In my job I get to meet and work with extraordinary women from around the world. Some are in high leadership positions, and some are striving to achieve that level. In any case, they work extremely hard, and I learn as much from them as they do from me. Because I work across multiple sectors and industries including tech, law, finance, construction, nonprofits, politics and startups, I get a bird's-eye view of the power habits that they consistently engage with on a daily basis. These are actions that boost both their career power and their personal stamina, so that they can fulfill their full potential without burning out. Here are their nine most common Power Habits:
Reserving time for exploring their curiosity: More than almost any other Power Habit, this one leads to the most everyday career satisfaction. Reserving 20% of your work week to investigate work-related ideas, trends, or interests that spark your curiosity engages your brain in new ways that can yield powerful results. Take 3 hours on a Friday morning to read what your industry’s leaders, thinkers, and doers are interested in, or follow your own hunch and dive deep into it. You could discover your next game-changing idea, or stumble on a solution to a complex problem, but at the very least you’ll feel fully engaged with something new.
Taking all their vacation days: Yes, really! It’s a simple but extremely effective way to reduce your chances of burning out. Removing yourself from your everyday context and enjoying new kinds of activities can be wonderfully restorative, but you don’t have to do anything but relax by a pool or stroll the streets of a new city. Taking ALL your vacation days gives your brain plenty of time to completely unplug from work and be in the present moment, so you can return refreshed and ready to rock.
Planning post-project downtime: Not the same thing as a big vacation, but equally important. If you’ve been grinding away for weeks or months on a big project that has finally launched, it’s a good time to step back and breathe for awhile. Pushing yourself beyond your limits will only lead to shoddy work and endless burnout. Taking an extra day for your weekend at the end of an intense work period will help you reset and recharge. No apologies!
Engaging with professionals outside their industry: You may think it’s wise to keep your social focus narrow, but if you want to achieve maximum career impact it’s best to connect with people in other sectors. Their perspective on your industry, your company and/or your products can be invaluable. You’ll also get to learn what’s happening inside their own industries, and gain insight into how markets move and morph according to their industry trends. My clients who do this are able to make big jumps into other industries with relative ease.
Connecting, not networking: If you dread the thought of networking and have never gained any viable results, try reframing yourself as a connector of people and resources. Look around in your current networks and see who needs what. You might be able to provide a new job lead, a reference for a service professional, or a potent article or other resource that helps someone advance their understanding of a complex problem. Think of these as deposits in the bank of your professional network. Once you become known as a powerful connector you can start making withdrawals in the form of introductions to people who can help you advance your own career. Some of my clients actually track their connecting activity in a dedicated spreadsheet, so that they can keep track of how the flow of energy is moving.
Daily decompressing: You already know this one, right? Meditation, exercise, neighborhood walks without anything in your ears, or diving into a good work of fiction are simple actions that can yield powerful results, but only if you do them daily. Many of my clients have an end-of-work ritual, something that signifies that they’re done for the day, like taking a 15-minute walk, listening (or dancing!) to a favorite song, or changing into lounge clothes. Small, daily habits can help you decompress and let go of tension that accumulates throughout the day.
Planning for stress: My high-level clients do this action before it’s needed, so they can anticipate their needs in an emergency, and have everything ready to go. Assemble all your (and your family’s) healthcare providers, prescription information, support services (like babysitters, grocery delivery, house cleaners, etc), and other relevant info on a giant spreadsheet that you share with family and trusted friends. In case of a genuine emergency, the kind that requires a sudden and unknown amount of time off, your info is easily accessible to those who can help. Don’t forget to add your favorite stress remedies (things like the number of a good takeout place, your favorite kind of chocolate or special treat, or even your favorite book) so that you have plenty of resources to help you get through.
Forensic project analyzing: Some companies have this action baked into their culture, but some don’t do a very thorough job, and some don’t do it at all. The benefits of tracking what went right and/or wrong about a big project are many, but analyzing mistakes is an especially valuable learning tool that you don’t want to miss. Some of my clients form small “forensic teams” with co-workers that create simple reports about each major launch from the perspective of their larger team or group. This data can be harnessed to your advantage during performance reviews and job interviews, but it can also give you powerful insight into ways that your company could improve your department’s overall performance, and maybe even that of the whole company.
Tracking wins, big and small: You can turn this into yet another spreadsheet, or you can open a simple doc and list each of your personal work wins as they come up (along with the date and other relevant info.) Most of these will likely be your contributions to work projects and/or events, but some of them could be small, personal things that no one else can see but you. For example, if you are someone who is terrified of conflict, but you managed to successfully resolve an ongoing work conflict with a colleague, add it to the list. Refer to the list when you’re preparing for performance reviews, but also glance at it when you’re in a moment of low confidence. Seeing all your wins grouped together can give you a boost, and remind you that this, too shall pass. My clients who do this action always seem to have greater career satisfaction than those who don’t. I’ve actually started doing it myself!
I hope you find this helpful. Please reach out to me for more info about my Power Voice for Career Women group trainings and private session packages. Love to hear your comments and answer your questions below!