, a study shows that active adults can look younger by up to nine years compared to inactive ones. This is probably the result of a lower risk in illnesses such as heart diseases, diabetes and cancer which can be prevented through regular exercise.
Exercise can help you find a job. If you are spending a lot of your day searching for a job, you should definitely incorporate working out into your daily routine. Working out can help you improve your confidence which will help you nail your next interview and make you more confident when networking with your future boss!

A healthy lifestyle can do wonders in your everyday life. It does not only provide you with a positive energy to whatever you do for a living, it also immensely affects your relationship to other people – be it at work or at home. With these reasons, one has absolutely no excuse why he/she should not start working out today!

Does working out improve your life?

(photo by lululemon)

Filed Under: Work Life Balance | 8 Comments

Personal Development: How To Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

August 18, 2011 by Anna Runyan ·

If you feel like you are stuck in a rut, this post is for you! The author, Cheryl Rhody, has an appetite for ambition, a vivid imagination and an enthusiasm for public relations, marketing, digital media and ultimately brand amplification. You can connect with her on Linkedin or follow her on Twitter @CherylHRhody.

Let’s face it. We are creatures of habit and often find ourselves getting quite comfortable in our daily routines. While the security of the predictable can be quite soothing, more often than not we are actually in a rut.

The hardest part in letting go of the proverbial “safety blanket” is to first recognize it as an obstacle to growth and development. These bumps in the road can be as obvious as getting out of a bad relationship or making a major cross-country, career change to those that require smaller leaps of faith such as trying a different restaurant or picking up a new hobby.

No matter how big or small the change, the only thing that matters is that you have to take action and start somewhere! In my personal experience, the more often I take myself out of my “comfort zone” on a daily basis, the easier it gets for me to ultimately make those seemingly dreadful “life-changing” decisions.

Getting started is easier than you think! The recipe for thinking outside of your box is simple: Add a dash of creativity, a hint of curiosity, a pinch of courage and mix well.

Here are a few of my favorite exercises in creativity that help me expand my horizons:

Try on a new pair of shoes: Take a look at the situation from a variety of unique and diverse perspectives. Try to envision yourself in someone else’s shoes. How would that person act? What choice would they make? By viewing the situation in a different light, you can often spot out choices or solutions you would have normally overlooked as being possibilities.
Think in reverse: Instead of viewing something from beginning to end, think backwards! Ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish? By having an end goal in sight, the puzzle pieces often fall more easily into place.
Map out a plan of action: You wouldn’t go on a road trip with a map, right? Navigating your way through life shouldn’t be any different! Start by making a list of personal qualities, ambitions, goals, fears, desired characteristics and what makes you ultimately happy. It will be much easier to reach your destination if you know where you are going and what you’re looking for in life.
Explore new environments: Change your scenery! Go outside, explore a new city, travel a different route — just switch things up! A new backdrop can spark your imagination and provide you with a different perspective.
Be child-like: Barriers and obstacles often don’t exist to children because they have yet to encounter them. Make it a habit to question things and discover new and even better solutions or facts about things. Think about what potential obstacles stand in your way. Then remove them from the equation. You might just find that they aren’t truly standing in your way after all!
Try, then try again: The willingness to explore new ideas or ways of thinking not only requires a great deal of courage, but it also involves a dose of acceptance. The fear of failure can be paralyzing. But you can’t fail if you don’t try. Recognizing that you made a mistake is a powerful opportunity for you to growth and to avoid making the same mistake twice. Keep in mind that when you are searching for the answer to a question or the solution for a problem, there is often more than one “correct” outcome. It’s a matter of finding the best fit.

Breaking down your personal barriers to change may appear to be a daunting task. It can be overwhelming and uncomfortable, both mentally and physically. However, by taking control of your life and exposing yourself to the world around you, an environment that breeds success and fulfillment is created. Ultimately, isn’t that better than living in a cardboard container?

photo by derekskey

Readers, how do you step out of your comfort zone?

Filed Under: How to Find a Job, personal development, Work Life Balance | 7 Comments

How to Manage Your Relationship and Your Career

July 5, 2011 by Anna Runyan ·

Today’s guest post is all about maintaining a strong relationship with your significant other even though you are very busy with no spare time!. Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com or by leaving a comment on this post.

As many of us know, maintaining a strong and happy relationship with a significant other when one or both members of the relationship are busy with a separate career life can be an extremely difficult endeavor. With busy schedules, giant career goals, endless side projects, and so much more, a boyfriend or husband can become more of a stress factor than a source of relief for the classy career girl. While preserving a healthy relationship when you are married to your career and aspirations can be difficult, it does not have to be impossible. Follow these four tips to help manage your relationship alongside your career without letting either suffer.

Be Flexible – One of the most important aspects of a relationship is being able to relax with your significant other after a long day at work. However, as we all know, relationships don’t always encourage relaxation. Be sure to be flexible and easy going with your relationship on days where work is especially stressful. As difficult as it can be, be sure to leave your work stresses at work. Come home to your significant other and relax. Don’t stress when plans fall through or don’t go as planned. Your dates are not a work assignment, so you do not have to be a perfectionist about them. Keeping your work stresses separate from your personal life will benefit not only your relationship, but also your work life. Try hard to also keep relationship stresses out of your work life. While compartmentalizing these two endlessly important aspects of your life can be challenging, it is essential to leading a healthy and happy professional and personal life.
Do the Little Things Together – Not every minute that you spend with your significant other has to be a four course meal and a movie. You have to tone down your expectations. Just because you can’t spend all of your time with him, doesn’t mean that the time you do spend with him has to live up to fairytale status always. Do the little things together, so that you can be together more often. Plan to go to the grocery store together, make dinner together, have a spring cleaning day together, and get lunch together during the work day. These little events may seem small or insignificant, but they can be key to staying connected to your boyfriend or husband when you have limited spare time.
Plan Bigger Outings- While doing the small things together is important and key for the busy career oriented couple, planning big outings and events with one another occasionally is important. Find a weekend or holiday that you will have some time away from work and take a small (or not so small) vacation with your beau. Plan a weekend full of big meals and fancy dates. Go dancing. Spice things up and keep things interesting. As a busy working lady, it can be easy to forget to stop and take some time off for yourself and your loved one. Take a break to really pamper each other away from your professional lives.
Learn To Spend Time Alone- While this may sound counterproductive for an article about maintaining a healthy relationship with a significant other, spending some time with yourself is really important for a busy career woman. You need to be able to spend time by alone away from your profession and away from your relationship every now and again. Take this time to think about things. Reflect on your career goals, think about your significant other, and take time for yourself. Learning to be able to spend time apart from one each other even when you could be together is important. You can’t expect to spend all of your spare time away from your job with your significant other. That is too much pressure for him and too stressful for you. Relax on your own.

Readers – How do you maintain strong relationships while managing your busy schedules and career goals?

(Photo by Unlisting Sightings)

Filed Under: etiquette, relationship, Work Life Balance | 9 Comments