#008—Does this suck? 🤔
Hi all, last week I asked for feedback—and you did not disappoint! I got A TON of incredible responses from you all; some of you sent me essays! And I’m not lying when I say those emails make my day. I love getting my two-sentence emails too, but long-form just helps me get to know you in a more meaningful way. And I always appreciate that you took the time to write it. 💜
Now, something caught my eye this week that I want to share with you all, because it may be really helpful for anyone trying something new (or thinking about it). Whether it’s a fitness routine, a hobby, or even a job, most new things are pretty hard in the beginning. They may even make you want to quit.
But a good question to ask yourself in those moments is, “Is it new or does it suck?”
I’ll explain this more in Final Thoughts.
Before we move on to resources, I have a fun announcement:
As many of you know, I’ve been on a mission to introduce Mental Models to everyone. They’ve changed my life and have helped me think better, make better decisions, and navigate confusion and chaos with high self-confidence.
So, I’m excited to announce that next week we’ll be releasing our 10-Day Think Better Challenge! Every day, I’ll send you an email with a new mental model (+ a personal story of how it helped me make a big decision!), along with a challenge that’ll help you learn it! If you want to join the Think Better challenge with me, then sign up here or simply reply “I’m in!”
On to more good stuff 🎊
💼 CAREERS AND JOB HUNTING
I love to learn. I’ve always felt compelled to keep expanding my knowledge and skills, but interestingly, I’ve realized lately that pretty much everything I’ve used in my career has been self-taught.
For all of us, there comes a point when our schooling doesn’t cut it anymore. We have to continue with our education ourselves. Unfortunately, our education system also has a way of making us not love learning.
I’m part of a women founders group, and I recently asked them how they—as founders who have so much going on and need to stay on top of their skills—manage their personal learning. So many of them told me that they have trouble finding the time or energy to do it. I was bummed to hear that, because learning shouldn’t feel like work. That’s just the legacy of our school system.
Personally, it took me a few years, but I’ve been able to make learning fun for myself. I’ll tell you how next week. But for now, I’m curious, what does learning feel like to you? Do you spend time learning? If so, what’s your process? Looking forward to your replies. 😃
Here’s a great calendar of virtual career-related, job hunting, and mentorship events.
Whether you’re job searching, hiring, or simply networking, check out this Awesome People List that you can add yourself to or explore for new connections!
And if you are actively interviewing, here is a great resource on Owning The Power In Your Interview shared by one of our community members!
The Help List also has great resources for global tech workers.
Looking to work at a company that is fully remote (and not just remote during CV-19?) Here’s a list and platform to find relevant companies.
Speaking of, most companies that used to not be remote are deciding to go fully remote or at least offer flexible working policies. However, if you’re returning to work any time soon, check out these 10 tips to manage your stress as you return.
👋 SOCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL HANGOUTS
So, “Zoom exhaustion” has been coming up A LOT in my conversations.
In the beginning, there were high hopes that Zoom calls in place of physical meetings would be easier, because we could hold them from our couches. But it turns out that being “on” for video calls is just as exhausting. And it’s not just meetings, either. Pretty much all events are happening over Zoom.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the video calls, try taking these steps to alleviate the Zoom gloom:
Set intentions for each call. For example, let’s say you’re actively job searching and have a day full of networking phone calls. Even if they’re all about networking, you can set a specific goal for each of the calls. Maybe something like, “I want to be able to explain to someone else what a paid advertising marketer does after this call.” Setting those intentions will keep all your calls from blurring together.
Give yourself breaks. It’s tempting to set meetings back-to-back because it seems like it frees up more time during other parts of the day. But that will drain you faster—and keep you from getting much done the rest of the day. Instead, try giving yourself at least 10-15 minutes between calls to stretch or go for a walk.
Set up your environment for success. Lighting, temperature, background noise, smells—they all make a difference in how you feel while you’re on a call. The little things add up over the course of a day, so don’t ignore how your environment may be affecting your mood and energy.
Here are some hangouts you can use to practice your good Zoom habits! 🙂
Women in Tech Breakfast
July 17th, 9:00 a.m. PDT
During our morning discussion, we will learn about various leadership styles and approaches taken by women running major teams and projects. How do they manage for empathy and productivity? How do they manage inclusive and diverse teams? Our leaders will share their philosophies, strategy as well as day-to-day tactics. More details here.
Evening w/ Women in Marketing
July 20th, 4:00 p.m. PDT
Hear from the most inspiring female leaders - across media, to market, design, and tech - who have blazed the path to stand up and stand out. From learnings, to failings and their secrets of success, this event is an opportunity to learn from the best - serious wisdom, from seriously cool women, all designed to supercharge you and your organization's success. Details here.
Time Management Workshop
July 21st, 9:00 a.m. PDT
In this session with the team from x.ai, you'll learn strategies and tactics for managing your time, both to ensure that you are maximally productive and to ensure that you maintain a good work/life balance. Topics will include productivity tools and strategies with a focus on applying them to newly evolved workplaces; remote, distanced, etc. Details here.
Trivia Night!
July 24th, 5:00 p.m. PDT
Join our online trivia night via Zoom! You can sign up as a full team with friends, a small group, or as a free agent (we'll help you find teammates). Details here.
⭐ FINAL THOUGHTS
I got a newsletter recently that introduced me to an awesome concept: “Is it new or does it suck?”
Basically, anytime we start something new—working out, learning a language, cooking for ourselves, etc.—it tends to be difficult and doesn’t feel that rewarding. In other words, it sucks.
But sometimes, if we stick with it and make it a routine, it stops sucking and becomes a great addition to our lives. “Sometimes” being the key word. Other times, the new thing we’ve started just isn’t for us, and it keeps sucking because we don’t like it and our time would be better spent elsewhere.
The issue is that you can’t distinguish one from the other if you don’t stick with your new activity for long enough. If you quit after a week or two, you never find out if it really sucks, or if it’s just new.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself if you’re in a tough spot with a new hobby, skill, or job, and you’re thinking about quitting.
How long have I been doing this? From my research, is that long enough to see a change in how I feel about it?
Do I feel like I’m improving? Does that make it more enjoyable or does it still suck?
Are there people I can reach out to who’ve done it before and give me advice on how to go about this the best way?
Finally, if you really feel like you’ve given something your all and it still just sucks, then don’t feel bad about quitting. You’re not going to like or be good at everything. Put your energy toward things that enhance you and bring you happiness and don’t worry about what everyone else is doing.
Hope this week’s email gave you some good tips for your day-to-day life. 💜And, if you really want to improve your day-to-day, I hope all of you join me for the 10-Day Think Better Challenge. Seriously, mental models should be taught in every school and reinforced every year - they’ve completely changed how I approach situations and think through life. Let me know if you’re joining - just respond “I’m in” or sign up here.
You’re awesome,
Shireen
