What turning point in your career do you consider your “big break”?
Life for me is less about big breaks and more about incremental steps and habits. I think often we look back at our life to identify the big break without realising that another version of that could be in our present day or just around the corner. I still feel very much 'in progress’, and in a learning phase. While not necessarily a comfortable space to sit in, it’s very interesting. At the moment my focus, aside from usual work, is reaching out to people doing interesting things in areas I’d like to be more involved in. I’m having conversations that aren’t focussed on a specific end goal, it’s very refreshing.
What advice do you have for striking a work/life balance?
Repeatedly practice new habits that serve who you want to become.
What anxieties, if any, do you hold about your life/career? And how do you deal with them?
My biggest fear is to be stuck with the same outdated knowledge for a lifetime. I’m always encouraging myself to stay in a learning mindset.
Another would be leaning into motherhood while building a more resilient work life. It’s a work in progress and at times can overwhelm. Turns out I had very preconceived ideas about when and how I would return after maternity leave. The reality has been much messier, but I’m trying to embrace it all.
I also feel a strong need to contribute in a bigger way; beyond me and beyond my family. I wouldn’t say I feel anxious about it, but have pinned some ambitions onto myself that I now need to realise.
How has the current COVID-19 situation affected your industry, and your work personally? How have you dealt with it?
The conversation has certainly changed. Business owners and managers are required to adapt and stay agile while thinking forward into a great unknown. Overall, while the last few months have been challenging for almost everyone, there are still opportunities and paths to take if you can remain open-minded.
