I've always considered myself a lucky person. I recently began meeting with a career coach because although I love my job, I couldn't shake the feeling something was missing. I was told this would happen...my kids would get older and I'd feel like I needed more for myself. This realization still managed to come as a shock, and with it came imposter syndrome. I met with this lovely, brilliant, compassionate woman and quickly warned her that I needed to cry, and I wasn't exactly sure why. We started digging and soon it was obvious, my life revolves around helping others be efficient and successful. That's my goal at work and at home. I was feeling left out...by myself. I constantly look at my coworkers as people who have lives far different from mine. They come to work with specific projects, strategies, and goals. I kept telling myself that I don't have the attention span for it. That was a lie.
My goal is simple: take the skills that make me a successful executive assistant and transfer that to a job I can add to my plate. I don't want to leave my job/position. When I was going through my inner crisis above, I thought leaving and starting a new career was the answer. That would without a doubt be the wrong move for me.
Let's establish basic principles.
Rule 1: Do not make a major life decision when emotions are running high. I'm sure you're well aware of this one, but I have a tendency of acting out of panic. Nod to yourself if you can relate.
Rule 2: Do not succumb to instant gratification. I could find a new job to be excited about, but would that last? I sat and took inventory of what I'd be giving up if I went this route. I stopped after the first bullet. Once you're calm and ready to make a decision, make sure the gratification will be long term. When applying this to your career, weigh the pros and cons of the change. Ask specific questions on interviews. Remember you are considering the company to the same extent they are considering you, so take all personal long term plans along. Is there another major change planned for your life in the near future? If so, something should be put on pause, and only you can decide the priority level of each.
Rule 3: Lean on those you trust. I have a variety of people who are helping me grow: my boss, career coach, colleagues, my mentor, and family. Every person listed has played a unique role in social support. Their character and choices set them apart from others in my life, making me feel safe under their guidance. All of these people are true leaders who I greatly admire.
Now that the rules are in place, let's get to work...
Step 1: Have a routine. I started simple: What do I need to start the day on a successful note, whether it's an office or WFH day? I need to sleep 6 hours a night, wake up at 5:30am to shower, follow my skincare routine while having my coffee, with enough time to dance as I get dressed. I can make my bed and leave the house without having to speed to the bus, and if I'm home that day, my children won't be late to school. This step led to more planning. What needs to be done the night before so I can wake up and achieve my morning goal? Following this plan for the last few weeks has been life changing.
Step 2: Manage your time. This is where I dropped the ball in my own life. I schedule my executives and children day in and out, yet my schedule was all over the place. I have a morning/night routine planned, but what good will that do if I'm not on a schedule? My most beneficial work practice comes into play here: I have a planner to write all tasks down that I don't handle the moment they're given to me. If my boss asks me to do three things in an email, I know approximately how long each will take, who I need to work with, and when it's due. I write all three asks in my planner under the date and keep notes on what steps I've taken for each, and when I need to follow up/complete it. If I have 5 more days to complete task one, I skip ahead 2 days in my planner and write the task again. This ensures the ask is completed ahead of schedule, and I can focus on my time sensitive work.
By the way, can't even explain the high of crossing a task out twice...
Everything mentioned above should apply to my own life as well. I began writing bill due dates, my weekly/monthly budget, and more importantly - the steps and follow up items that come with expanding my career. I had a family calendar, work calendar, and creative calendar (IG, podcast related) that all needed to be combined to eliminate chaos. I've been flipping through three calendars daily for, well, years. Putting all of my information in one place keeps me up to speed on all aspects of my life - my plans for the day, where my family is/needs to go, what bills are due. My planning suddenly took on a life of it's own. I started making grocery lists in my planner, scheduling when to study for work growth opportunities, my podcast, my clothing try-ons, etc. I have a clear view of my free time, and I feel a major sense of relief now that I'm not flipping through calendars and realizing I forgot I needed to do something or be somewhere. I have time to complete my work, take on new work, while protecting my time with my family, social events, and creative pursuits. It's wild how much I manage to get done over the weekend with time to relax (guilt-free) in between.
Step 3: Utilize your resources. We've outlined our routines, managed our time, and now we have the space and order in our lives to network and work on personal/career growth. As soon as I decided to extend my work, I checked my company's website for tools they offer in that department. Sure enough, there were two online courses offered for the field I'm interested in. I applied for a certificate program, and moved forward with my boss to help find opportunities at work to gain experience. I have two learning paths in motion, and plenty of time on my calendar to make them work. I reached out to friends, and current/former colleagues in similar roles to discuss their work and experience over dinner. Taking on a new role is difficult, but I truly feel I'm set for success.
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