The Anti-GirlBoss: The Work-Life Balance Advice We All Need Right Now
Tired of the “Boss Babe” or “Boss Mare” or “Girl Boss” monikers? We are too. Here at Heels Down Media, we get right to business sans the cheeky catch phrase.
If you’re not a subscriber to the daily Heels Down Spark, you’re missing out on “The Anti-GirlBoss”, a weekly business discussion for serious equestrian entrepreneurs. Ecogold President and Heels Down Media Founder and CEO, Patricia Da Silva answers your questions about marketing, social media promotion or business development every Wednesday in the Heels Down Spark, the daily morning newsletter that puts horses first, 24/7.
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Here’s a sampling of the advice she’s given so far.
How do you beat imposter syndrome and thinking that you’re not good enough?
If you got on a plane and the pilot said “I don’t know if I’m good enough to fly this so let’s hope for the best”, you’d probably want to get off immediately. You need to be confident in your skills and abilities in order to earn other people’s trust.
The first thing you need to do is make sure you are competent. Don’t ‘fake it til you make it’. Have the certifications, knowledge or experience to back it up.
When you struggle with confidence, instead of thinking about all the ways you could fail, make a list of your achievements and successes. Draw on those experiences to strengthen the belief that you are capable of rising to the challenge.
Do: Get yourself a mentor or someone that believes in you.
Don’t: Listen to the naysayers.
How do you know when it’s time to move on?
There’s usually an incident or spark that prompts us to move on: being passed on for a promotion, a new boss, a reorganization of tasks. If you’re clearly miserable, you know it’s time to look for a new opportunity. But what if you’re not completely unhappy?
There are several factors to consider: the money, the people, the work itself, and how it impacts your life. If the salary is great but the work is so demanding and stressful that it’s putting a strain on your personal relationships, there’s a cost to that.
Periodically, assess your current position:
- How is the money?
- Do you like the people you work with?
- Is the work fulfilling?
- How is this job affecting your personal life?
- Are there opportunities to move up?
Compare the results with your goals and see if your job is working for you.
Do: Network. Opportunities might present themselves.
Don’t: Wait until you’re miserable to make a plan.
Should you be friends on Facebook with your clients & co-workers?
It depends on what you do for a living and what you use social media for. If you use it mainly to share personal content with your friends and family or work in a field where there’s a security risk, you should keep your account private.
Business gets done on social media. Connecting with clients and people in your professional circle in a less formal setting can create opportunities. Of course, you need to be aware that everything you post reflects on your business and remain professional at all times.
If you hesitate to add clients and co-workers for mental health reasons, not to be reminded of ‘work’ when you scroll on your newsfeed, you can always use the mute or snooze function. It allows you to stay friends but limit what you see.
Do: Be strategic and make social media work for you.
Don’t: Be afraid to use functions that limit what you see.