🗣 I'm reclaiming my time. Grateful AF.

👋🏽 Hey, it’s a short work week and I’m grateful we are meeting here again.

Serious question: Do you drive around with your gas light on or on less than a quarter tank? Before you cast judgment, we have all been there at least ONCE. 😂 Some may say it’s my toxic trait. (👋🏽 Hi, Marcel!)

It’s not recommended because it can do some damage to your high dollar vehicle. I’m no car expert, but I’ve heard it can cause parts to overheat, etc. 😬

So the question is, why do we do this to ourselves? We live in a different type of ‘hustle’ culture than our parents, but we continue to accelerate towards our destination while our mind + body + spirit are on empty. YIKES. I’m speaking to myself when I say I know I can do better. So, let’s get into it.

⛽️ Fueling creativity + community + connections ⛽️

🗣 Special Sound Off: my amazing HR friend (and cool mom) Cassandra Babilya is giving us exactly what we need to pour into our empty cups. Even more importantly, she’s helping us grow as unique individuals. 🌱 Get notified of her new journal coming our way soon!

If this email was forwarded to you, tap in and join the cool collective.

When you’re constantly on the hard grind throughout the year, Q4 hits a bit different.

This is why we need to reframe how we battle that fu*king burnout with boundaries + reclaim some type of work life balance harmony.

I used to believe that when I was starting to feel the sting of burnout, I could mitigate any of the risks through a good self-care routine (read: 60-minute massage). I quickly learned, while those are nice in the moment, it does require a continuous daily practice to untangle the web of compounding weary.

So what are some factors contributing to workplace burnout?

• Excessive workload + insufficient resources

• Lack of recognition + reward

• Mismatch of values + skills

• Poor workplace relationships (read: management issues + interpersonal conflict)

• Unclear job expectations

• Lack of growth opportunities

• Remote work challenges (read: isolation)

• AND SO ON…

Not to mention, with our work-life harmony mixed in through the blurred lines of remote/hybrid ways of working, we need to tackle how we can set (or reset) boundaries and reclaim a bit of our time back. Trust me - it will make us better leaders, team members, PEOPLE overall.

Burnout is never good for business and can contribute to a few sh*tty outcomes:

💩 Decreased Efficiency: Burnout can lead to decreased motivation and lower efficiency.

💩 Increased Absenteeism: Burnt-out employees are more likely to take sick days.

💩 Impaired Creativity and Problem-Solving: Burnout affects cognitive functions, reducing creativity and problem-solving abilities.

💩 Employee Turnover: Long-term burnout can lead to higher turnover rates. Well, duh!

In today's fast-paced work environment, setting boundaries is not just a luxury—it's a necessity.

✋🏽 Setting boundaries at work is essential for everyone; crucial for BIPOC employees.

BIPOC employees often navigate additional layers of complexity in the workplace. They might face systemic biases, microaggressions, or feel pressured to over-perform to counter stereotypes.

The heightened need to prove ourselves can lead to a reluctance in setting boundaries, for fear of being perceived as not dedicated enough. Raise your hand if this has happened to you (✋🏽). With that being said, we can fall into a higher risk category of experiencing more burnout and other stress-related health issues.

Without clear boundaries, we may start to find ourselves overworked and undervalued. This can lead to a significant decline in mental health, job satisfaction, and productivity. It's a detrimental cycle that not only affects us as individuals, but also impacts our company’s overall health and performance. Notice any correlations?

💫 How Organizations Can Support BIPOC Employees in Setting Boundaries

1. Cultivate an Inclusive Culture: Foster an environment where all employees feel valued and heard. Encouraging open dialogues around mental health and work-life balance is key.

2. Provide Resources and Support: Offer workshops and/or resources on setting healthy boundaries and understanding the unique challenges faced by BIPOC employees.

3. Lead by Example: People leaders can model boundary-setting behavior. This sends a message that it's okay to prioritize personal well-being. (Hi, Slack message with requests at 10pm 😫)

4. Regular Check-ins: Implement regular check-ins to ensure that employees, especially BIPOC team members, feel supported and not overwhelmed.

✋🏽 Employers need to recognize this and create a supportive environment that not only acknowledges these challenges but actively works to alleviate them.

December Challenge: For the rest of this season, let’s give the gift (🎁) of ‘that could have been an email’ or even a Slack message. There is a time and place for different types of meetings, but it’s extremely important to know why one is truly needed and what is the outcome.

time to sound off.

Set 👏🏽 the 👏🏽 damn 👏🏽 out 👏🏽 of 👏🏽 office.

Within our working establishments we probably have a bit of Paid Time Off. This is meant to be utilized in whatever positive ways we choose. My hope is that you’re using it to recharge or ‘fill your proverbial cup’.

Recently, I’ve connected with some awesome career coaches (👋🏽 Hi, Liz + Dana + Shonna!) and one thing is for certain - we are all busy and trying to find meaningful ways to work (and thrive; not survive). Many of us want to shift to a more thoughtful system of wellbeing to grant us more time with our family, or even pursue a passion project that is fulfilling AF.

🗣 Your paid time off is there for a reason (even if you’re remote).

The important conversation around wellbeing to help combat burnout is a tale as old as time, but it’s getting the shine it deserves now. There is not a cookie-cutter formula and understand that it has layers upon layers. We all have different experiences that impact us inside + outside of the workplace.

As many of us sit in the People function of the biz, there are ways that HR can help support this mission.

💫 Policy + Process Development: Audit and align those systems. Implement clear policies regarding work hours and expectations.

💫 Jam Sessions: Educate people leaders + employees on the importance of work-life harmony.

💫 Encouraging Time Off: Promote a culture where taking leave is normalized and not stigmatized. Send a PTO balance report mid-year to your people leaders so they can help encourage their staff + enable better workforce planning.

💫 Advocate for the Toolkit: Offer tools for time management and stress reduction. If you have seen some best practices or gems, drop those in a Slack channel for wellbeing. Whatever you do, don’t gatekeep the knowledge.

A quick TL;DR moment.

here are a few things I’ll be doing.

👋🏽 Setting the OOO!

🥧 Eating all the mashed potatoes + peach cobbler

🥂 Making mimosas with my sisters (shoutout to Viarae Prosecco FTW)

📚 Jumping into a good book (fiction first ☝🏽)

📝 Journaling (reply to this email if you need some really good prompts)

⚡️QUICKSTRIKE HR + OUT OF THE BOX NEWS

The HR/People Operations landscape is evolving. As the HR World Turns 🌎 could be its own show. Check out some of the happenings below.

• My HR BFF Hebba Youseff is giving us some Linkedin learnings on the proper Out of Office messages. Check them out. 😂

• WHEW. This OpenAI soap opera is truly an intriguing case study. 🧐 Here’s a detailed timeline for your reading pleasure.

• The amazing Kim Rohrer is embarking on a new project that we are all excited about. Stay connected. 👀

👟 ONE TO ROCK, ONE TO STOCK

Some HR people may like pilates and shopping trips to Ulta. You could say my thing is sneakers + streetwear. If you enjoy sneaker culture - this section is for you.

• Something REALLY BIG is happening at CNK Daily. Stay connected.

• Kick Confessions 👟 I’m a sucker for a good sneaker story. This women’s exclusive Air Jordan 5 was recently added to the rotation.

• Tradeblock recently added some razzle dazzle to the sneaker trading experience. 👀

🗣 LET’S COME OFF MUTE + CONNECT

Supporting the small biz/brand owner is important to me. Each newsletter, I’ll introduce you to some talented people in my network and beyond.

• Gnaw Collective is a wellness club helping women of color find aligned stability and food freedom.  Find out how!

• Reading with a Rapper is back with more classroom activations, pop-ups, teacher toolkits, and more. Stay connected.

🎧 A SONG I DIDN’T SKIP ON MY PLAYLIST TODAY

Today I have to give Missy her flowers. She changed the game with her music videos + whole vibe. She’s also been inducted into the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. A historic moment! 🏆

If you’re experiencing a blocker in creativity or just need a HR/People Ops sounding board, hit my Kicks x Coffee link to vibe. Everyone deserves to find some community.

From my OOO to yours, I hope you have a restful week. If you celebrate Thanksgiving, enjoy. Reply to this email with the worst side dish in your opinion - let’s debate. 😅