Juggling post-grad studies, family, a briefcase and the world
[bctt tweet=”You need a tribe of humans who will be there when you need some downtime and rebooting” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What exactly does this mean for us when juggling work, studies, and the world? It is a universal assumption and truth that women are the backbone of every family. We are inherently prepared for a purpose. Prepared on purpose. What does this entail and do we have any choice in what we allow to take up space in our lives? How can we better channel our energies into affirming our loved ones, building empires and pursuing our innermost desires and dreams? I am a Womxn. What is your superpower? Firstly, a solid support system is necessary. You need a tribe of humans who will be there to listen, extend a helping hand and generally hold you down when you need some down time and rebooting. It is imperative that we know where to go or when to refuel so that we can do the things we are equipped to do. Contrary to popular belief; this is not at all selfish, this is a reminder to oneself that you are a soft thing and that you should breathe. Inasmuch as life is often a juggling act, one needs to attend to the body, mind, and soul. With a consistent circle of support, it is easy for one to focus and achieve the objectives you have set out for yourself. A great way to stay on the ball is to write up a set of goals and hold yourself accountable to them. A human being actually… How does one strike the work-life-balance? Is this even an attainable feat? This would undoubtedly be a pertinent question for working mothers as one would want to be there for the kids’ milestones whilst breaking new ground on the work front. There have been ongoing studies regarding how one can achieve all this and then some. Ultimately, you should live a life that doesn’t require that you need a vacation from your day to day existence. Sometimes all it requires is doing the things that really get you going, like reading a book, going cycling, having tea with your mother or just having a night out with the girls and/or date night with your partner. Down time is really necessary. [bctt tweet=”You should live a life that doesn’t require that you need a vacation from your day to day existence” via=”no”] Sometimes the lemonade may taste like medicine It is not the end of the world, some experiences are lessons that need to be learned along the way. At the end of it all we need to make decisions about the kind of partners, colleagues and parents we want to be and stop self-sabotaging ourselves. Facebook COO and author of Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead, Sheryl Sandberg shares, “If more women lean in, we can change the power structure of our world and expand opportunities.” She further states, “Shared experience forms the basis of empathy and, in turn, can spark the institutional changes we need. More female leadership will lead to fairer treatment for all women.” Whenever in doubt, or when we question if we can lean in; we ought to remind ourselves that we are the magic and the medicine; and most importantly, we were born for such a time as this. [bctt tweet=”We can be selfless whilst putting ourselves first, it is possible” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The world was never ready for your juggling prowess We can be selfless whilst putting ourselves first, it is possible. We can be there for our humans – juggling our itinerary, to-do lists and still have an endless reservoir of love and sustenance for ourselves.We have the power to be whomever we want to be and with the assistance of a steady routine, consistency and positive affirmation, anything is within our reach. Thus, one cannot stress enough the importance of engaging with activities which reaffirm your calling or destiny. It’s also important amidst the juggling to remember that self-care also means giving yourself permission to go through the ups and downs of life and get within your feels. Inasmuch as it takes more than nights away or hours lost in a book; but you can certainly be assured that any dose of self-care can and will go a long way for the spirit, body, and mind. Go out there and SLAy!
Working to learn versus working to earn: The Millennial dilemma
[bctt tweet=”Does it mean more for you to work to learn right now or work to earn?” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Admittedly most of us enter the job market with high hopes and plans to make waves working 9-5 and ultimately, leaving a footprint. In the excitement of the dawning of a new day; we sometimes forget that there are tough decisions that we need to ponder. This realization usually means an inevitable transition that takes us on a joy ride. Happy New Year! First of all, congratulations! You get to do all of the things which you set out to achieve as soon as you graduated and you are fired up with zeal to the brim. As a result you’ve been granted the opportunity-of-a-lifetime. The universe and your grancestors have been on your side; all that’s left to do is, SLAy! Yet, there’s a disclaimer, this job you’ve been offered does not pay enough for you to rent, pay off tertiary debt and have a social life. But, you’re probably fresh from university and in need of expertise. You’re thinking surely it won’t be long until you climb the corporate ladder, right? [bctt tweet=”Being a Motherland Mogul, you know that you cannot play with your earning potential” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Earning Potential Almost all your previous stresses and worries come through like; “Oh? You thought you’d be 20-something, driving your dream car and living in your luxurious penthouse?” Ha! You thought you were so woke and resolved and then got a feel of the juice. Being a Motherland Mogul, you know that you cannot play with your earning potential; that experience begets zeros, and recognition in your chosen field or vocation. So you need to draw up a list of priorities and take it from there. Question: Does it mean more for you to work to learn right now or work to earn? The ramifications of either decision Consequently, adulting comes with the unavoidable task of choices. So opting to work to earn could mean you forsake active mentorship —your job may not necessarily be in the trade or industry you may have wanted to be in. Or you may be working with individuals who are not invested in impacting any significant change within the industry because all they are about is the bottom line. The plus side to this is the fact that you will be able to settle your student debt, send money back home and be able to start saving to purchase property or buy a car. The reverse scenario is accepting a job to learn, truly dedicating oneself to the course of learning as many tricks of the trade and attending networking sessions to establish a strong foothold in the industry. Huge disclaimer: the remuneration may not live up to the job title and expectation of duties to be carried out. The silver lining on this cloud would be that what you gain in experience can always be made up for in monetary value at a later stage. [bctt tweet=”It is possible to have your cake and eat it when it comes to work situations” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The grass may not always be greener Whether one is working to earn, or working to learn —there are both pros and cons to each scenario. The situation will vary from person to person and it is your prerogative to choose whichever works for you at a particular juncture in life. As such; you need to decide from a place of clarity and being grounded in what you wants for yourself. It is possible to have your cake and eat it; inasmuch as something may look attractive to you, it may not be all that it is cut out to be. [bctt tweet=”The world of vocation is a journey of continual learning writes @ZimK_Mvandaba” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Striking a balance The world of vocation is a journey of continual learning. By asking yourself deliberate questions about the aspirations you have and what fulfillment you want from a career, you will be a step closer. There is a preparedness that goes into the decision process guiding you from university to the world of work. Asking for help is not something to shy away from. Also, you could spend the first few years post-grad school interning or in a learnership to gain practical experience and take charge of the learning opportunities on offer. Alternatively, one could start off working to earn and building on their professional and academic portfolio simultaneously. There is no right or wrong, just make decisions that work for you as an individual.
Would you move abroad in pursuit of the career of your dreams?
[bctt tweet=”Adulting is a journey of OMG laced with moments of YAAAAAAS and degrees of ‘I can do the thing’” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I’m pretty sure many of us reach a point in our lives where we reevaluate some of our life choices. We finish high school and get accepted into tertiary institutions and study what we think we would like to be for the rest of our lives. But who knows what they really want to become when they’re a teen choosing their core subjects whilst dealing with puberty, boy drama and growing pains? Adulting and its woes Adulting and traversing the world of work is a journey of OMG laced with moments of YAAAAAAS and varying degrees of ‘I can do the thing’. So when the going gets tough and mind starts racing, one does consider that the grass may be greener on the other side. Releasing guilt and embracing our efforts as enough, and mistakes as lessons is often our biggest challenge and triumph. If I was granted the opportunity to go abroad in pursuit of a career that I want, well… Bye Felicia We have all at some point felt like everything is working against us and not with us. A lot of us align ourselves to the internalized propaganda that exists in order make us doubt our intuition and the choices which we dare to make. We can no longer silence the need for new and greater possibilities that exist outside of our paradigm. Presented with the opportunity to go abroad I would defs jump onto that bandwagon. [bctt tweet=”Presented with the opportunity to go abroad I would defs jump onto that bandwagon.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Don’t need no hateration, holleration There is absolutely no place for nursing prolonged feelings of doubt in this vocation dancery. For the longest time, women have continuously denied themselves the opportunity to flourish because they can. There has almost always been a reason why one should think things through and why one ought not to go ahead and flex on that new portfolio. We need to block out the negativity and the trolls that continue with the ‘pull her down’ syndrome. For this reason, we also ought to take time for small consistent acts of self-care and self-kindness which will grant us the daily ability to can. When one has opened oneself to the endless growth opportunities at their disposal there are a few things one needs to look into. These include what is more pivotal between a remuneration structure and job satisfaction? What are you willing to do regarding the roles and responsibilities which may come with the position? Will you be able to handle the responsibilities which come with the chosen career path? [bctt tweet=”We need to block out the negativity and the trolls” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] We are reminded over and over again, the importance of setting boundaries and respecting our limits. But sometimes we ought to push just a little harder, for a bit longer. Sometimes we must just be strong and pull ourselves towards ourselves until we conquer the proverbial Mount Frustration-Doubt-Anxiety. ‘J’ is for job; but also for jet setter So if I were offered the opportunity to go work abroad and pursue an accolade-worthy career, I would not think it through twice! Even if there may lie challenges ahead and irrespective of the adjustments I would have to make and despite any reservations; I am sure of one thing. It. Gets. Better. This doesn’t even warrant an explanation. Then the only thing left to do would be to… WERQ! [bctt tweet=”I am sure of one thing. It. Gets. Better. Then the only thing left to do would be to… WERQ! ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Conscious growth and dedication to a cause may require all of the patience, trusting the process and effort 100%, all the damn time! The understanding that sometimes we may not feel like doing the work, but we will anyway and the effort will be worth it —tenfold! At the end of it all; we will feel more enriched and empowered than we ever thought we might be. So, if you have a chance to move abroad don’t even think twice. Go get that career of your dreams!