Career Blog: The Scoop
Following a Career Ladder is Outdated, Afterall, Life is a Winding Journey
Let’s Talk All Things Career!
The idea that you’re supposed to follow a career ladder is pretty pre-historic. Today, you get to pivot, choose your own adventure, and create your own path! We’ll talk all things:
Elesha's Corner
Welcome to Elesha's Corner!
I am Elesha White and my vision is to inspire those seeking a lifestyle and career change. Change isn't always easy, but if you've made it to this page, you're headed in the right direction! As I take different routes in my life and come up with different solutions, I like to bring them to the public and help anyone I can even if it is just one person at a time. Thank you for joining this journey and happy blogging!
Staying at a Job To Maintain a Lifestyle
Money Vs Mindset
By Elesha White
Do you hate your job, but the benefits are great? You’re able to pay your bills, visit the doctor, take care of your family, and maybe even have enough left over for vacations and investments.
Money may not be the only benefitting factor. Whether you’re good at your job, enjoy your coworkers, or are just too comfortable to leave, none of these benefits are worth staying somewhere you ultimately don’t want to be. Mindset can and will make or break you. A deciding factor in our ability to make decisions is the fear of or support of changes.
Fear of Change
Change can be uncomfortable, yet extremely gratifying. It is easy to occupy spaces we are familiar with. After putting in time and effort at a job, it’s only natural to grow in that position.
Employees learn new skills, meet new people, and find that they don’t have the time or the desire to find a new means of employment, but then what? The only thing that is permanent is the change in the world.
People come and go and it’s time for employees to realize how important their place in a company is. Without the people, there is no service. When employees are aware of their worth, they’re able to communicate their needs. The workplace is a great way to make new friends, but it’s also an even better place to network. Use your connections to your advantage and learn to build and maintain strong personal and professional relationships.
There are 24 hours in a day, 168 hours in a week, and 8,760 hours in a year. That time will be split between our families, hobbies, work, sleeping, and maintaining our health. How much time we spend on each activity depends on the lifestyle we live and who we are individually. Time is the one thing we can spend, but can not save, so why waste it in an environment where we are not truly happy? The desire to change has to come from within and that in itself will take time and maybe even money, but it is not impossible.
Pros Vs Cons
With each means of employment, there is always going to be a positive and a negative. Before choosing whether or not to take a job, leave a job, etc., considering the pros and cons in every situation is key. One won’t know the entire ins and outs of a situation until we take that leap of faith, but the information is out there to decipher through and figure out what works best for who.
Bottles, Babies, & Business Tasks
What Brought You Here?
By time you’ve found this blog, hopefully you’ve been able to get some rest after getting
acquainted with your new bundle of joy. Maybe you work from home, commute daily, or are
looking for your next means of employment. Between massive layoffs of workers, more
companies returning on-site, and even navigating breastfeeding/pumping while working, there
are people that want to support you on this journey… (yes, some of those people include Hazel
and myself).
Heavy hitters including Amazon, Microsoft, and David’s Bridal are a few of many companies
experiencing the wave of layoffs in 2023 according to Forbes as of July (Bushard 2023). These
layoffs are affecting tech, banks, media, and even manufacturing and the year is only half way
over. Now that the fear of the pandemic has died down some and we’re regaining some since of
normalcy, there has been an increase in companies are also returning to on-site work
(Foundation List 2023). If you’re questioning how to maintain your milk supply at work, be
advised that The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to provide reasonable
break time for an employee to express breast milk for their nursing child for one year after the
child’s birth each time such employee has need to express the milk (Department of Labor 2022).
As You Think to Yourself:
Once you catch your breath after long days and nights of juggling bottles, babies, and business
tasks, what kind of thoughts are running through your mind?
1. I can’t keep living like this.
2. How am I going to afford everything we need and still have time for myself AND my family?
3. Could I have said that differently?
4. What are we having for dinner?
Whatever your thoughts may be or your particular situation is it, let’s face it parenting and
working a full time or even part time job is just a pure hot mess some days. It’s 2023 though and
we’re thinking solution-minded thoughts now from today on, okay! What can you try to ease
your workload?
Whether you’ve settled in some with your little one or maybe you’re still preparing for their
arrival, I’m sure you’re wondering how work will be with your new responsibility. Please keep in
mind that these tips are meant to be a guide to help better support new parents, soon-to-be
parents, and anyone else who is curious. Stay tuned in me below on some tips on how to make
your situation work better for YOU.
Do:
- Plan ahead
- Ask for help
- Say no *set CLEAR boundaries*
- Take your time
- Apologize
Don’t:
- Doom scrolling
- Compare your situation
- Beat yourself up
- Overdo yourself
- Put money over your values
The one thing we have in this life that we can spend, but can’t save is time. Use the time you
have wisely because your 24 hours in a day WILL NOT look the same as the next person’s.
Consistency and discipline in routines and schedules are useful both at work and at home. It
takes a village to raise a family, so whether your tribe is related by blood or love, let these
people help you. Sometimes we tend to put too much pressure on ourselves and take care of
everything but the person that needs us the most… YOU. Say no when you need to and honor
the deadlines and goals you’ve set for yourself.
Those late night feedings and breaks in between your day can make it a lot easier to find
yourself scrolling endlessly on social media… set a timer and learn when an illusion is just that.
No matter where you’re at in this journey, you’re doing great, Sweetie! Give yourself a hug and
keep in mind that everyone has their own path to walk. Have you ever raced someone and
ended up out of breath before you got to the finish line? Life can be a lot like that at times… The
ability to pace yourself is an art and in the wise words of Nipsey Hussle, “Life aint a sprint it’s a
marathon, and just like any marathon, you have to watch your pace.”
Leaving A Job with No Back Up
By Elesha White
Why?!
Let’s face the facts, there is a significant number of people that are unsatisfied with their jobs… The Great Resignation stemming from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has proven that everything is temporary. Whether it’s our jobs, money, or even our health, anything is possible. Job security/ advancement is not always certain, time with loved ones is sacred, and people are simply ready for a change of pace.
According to Inc.com, ⅓ employees would quit their jobs with no backup plan. This means that people are more than willing to quit their current jobs without having a new job lined up, a savings plan, etc. Certain professions can be more stressful than others, and being that everyone is different, people deal with their stress in a variety of ways. Burn out at work is real, no matter the profession and comes from taking on more than one can handle. Leaving a job in any way can pose some challenges, however you have the choice on what risks you are willing to take.
Signs of Burn Out:
● Feeling depleted, exhausted, and/or fatigued more than usual
● Emotional and mental distancing from your job
● Increased negative feelings towards job, organization, coworkers, etc.
● Reduced work performance
Preparation
- Expand your horizons. Exposure is key. We’ll never know what’s out there until we find it or it finds us.
- Take a break. Health is wealth. Take time away for a mental break, even if it’s only for a day.
- Do your research. We live in the Information Age. Utilize Preparation your resources whether it’s a google search, someone in a different career field, or even LinkedIn.
- Recognize when enough is enough. Know yourself first and what you’re able and willing to take on emotionally and mentally at work.
So, You Wear All The Hats...
Burnout
By Elesha White
The Pressure
The need to be perfect or to appear that way has had lasting, yet crucial effects on society. Burnout comes from not just the act of reaching perfection but becoming so overworked from coping with the pressures of the working world. According to the National Library of Medicine, American psychologist, Herbert Freudenberger, came up with the term to describe the feeling many workers, more so in medical settings, have to face within the struggles of the type of work they do. The idea of saving lives and sacrificing your own needs for that of others is a lot of pressure for one to handle and more people are starting to talk about it. Those in the medical field are not the only ones experiencing symptoms of burnout though. Extreme exhaustion is one of many symptoms that anyone with a work overload or even a lack of passion in their work can face.
How does one identify burnout?
- Physical symptoms
- Exhaustion, fatigue
- Body pains and gastrointestinal issues
- Decreased work performance
Emotional symptoms can also follow physical symptoms with signs of being cynical on the job, and feelings of hopelessness. The scary thing is that symptoms of burnout can often mirror mental health concerns such as depression and it’s easy to get the two confused. Burnout typically stems from work-related issues as opposed to circumstances outside of work. The root cause of these symptoms is key in going about one’s recovery process and it is vital to keep in mind that everyone is different meaning each journey will not be identical to the next.
The Recovery
Now that we’ve discussed how pressure can be detrimental to our health, let’s explore how people can explore different solutions tailored to their own needs. Not everyone is in a place to find a new job, ask for a promotion, etc., but there are still different ways to incorporate new practices into one’s lifestyle. Therapy is something that people can use for general support with life or dive into more specific topics including gender support, family support, and even support with one’s diet. It is okay to take a break! Even if it’s a half day or so, taking some time out to spend with family or even by yourself is a great way to step out of work mode and into a fresh breath of air and who knows what may find you on your break? Exercise and mindfulness are also great ways to incorporate a mind and body approach to your routine. Boundary setting and saying no can be difficult, but people pleasing and taking on more than one can handle is exhausting over time. Awareness of one’s own demands and how much they are willing and able to take on is something that can change over time and that’s okay… don’t be so hard on yourself! It can take weeks, months, and sometimes even years for individuals to recover from burnout. The key here is to listen to your body and be your own biggest supporter. It takes work but will always be worth it in the end!
more blogs
IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT
Career, Adulting & Work-Life Balance
CHECK OUT SOME BLOG POST BY HAZEL BROWN
- The Benefits Of Hiring A Professional Resume Writer: Hiring a professional resume writer, ensures that your resume is structured in a way that appeals to recruiters and hiring managers.
- Passion And Experience: 60% of employers said that they believe a lack of passion for the work is a reason some employees don't perform well in their roles.
- Credit In The WorkPlace: If you aren't financially responsible in your everyday life- how can employers trust that you're going to make good decisions while working for their company.