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What’s the best advice you received and that you like to pass on?

“The washing up will always be there.” My Mum’s way of saying “don’t sweat the small stuff because it is a fact of life.” I remind myself of this when I feel a little wobbly and focused on the wrong or usually irrelevant stuff.

What’s the top song on your playlist right now?

This week it is mostly Up on the Sun by the Meat Puppets, it’s a good one to concentrate to. From next week though it will probably be something way more festive!

What book moved you in recent years?

Erm, that’s a tricky one as I’ve not read as much as I would like in the last few years. However, I am a big fan of Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates which struck a chord with me – especially experiencing the societal pressures and expectations that arrive in adulthood.

What’s the biggest takeaway from your career thus far?

Don’t be too scared to ask for something – a promotion, a pay rise, a job. Good managers are willing to have those discussions and work out a realistic plan for good staff. 

What’s your favorite home office hack, habit, or accessory that you use?

I love a Trello board! But one of the most useful things I do is make a voice note to myself to remember names or urgent actions – you know the ones that get mentioned as you are walking out of a meeting. I struggle to remember things unless written down so this is a quick fix.

How do you cultivate joy in your professional life?

Personal connections are most important to me so taking an interest in your colleagues, being curious (not nosy), and learning about each other can make any job more fun and human. Also cake…

What’s your favorite way to unplug from work?

Going to see a band with a friend always gives me a proper break, but in the warmer months camping is the best switch-off for me.

What’s one thing you do away from work that helps you at work?

This is a hard question…I have no idea! Maybe exercise, maybe making nice meals, I suppose just looking after myself in general.

What’s the best advice you received that you like to pass on?

Just ask. Just try. Often, the worst thing that can happen is that they say no. 

What’s the top song on your playlist right now?

I usually wait for Spotify to tell me what that is, at the end of the year, hahaha. But I guess the song I reach for the most depends on whether or not my kids are with me. Preschool drop-off, it’s Gracie’s Corner Good Morning. By myself, Posa by C4 Pedro & Zara Williams. For a dance party with my toddler, we start with either some Haitian Koopa, some Antiguan soca, or some Afrobeats and go from there. 

What book moved you in recent years?

I guess it’s a tie between Drop the Ball by Tiffany Dufu and The Perfect Find by Tia Williams. Drop the Ball challenged me to face perfectionist tendencies and regularly think about what I take in as a responsibility (as well as why, and whether or not I should). I think it gave me the grace to adjust the workload (personal and professional).

What’s the biggest takeaway from your career thus far?

That it is more important to understand and clearly deliver your personal professional narrative than to try to fit into the “traditional path” that got others to where they are in your field. For example, I worked in emergency preparedness in NYC, a field that is dominated by ex-fire chiefs, police, and others with similar backgrounds.

What’s your favorite home office hack, habit, or accessory that you use?

Admittedly, my home office space still needs some work but a minimum of 2 monitors is key, as well as an external mouse and keyboard for your laptop, and maybe a Remarkable Notebook – very good for meetings. My best home office habit is that I turn the technology off when my work day is over. 

How do you cultivate joy in your professional life?

I try to bring the same positive attitude to work that I bring to life. Nothing naive of course, but I like to think that (within reason) projects will get done and we’ll be fine.

What’s your favorite way to unplug from work?

If it’s during the work day and I’m in an office, it’s playing Would You Rather with work colleagues (no work related questions though). If it’s a WFH situation, I like to get outside, walk and listen to a podcast.

What’s one thing you do away from work that helps you at work? (Something you wouldn’t immediately connect)

I haven’t done this in a bit but I need to get back to it – nightly yoga by candlelight. I like to be able to do a quick yoga workout before bed with a candle. I remember mentioning this to a worker and her eyes got big and she commented, “Oooh. This is why you’re so zen and calm, even during difficult meetings.”

What’s the best advice you received that you like to pass on?

As a teenager, my mom used to say, “You need all the legs of your stool to be strong to sit comfortably.” The legs represent your family, friends, work, school, your various activities, hobbies, personal time etc. The idea is that you shouldn’t overinvest in one area of your life at the expense of others; and if one leg turns sour, it’s ok to periodically lean on the other legs to keep you steady. Through the years, I’ve found this concept critical to maintaining balance in my life, whether it was to move past the drama of high school social dynamics or to cultivate my own interests and life outside of my children as a mother. I still find today, if I’m feeling out of sorts, it’s because I’m overextended on one of the legs of my stool and need to lean back into the other areas of my life that help me be whole.

What’s the top song on your playlist right now?

“Bam Bam” by Camila Cabello (feat Ed Sheeran) is a big favorite right now. It finds its way onto every Pandora station I make (and, yes, I still use Pandora).

What book moved you in recent years?

I loved “Rules of Civility,” by Amor Towles. Set in 1930s New York City, it explores the time in early adulthood when you’re still figuring out the path you’ll take, and in the process, you encounter a slew of new characters and new worlds. I read it in the peak-COVID-times of 2020, and it was a poignant, expertly written escape. 

What’s the biggest takeaway from your career thus far?

I’ve learned that there is no map – my career path is mine to create. I am not a natural “outside the box” thinker. I love structure and rules and planning ahead. But I panicked at the prospect of going back to work after having my first child because I couldn’t fathom working the way I used to. Before a call with my boss and our HR team when I was particularly stressed, my husband pointed out the obvious: “If you’re worried about the hours, why don’t you ask if you can work less or go part-time?” I had never even considered it, but when I asked, the organization was more than willing to work out an arrangement that kept me on board and accommodated my need for more family time. This is not the world our parents worked in – and there are million creative ways to sculpt a fulfilling career, as long as you ask and work for what you want. This takeaway was fundamental to my starting my own consulting business in 2021, and I hope will continue to guide me from here.

What’s your favorite home office hack, habit, or accessory that you use?

I love my Airpods. But, I also keep a notebook where I put all of my checklists, my notes, my to-do’s, and my brainstorming. It’s nothing fancy and it doesn’t have a special format. It’s a blank, lined notebook that keeps the details of my professional and personal life organized.

How do you cultivate joy in your professional life?

We need more laughter in the workplace (really in all environments these days) so I try to inject a little wherever I can. I love a Slack giphy back and forth, I love a discussion about bad reality tv before a meeting, I love hearing about someone’s dog’s Halloween costume. 

What’s your favorite way to unplug from work?

I need face-to-face, in-person interactions to refocus my brain. I live for post-dinner walks with my family, and I never miss a Book Club meeting. Being with people outside of my work world helps me recharge.

What’s one thing you do away from work that helps you at work? (Something you wouldn’t immediately connect)

I’m going to forego the generic “exercise” answer and confess that I am a Zumba and Cardio Dance evangelist. There is just something about moving your body to great music, with a room full of every kind of person you can imagine, that makes you feel ready to take on whatever challenge comes your way. Each class forces me to pay attention, forgive myself when I inevitably put a foot wrong, and smile. I feel focused, optimistic and energized every time I walk out of a class, and would highly recommend it, especially in these endemic times.