We’ve heard this same song repeated over and over again. Women are stressed, overworked, underpaid and ignored in the workplace. the study And everyday experience supports this claim. And black women face discrimination, lower wages, and the added stress of being heads of households in the majority of households.
So how can you get out of survival mode? How can I take deliberate steps to be successful? I love seeing things from a balanced perspective. I refuse to accept the stereotype that propagandists and fearmongers often peddle that being a black woman is difficult. Here are some tips that helped me finally get out of survival mode and into thriving mode.
1. Take control of your career choices by shifting your mindset from lack to optimistic focus and discipline.
It can seem difficult to fundamentally approach your career move as a journey full of empowering choices, especially when you have bills to pay and financial stress. What gives me strength when I feel the pressure of financial responsibility is to change my perspective.I don’t like being forced into a box or being forced into a box. anything, including jobs and professional roles, from purely economic necessity. Therefore, I need to change my mindset.
I had to take a job that I didn’t necessarily like.I’ve been there too underemployment in front. The important thing was to think about the goal and focus only on that. Whether it’s paying off debt, rebuilding your life after a self-employed slump, or saving up for a big purchase, focusing on your goals instead of hating the actual job will help you. It helped push me forward. I want to be more strategic about my career moves.
Once I was able to achieve certain goals, I had a little more freedom in choosing the organizations I worked with, the companies I worked for, and the salary I was willing to accept. It may take some time, but with strategy and focus, you can achieve this freedom.
An element of optimism is important here because it’s easy to get stuck in a cycle of thinking about negative things about your job or career. And while it’s easy to feel shame about the mistakes you’ve made or the things you perceive as lacking, if you shift your focus to what you can control, what you can change, and what you can do. do Once you have achieved your end goal, you will be able to work more strategically to achieve the quality of your professional life and work that you desire.
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2. Find out what really drives your fulfillment and happiness at work.
Do you basically just like helping people? Do you like to challenge yourself intellectually? Do you like working with children or being an authority figure? Do you like going outdoors or working in nature? Do you like doing solo work where you don’t have to interact with lots of people all the time? Is your job purposeful or is it aimed at making a lot of money? (It’s perfectly fine to be motivated by financial freedom and the pursuit of wealth, but you have to be real with yourself in this regard. We all play different roles in this world.) The money making part of us is just as important. There’s no shame in that.)
Sit down and think about these things. Please write them down. If your current job or career doesn’t align with what motivates you to get up and take action every day, or doesn’t involve work that leads you to your ultimate goals in life, consider looking for another job or going back to school. please. Get training in something you might be interested in doing for a living, volunteering, or working on other projects in your current job to make the most of what you enjoy.
3. Find other fulfilling activities that fill the dissatisfaction gap.
Some of us can’t afford to quit our jobs or give up the years of work we’ve dedicated to our companies. That’s fine. If your job is a stressor or just the norm at work, find other activities outside of work that give you a sense of freedom and balance. It could be sports, a spa date, exercise, church, time with family, or a day alone doing nothing.
it may have started side job, nonprofit organization, or other group of people with similar interests. It could be therapy or other spiritual practices. Once you realize that your life is all about work, it’s a good idea to find a better balance so that it doesn’t consume you.
It’s great to be an achiever and do well at work, but humans have other important needs as well. Be intentional about scheduling and prioritizing other activities on your calendar. This will allow you to truly enjoy your career by having a balanced view of your role in it.
4. Speak up and ask for help, especially if you are in a leadership position.
Often, it can be difficult for us to easily know the help we need. We don’t want to seem inadequate, inexperienced, or dare we say, weak. We always want to seem strong, powerful, and resilient. And that desire is justified, especially given the discrimination and harmful systemic issues we face in the workplace.
Anyway, please ask for help. If you need an assistant, ask for one. If you need time off, please request it. If you need more time to complete a task, please request it. Build your tribe at work and get support. Even if you feel like your manager or boss will say no, just speak up.
We must practice speaking up. all The more we do this, the more we empower ourselves and contribute to the transformation of corporate culture. It’s really annoying and sometimes insulting to have to justify a reasonable request for help, but sometimes it just has to be done.
I once had to write an entire pitch just to get an intern to help me with a project management job that probably should have been shared between three people instead of one. I ended up hiring an intern, but it was certainly a lesson in humility just to have to write this entire pitch about something a leader could reasonably approve of. Ta.as if it had to be done prove I didn’t qualify for any internships or help.
If you’re a manager, delegate. Delegate tasks to others. Empower them by giving them the tools they need to fulfill certain obligations that are distracting you from more important deadlines you have to meet. Being superwoman is unrealistic and frankly a travesty. True leaders serve within their rights and are able to give others the opportunity to lead. You can let others shine without dimming your own light.
And managers, speak up about more efficient work processes and better ways to communicate. equal pay, Better protocols for staffing workers who offer great talent and time. beginning. If you have to take small steps to do this, even if it means working with privileged allies or seeking legal counsel, do it. Again, change in terms of fighting to survive or succeed in a career can be caused by one action of many of us.
5. Quit. Yes, please quit that job.
Burnout is not something to play around with. literally affects the health of the body. If you’re constantly feeling mentally exhausted, depressed or irritable, or deal with work-related stress by overeating or overeating, it’s time to get some rest. Stop. If you are literally at a loss, have family and other support, and want to quit, then do it. Talk to your family, counselor, or mentor and prepare for your exit.
There was a time in my life when I was literally professionally burnt out. caused a mental breakdown. I was in my early 30s at the time. I was overweight, drank a lot, was always angry, and didn’t sleep well. I was also working all the time and wasn’t enjoying life anymore. I called her mother. “Something’s wrong. I can’t work. Mom, it’s getting worse. I can’t do this anymore.” She simply replied, “Come home.”
I was embarrassed and felt like a failure, but looking back years later, it was the best decision of my life. My mother, stepfather, and grandmother really helped me through difficult times. I cashed out my 401K, lost my job and started rebuilding. I found love, bought a car (with cash, sis!), went to therapy, moved into my dream home, traveled, and made more money than I did in my last job that left me burnt out. I did. (I felt emotionally and mentally rebalanced and myself again.)
If you have support, take advantage of it. Take advantage of all the resources you are given to take a vacation to get out of survival mode. Let’s change the environment.
And perhaps your “letting go” doesn’t even include quitting altogether. Focus on positive results, explain it to your HR department or manager and ask them to take a sabbatical. During your vacation, you’ll have a job waiting for you when you get back, so plan what you want from your career, what brings you joy, and what you’ll need to make ends meet. Let go of your shame and get the help you need.
As Black women, we deserve to enjoy all the best that life has to offer, and while we must continue to work hard and challenge ourselves, we must also find fulfillment and joy in our career journeys. Must be. I hope these tips will help many people take back their lives and thrive.
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