Blog

5/20/21
Will the hybrid model kill the culture and productivity of your team?

With the hybrid model here to stay, there is fear that a sense of common purpose, belonging, and shared identity will be lost if teams don’t spend a substantial amount of time together at the office. This will affect productivity and profits.

I have experience working in a hybrid model for seven years; in an unpredictable client-facing role.

It CAN work and be beneficial. And it IS risky too. 

My sense of belonging and well-being was the highest when I was working the least amount of hours in the office. 

The sense of belonging, purpose and common identity is not really dependent on the amount of time you spend together. Keep reading to learn more

 

5/6/21
Leaders are underestimating the resistance they'll face in a few months.
And there's a lot they can do NOW to make it smoother THEN...

My daughter started 5-days of school.
By the end of week one, she's laying on the floor saying how hard it is to go to school AGAIN...

✅ She is a 2-grader who does well at school, so it's easy for her.

✅ Her commute is 10 minutes.

✅ She doesn't have many responsibilities after school.


Now, imagine people who...

🎯 Are exhausted from staying at home for the last 18 months (or who got comfortable and now have to change that).
🎯 Have to deal with the office politics and interactions.
🎯 Are adjusting to the hybrid work model and figuring out the new rules of engagement.
🎯 Worry about the health and safety of themselves and their families.
🎯 Commute for 1 hour or more.
🎯 Schlepp kids to multiple activities after work (we misremember what's that like.

Some argue it'll be harder to transition OUT of the remote work than it was to transition IN (that one was kind of like giving birth, whether you want it or not, it's happening).

Huge pressure is on leaders and line managers and there are steps they can do right now to make it easier, like auditing and assessing, planning, and effectively communicating.

Read here some of the questions that leaders can be asking themselves now!

 

4/16/21
A few crucial points you maybe missing when it comes to mental well-being of your employees

COVID and the pandemic moved mental health to the top of the leaders’ list. 

You may be thinking, "I am blessed, my team is fine, so it does not pertain to me". And this may be true, and this is great! And yet, I would urge you not to think that this is some “special” case for “broken” people. 

Statistics show that half of us will encounter some sort of mental issues in our lives and there is a wide spectrum of what mental strain could look like. 

I would not want you to assume that your team is doing “fine” until someone snaps and it’s too late.

Keep reading for a summary and my analysis of a McKinsey Co. live webcast on mental health issues.


2/18/21
How to gently address the mental health issue in companies and get through the pandemic wall
 
Companies have an unprecedented amount of responsibility for managing mental health of employees at present time.

This requires leaders to engage their empathy muscle and coaching skills like never before.

❓What can leaders do AND what support they may need❓

Learn more about Why Mental Health is Important Now and What You Can Do As A Leader... keep reading

 

 


2/11/21
What stops you from being on top of your game and what to do with it?

-You are about to have an important phone call and right before it you get a negative piece of news from a client or your child throws a fit (it happens a lot for me lately with working and learning from home). 

-You are trying to coach a team-member and instead of helping them you unexpectedly send them into a downward spiral of anxiety and self-doubt.

-You are trying to do your best at work and manage your team after the months of exhausting pandemic experience while you’re told you will be working from home until 2022 (or something like this). 

-Your colleague makes a snarky and unwarranted passive-aggressive remark towards you during a high-profile meeting.

All these are real-life scenarios that can throw you off your top game. You are a human after all.

But what exactly prevents us from being like Spock in StarTrek, keeping a cool head and laser-focused decisive action? [Oh, yes, he, too, was affected by his human ancestry.] Keep reading to learn about how we self-sabotage ourselves!

Curious to know your saboteurs?
Take the free and easy test here

2/4/21
How to reduce stress and thrive during pandemic and beyond.
Five practical tips from a “Gold-Star CEO”

As the companies start planning the return to a “new normal”, the are a lot of questions on leadership minds:

  "How to avoid burnout of my team?"
  "How to keep any productivity gains achieved during the pandemics and alleviate the inefficiencies?"
  "What should the “new normal” look like? How flexible should be the schedule and arrangements?"

Deloitte reports that 90% of CEOs put the mental health of employees as one of the top items. One CEO's experience during the pandemic provides a lot of practical tips and answers many of these questions.

With his permission, I am sharing some of the nuggets. Read on...

 

10/15/20
Conscious managers, for best results, ride on the “hoodie wave” 

You know your people are overwhelmed by the work-life juggle (frankly, you are too). 

“What can I do as a leader beyond showing empathy and encouraging them to take time-off?” a woman asked during a recent brainstorming conversation.

 
A quick note on why it’s important to support your employees, especially now (I am likely stating the obvious). Keep reading...


10/8/20
How to access your superpowers at work!

I still remember the feeling of palms sweating and stomach dropping when being put on the spot in the corporate setting.

"You’ve been in this industry for years, you’ve achieved a lot so you "should" know! What’s wrong with you?” (this dialogue was happening inside my head).

In other cases I felt like Neo in a slow-mo scene of The Matrix: confident, my responses flowed and created constructive conversations and lead to the opportunities.

What's the differentiating factor? Read on...

 


10/1/20
How to get what you need (there is a strategy)!

Your boss asks you “How are you doing?"  

Should you tell the truth if you feel overwhelmed?

Workers everywhere are having a tough time. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau reports over 40% of adults having symptoms of anxiety or depression by mid-July.

My recent discussions with working moms showed that juggling work-life is part of internal dialogue for many. Here are some things that might’ve come up for you or for the people who work for you:

  • I need help in understanding how to manage things at work and at home, but I am afraid to admit it.
  • I am reluctant to utilize the offered schedule accommodations because I may be singled out, or appear that I don’t have it all together.
  • My workplace is supportive but will they practice what they preach?
  • Work and life are much more intertwined, which makes it emotionally difficult to manage both (as one woman put it, “Before I could just put on work clothes and go. Now I can no longer 'pretend”'I am not also a mother, especially if your child shows up during a zoom call.”)

Despite reading Brene Brown, no-one wants to show up vulnerable in Corporate America. 

Most psychologists interviewed for a recent WSJ article advised against too much sharing. 

But denying the problem and sweeping it under the rug will only take you so far.

I believe that being open and sincere at work is desired and will benefit all the parties (employee, manager, and the organization). It should be promoted as part of the culture by leaders who want to have long-term business success and employee engagement.

There is a strategy... (read on)

 

9/24/20


My 7-year old daughter asked me"So did you share it?"

Me:"What?"

Her: "What I said!"

I totally forgot. But being who she is, she was dead serious and reminded me.

A couple of days ago, she came over as I sat working on a media post, and out of the blue said... keep reading

 


 

9/17/20
What would it be like to live your life fully?

A fun fact about me - I’m a Harry Potter nerd! I have read all the books and my family can roleplay any movie from any place!

If you’re familiar with the story, you know Albus Dumbledor, the iconic headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, who devoted his life to doing awesome magic and fighting The Bad Wizard.

But what attracted me the most was how holistic Dumbledore’s life was. As I watched him, I had this longing.

He’s always himself. He shows up at the London underground station wearing his ridiculous wizarding kaftan, and he doesn’t care. He does not compartmentalize himself into “work me” vs. “home me”. He does what he loves and he is freaking awesome at it.

He is whole.  Having lived a largely compartmentalized life and feeling...

 


09/10/20
Do you feel in integrity at your job?

This question:

🎯 determines how you feel at work,

🎯 maybe a reason for burnout, and

🎯 is a great indicator of whether you thrive at work.

But did you know that... CONTINUE READING

 

 

 

08/20/20
Are you a natural leader?

I didn’t really aspire to have a formal leadership position in the corporate world. 

So I was surprised when early in my career my manager commented: “you’ll be a great manager”. Me? A manager?! 

I don’t fit the bill, do I? Don’t you need to be a super-assertive alpha, or ace the “corporate politics” game, or be willing to sacrifice and compromise for the sake of gaining influence and power? That would not be me.  

Power is not my thing. Empowerment is!... CONTINUE READING about how to unlock your natural leadership potential

 

 

 

08/13/20 

Do you feel in a survival mode (And how to get out)...

Imagine you're driving at 100 mph on fumes in your tank with no GPS, and saying to yourself that you can’t afford to stop and deal with it. 

This is how the survival mode feels like. Our body and mind attempt to preserve energy that’s very limited, so we optimize by responding only to immediate demands. 

Who can you even think of how you want your work and life be in 6 months, a year?!... CONTINUE READING

 

7/30/20

How are you feeling back in the “normal”? 
Our biggest fear? - FOMO (and how to fight it)

Recently, I held a series of webinars where we explored:

   🔸 What the isolation has experience taught us,

   🔸 Which part of this the new knowledge/habits we want to keep, and

  🔸  What part of the “old life” we choose to let go of. 

Learn about the power of the pause and steps to take going forward...

 

7/23/20

How can a pandemic lead to an amazing professional opportunity?

This is not the time to be fearful. 

It may seem counterintuitive. The situation is uncertain. Isn't it the time lay low (and even tolerate things)? 

"I'm lucky I have a job. Just taking it one day at a time. Waiting for things to settle down".

The fear is understandable. And it's not necessary and can even be damaging. ...Click here to read about how to chose to be inspired to dream and take action.




7/16/20

You are a leader who wants their people to feel supported, be content, and productive, right? 

Then read on!

This is what your employees want to ask but are afraid to say…

  -Fall is coming and it brings major anxiety (to the already exhausted people).

  -School no school? In-person, remote? How many days?... Will my employer support me? Will my boss be patient and understanding of the situation I am in? Can this affect my career prospects?

There are a lot of questions and not a lot of answers.

Keep reading to find some of the things that your employees want from you, but may not be open to asking.

 

 

06/18/20

Do you freak out about going back to work?

 If you can’t wait to go back to the familiar way of doing things, I respect your choice. 

If you (secretly) lament losing things you gained and experienced during the quarantine, you read until the end, I have a gift for you!

Many of us have discovered a silver lining of staying in isolation and WFH. Be it in the form of feeling more connected to our families or people at work, having a less rushed lifestyle, keeping better boundaries, or a better self-care routine. I definitely enjoyed... CONTINUE READING

 

06/11/20

Do you feel like your work and your life are blending together?

You're working from home, kids are at home, there is no commute and our mobility is still limited.

You may also feel split. It is a unique opportunity to spend more time with your kids. And you need to work! About 50% of remote workers reported that they work more hours than when they were at the office.

And then the guilt creeps up...

How to find the balance?

Let me make it simple for you. There is no balance! Work-life balance does not exist. Instead, you can be off-balance on purpose... Keep reading to find out how!

 

06/04/20
What is the "right" thing to do?

Do you feel that your ability to focus on the task at hand was affected by the recent events and the turmoil that we are living in?

For me, at some point, it felt wrong to just go about my day and have business-as-usual going on. I felt compelled to do something, to react. But what can I do? What is the "right" thing to do now?

What we are grappling with as a society is a very complex subject, where many sides are involved. In my humble opinion, all the sides need to be heard (not necessarily approved of) in order to have a constructive dialogue that will lead to real change.

I do not pretend to have a global solution to racial injustice.

What I'm on about is what I, we can and should do right now, and day by day, month by month. CONTINUE READING

 

 


5/28/20
The Myth of Endurance

What would your life be like if you did only what was easy?

This question posted in a working mom’s FB group got an avalanche of flabbergasted responses:

"Boring" - "Awful" - "Broke" "No career" - "I would be living in a van by the river"  - "Alone. No kids" - etc., etc.

Agreed, the question takes it to the extreme with “only do what’s easy”, but our aversion to “easy” is palpable.

One mom summed it up:

"I wouldn’t be where I am today. I believe that discipline, hard work, and pushing through things that are hard are the reasons I am so successful... Comfort keeps people stuck. I love getting out of my comfort zone and pushing my limits. Each time I conquer something I am stronger and more prepared for the next challenge."

Click here to learn about The Myth of Endurance and when "enough is enough!"

 

5/7/20
When was the last time you took a bubble bath?

You've cracked the code, settled into a new rhythm and you are making it work!

With the craziness of a full house, you deliver the same results at work as you did before (or more) and you support colleagues and loved ones emotionally and help them be productive and engaged. Your house may even look orderly!

I hear from people who stepped up their work while their partner's income was affected, or parents waking up at 4 am to... CONTINUE READING

 

4/16/20
Who is in Your Support Circle?

You've just been given an opportunity of a lifetime (in a strange packaging I get it).

The hamster wheel that we've been on for years, dreaming to take a breather, has stopped. (You are a bit bruised from the sudden halt, but overall are okay.)

 Now, that you've slowed down and are away from the office and the familiar routine, you can think things through.

How you want things to be when you return to "normal"?

How do you want to feel at your job?

What do you want your contribution to be?

AND it can be overwhelming to do it yourself with everything else that you have to deal with now.

That is why I've created the Women's Support Circle. 

The goal is two-fold: 1) Stay positive and calm in the short-term to be able to manage the situation effectively for you and others in your zone of influence, and 2) Focus on the opportunity and use this situation as a catalyst for positive change in the longer term.

Who do you know who would benefit from having support and the ability to stay calm now, and start getting ready to plan forward?

PLEASE forward this email to them and check the details here.

If you feel I am trying hard to get you into the program, it is because I AM. I know that feeling out of sorts is the perfect state to do it from. Disruption creates opportunity. AND If you wait until things "settle down" and you "feel normal" again, you will have missed the chance.

And what you miss, will not be given to you again.

Take me up on this special "quarantine" offer and register here. We plan to start as early as next week.

I call it Women Support Circle, but we do not exclude men who feel they can benefit from it now. Just reach out to me!

Be safe and well,


 

4/9/2020
How to stay in the eye of the storm (and look for rainbows)

Happy Holidays if you're celebrating this week!

Can you believe that almost a month of the "new regime" has passed? It is the fourth week if you've lost track. Health remains the main concern of course (especially, if you're in New York or the tri-state area).

I hope you and your loved ones are safe and well!

The rest of your daily challenges depend on whether you have kids, how old are they, your job, living, and family situation.

Whether you're wearing many hats from a businesswoman to a teacher to a family psychologist, or staying alone dealing with isolation or anything in between, we all share the same feelings and experience a wide range of rapidly changing emotions.

We need to brace ourselves, ensure support network, and plan for contingencies.

As hard as losing a familiar structure is, it also stimulates you to make your own choices and can allow achieving years of growth in a matter of weeks. CONTINUE READING


4/2/2020
Why or What for?

How are you doing?

I find that after two weeks of chaos and upheaval, people start to find their rhythm. I am more accepting of what the daily "flow" looks like. No longer laser beams come out of my eyes when my children barge into a conference call I am in. It's just part of a new normal. 

How is it working for you? As I slow down more, some other thoughts start coming to mind. 

My husband doesn't like it when I talk about this... but I feel these are important questions to start pondering. Lovingly, gently, yet firmly... CONTINUE READING

 

03/26/20
What (NOT) to do in times of 
stress (Tip #2)

When I feel under stress and time's getting short, I tend to “optimize”.

This means I leave only the “productive” activities on my to-do list and get rid of everything else.

The problem is that “everything else” includes all strategic, longer-term planning, as well as joyful things, self-care, and at times even sleep (as I find myself working at night after the kids go to bed and my teacher-caretaker shift is over)... CONTINUE READING

 


03/23/20
What to do when you're stressed (one tip today)

I don’t know about you, but I feel totally frazzled!

Monday was the first day of “virtual schooling” in NYC. The teachers worked hard and laid out the entire learning program, for which we’re grateful. 

AND now somebody has to teach it to my 1st-grader. The bulk is self-work so far (read, parents for the smaller ones). 

The teachers are trying hard to ensure the learning process continues, as well as help them manage stress and preempt anxiety. To make it clear, I do not try to belittle or criticize the efforts of our educators... CONTINUE READING

 

03/20/20
What does my 15-year old crush story have to do with managing career 

When I was 15, I fell in love for the first time. To say it was strong teenage affection would be an understatement, it was an all-consuming, exciting and scary feeling for me, all at the same time. 

Long story short, it lasted a few months, brought a couple of flower bouquets tucked in my door, some high-intensity interactions and even one “double-date” to watch Gone with the Wind on VHS. It remained totally platonic (in case you wondered) and I’m still not sure if it was really reciprocated by the object of my desires... CONTINUE READING

 

03/18/20
How to stay sane while homeschooling your children and working from home

The picture is of me in Morocco two years ago. I may do a masterclass on how to make a pandemic turban for those who, like me, didn't get to buy masks. 

How were the first days of the new setup for you? 

I hope you tried the tips on how to get work done because they work!

With all the craziness on the first day, I got a good amount of work done using the “blocked time” approach. My celebration was dancing to Justin Timberlake’s Can’t Stop the Feeling with my daughter. I may do a FB Live on it next time. Stay tuned for the info on how to join my FB group not to miss it! :).... CONTINUE READING

 

03/16/20
Three things that will help you survive the next few months 

Our lives have just changed, like A LOT!  Many people in NYC started working from home last week and now we also have to home-school our children until at least April 20, if not until the end of the school year, according to the mayor. 

These measures are what we need to do to protect the vulnerable population and avoid the health crisis; lives are always the main concern.

AND there will be a disruption that we'll need to deal with... CONTINUE READING

 

03/05/2020
Three things that will stop the job sucking the life out of you

This is how I want my job to look and feel like. But the reality is different. A bit.

I was talking to a woman the other day. She has a good, respectable career that she has been doing for a long time and achieved quite a bit.

There are a lot of good things about my job. It gives me status, financial security, and a sense of accomplishment. I can even say that I like what I do and the people I work with. 

But sometimes I wonder at what price do I get all this?.... CONTINUE READING

 

 02/27/20
Your Soul Fire

Our soul fire is ancient and integral to each of us. It is inextinguishable but susceptible to being dimmed to faintness, covered by layers of self-doubt and worry.

We doubt the practicality of enthusiasm and the legitimacy of our impulses. We doubt that breaking the rules will earn us a raise or that speaking our mind will attract the right clients. We worry that our shine will be construed as showing off and we’ll get shot down; or that if we really let our opinion flare, we’ll burn bridges that we may need to cross again someday.

And we lose our ability to dream about what living unleashed would look like, what do we really want.

We get spirit-fatigued...CONTINUE READING

 

 

 

02/21/20
On swarming bees, black holes, and Nike

I was talking to a friend who is in a difficult spot in life right now. Her issues are in the personal life area, related to being a “sandwich” generation with still young kids and already aging parents. Add a (likely related) deterioration of the relationship with her partner and you get a perfect storm. 

And while it is stressful to deal with tense situations with the parents, the kids and the partner, by far the hardest is lingering in a state of ambivalence, unable to initiate change... CONTINUE READING

 

 

02/13/2020
You are important and valuable!

I woke up with this phrase today (this happens to me sometimes :)) and want to share it with you. Because it is true! 

Do you feel this way? 

I know I did not when I was in the Corporate. How could I if there were so many things I did not do or did not well enough, people who made me feel bad about myself in a direct or covert way (me myself being the first of them)…  CONTINUE READING

 

 

 

02/06/20
It is not the corporate, it‘s you…


When I was stuck in the rut, I felt resentful about my job, trapped in a “heartless” corporate environment, upset about choosing career for wrong reasons (I wonder if you could see it on this corporate profile shot from 2014? I think I did a pretty good job at making a happy face).

The stress from my job affected my personal life. The knot seemed tight. I could not decide whether I should start with resolving my personal life or the work situation first. The result - staying stuck in an unsatisfying status quo for years.

Do you ever feel this way? It is real! Your job will take as much as you give. The more you give, the more they will take....CONTINUE READING

 

 

 

 

1/30/20
The Ugly Side of Security

When I talk to people who feel burned out and dissatisfied with their work, often times this comes up: I want the change (in fact I know I need it or I am toast), but I am afraid to.

I am scared to express my frustrations at work fully at the fear of losing my income and stability. I don’t want to start at the bottom. Afraid to rock the boat.

Believe me, I get it. You have responsibilities, including financial. You’ve worked so hard to get where you are. There have been a lot of sacrifices along the way...CONTINUE READING

 

 

 

01/23/20
The paradox of strengths, weaknesses and a sustainable career

Fun facts about me, I dance the tango and have been taking belly dance classes for the last two years (thus the embarrassing picture). What does it have to do with sustainable career you may ask?

From my personal experience and when working with clients, it is important to be able to bring your whole self to work. Not just the politically correct parts, or the ones that you view as “appropriate” for the position/title or that fit the job description, but your entire precious self with all your quirks, strengths and weaknesses.

There are two main reasons for this...CONTINUE READING

 

 

 

01/17/20
A Simple Way to Increase Your Resilience

I am writing this from a pediatric hospital in Manhattan. Thankfully, I do not have traumatic relationships with hospitals at this point. Pretty much the two times that I was there over the last two decades were for joyful reasons of having my two children. This time it is also not too bad. My daughter had to get a minor surgery to get something removed from her eye. She will be okay. We are blessed to have access to top quality healthcare.

So far the 2020 has been testing me. It barely has begun and already I have been...CONTINUE READING

 

 

01/09/20

How good are you at receiving?

My daughter was sick on the last day of school before the school break. Nothing too bad, but still not fun. Apparently, there is a lot of exciting stuff happening at school before the holidays (right when all the parents are frantically running around trying to get all the presents and finish the work before the year-end; remember when holidays were fun, eh?) So I promised her to pop by at school and pick up some super important crafts that she made for the holidays.

At the school, I was surprised when the teachers gave me a giftfor volunteering as a class co-parent.

Honestly, I did not deserve it. There were not that much to do and the other Mom handled it all. It was nothing exuberant, a block of nicely wrapped bath soap, but still I felt embarrassed.

 

01/02/20

How to set (and keep) your new year resolutions

Happy New Year from Vermont! I will be catching myself writing “2019” when dating my notes for a few weeks if not months. It is just too crazy to see the 2020 number!

The beginning of the year is the time of resolutions and to-do lists.

How do you feel about goal-setting and planning?... CONTINUE READING

 

 

 

 

12/23/19

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to you and your families! Whatever holiday you are celebrating. 

In my family, traditionally New Year is the biggest holiday. 

I spent my childhood in what was then the Soviet Union where Christmas was banned since 1929 so even my parents did not celebrate it. Luckily for me, Christmas trees have been allowed in 1935 as more acceptable “New Year Trees”.

The tree is one of my all-time favorite memories of childhood. 

My Dad usually brought it home around Dec 30 (who had time to do this earlier?!). It had to be dragged home so it arrived covered in the abundant Siberian snow. Then it was standing in the hall thawing and as the puddle of water spread on the floor, the magical smell of pine and holiday filled the apartment.  CONTINUE READING...

 

 

 

12/19/19 

Getting to know this one person will forever change how you feel at work (and in life)

My boss once asked me to pull out some information about an old deal that I managed. Oh, boy, was it a tough deal. It cost me more than a few gray hairs and grind teeth.  But I got it done. Can you relate?

As I was looking through my archive Outlook folder, I was in shock. ... CONTINUE READING

 

 

 

12/12/19

One thing to let go off before you start enjoying your job

My friend’s daughter does track. During the last competition, she ran her favorite distance, 600 meters, and the result was... disappointing. She did everything she was supposed to do. She prepared physically and mentally, visualized the race and tried to recreate this in reality. And the coach said that it was... wrong! At that stage of her running career she needed a loser approach, trust her intuition more. 

Do you see parallels to your professional career yet?... CONTINUE READING

 

 

 

12/05/19

How to stop thinking about work all the time!

Did you ever dream about work? I used to do this on a regular basis. I thought it was normal. 

With the continuous accessibility and increased responsibility of work function, it is likely that you find yourself doing work or at least thinking of work when you are on vacation, have a day off, spending time with friends…  CONTINUE READING

 

 

11/26/19

Happy Thanksgiving! (On the power of gratitude)

It was early morning and I was walking among parents with kiddos streaming from all the neighborhood streets towards our local school, like a school of fish (no pun intended :)). 

My daughter’s hopping next to me, her small hand in my hand, because kids of her age hop more than walk. I was admiring this. I know that this does not last because I also have a teenager (who is wonderful in his own way). 

I felt so grateful to be able to share this seemingly mundane morning with her. 

I set my schedule and priorities now and can decide that... CONTINUE READING

 

11/21/19

How badly do you want to achieve your goals? (You may need to learn from a nincompoop.)

I have а mini “anniversary”! About month аgо I made a leap out of the “corporate” and into “freedom”. 

I feel acutely alive and excited. There are so many opportunities. I am bursting with creative ideas. I can spend time with my children. 

And... I feel like a toddler who is learning to walk for the first time. There is very little certainty in this process and quite a bit of doubt. So it brings stuff up. For sure.

For instance, now I am dealing with the lightness of my Outlook inbox. What’s this?

Have you ever said something like “Oh, I have 600 emails in my inbox,” with a sigh and ...CONTINUE READING

 

 

 

11/14/19

Counterintuitive thoughts on how to deal with job-related anxiety

Anxiety is a sign of burnout at work.

For me, it usually started early in the morning when my body was no longer tired and sleepy and the mind took over. Thoughts would start flooding, reciting my story and worries about work and tasks ahead. There was no question about going back to sleep once this started.

From the people I work with now, I know that this is not an uncommon occurrence. Some follow my pattern of the morning "hamster wheel", some experience tightness in their body as they physically get closer to work. 

If the morning anxiety is your friend too, don’t feel bad. This may be more “normal” than you think. And there is a different way to look at it... CONTINUE READING

 

 

 

11/7/19

If you can't stand your job... Don’t quit it!

You are used to working hard, delivering 110% at all times. You have a good career... And you can not keep going like this… Now what?

If you read my story, you know that after I reached the depth of burnout, I stayed  at my job for two more years and this was a blessing in disguise. 

I know people who left corporate and still carry the proverbial “garlic” in their pockets when getting anywhere close to their former industry. Thanks to my experience, I am “carrying” a lot of understanding, love and compassion. And it is from this place I say:

If you feel your job is sucking the life out of you, don’t quit! 

Sounds shocking?... CONTINUE READING

 

11/01/19

Being a Woman in Business (How I Enjoyed Networking More Than a Dance Party, Part 2)

After the event, I decided to go to a tango milonga. 

Don’t know what a milonga is? Remember the old-school social dance parties, when the women sit around the room and the guys invite them to dance? Now you have an idea. 

I was so full of positivity after connecting with the women at the networking event, it was only natural that the first person who invited me to dance was...CONTINUE READING

 

 

10/24/19

How I Enjoyed Networking More Than a Dance Party

Last week I had the best networking event in my life.

Awkwardness, small talk, and obsessive glances at the watch were not uncommon during networking times as a banker... “Networking event at a law firm” were not words that got me excited (no offense to my friends-lawyers). 

This time, however I left the meeting full of compassion, and even love, for the professional women I met. Who knew I could enjoy networking so  much? 

This was the result of two factors: 1) I showed up as myself, and... CONTINUE READING

 

 

 

10/18/19

Out of "the Matrix"

My first day without access to my work phone, I felt weird. 

For nine years, it was near me every single day, including vacations and days off. Without it, that magical gate to a world full of stimulation, purpose and importance, had been shut off.

Countless times, while on vacation before I left my job, I had dreamt of being able to truly disconnect from... CONTINUE READING

 

 

10/11/19

How I fell in love with my corporate job... and then QUIT

Last week I quit an absolutely wonderful job. Great pay. Excellent benefits. Nice people. Good hours (I was even able tо pick up my kids from school - who gеts that?!). It would seem like a no-brainer to stay there...

But this is the weird part: Two years ago... CONTINUE READING