Making Work More Meaningful: Mastering Mindset and Navigating Negative Workplace Culture

“In choosing your response, it actually frees you. It frees you to decide the outcome of your circumstances.”
— Grace

Join us in this conversation as one of our co-hosts, Grace, walks through her journey of navigating multiple jobs, pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors, and confronting burnout. Through her experiences, we explore the importance of redefining success, setting boundaries, and prioritizing self-care in the pursuit of a fulfilling work-life balance.

Enjoy.

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube, and Amazon Music.

References from this episode

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey | Amazon

• Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People by Vanessa Van Edwards | Amazon

Timestamps

00:00 Start

01:29 Balancing Multiple Jobs and Passions

04:07 Cultural Expectations and Career Choices

09:24 Navigating Toxic Work Environments

16:18 Reactive vs. Proactive Thinking

20:27 The Importance of Rest and Boundaries

26:54 Cultivating Meaningful Work Relationships

31:53 Final Thoughts

Quotes from this episode

“I realized that I didn't know how to be still, I didn't know how to not work. And I, it wasn't until three months into the pandemic where that really sank in for me, because I would be eating a meal and I'd be rushing through it. Like I would be eating it very quickly. And everything that I did was kind of like fast and efficient. And. And then I was like, for what? I don't have anywhere to go. I don't have any work to do. And so that's what made me realize like, okay, I think there was a lot of anxiety and shame around not being productive, not doing work. Um, if there was an activity or something that's just purely rest or fun that didn't contribute to I guess my future goals, it almost felt like, what's, what's the point. So that's where during COVID, I kind of really restructured the way that I thought about work and also my self worth not being so tied to my work identity. And coming out of that, I was able to approach work with a much healthier mindset and with a much healthier relationship.” — Grace

“Anytime you're dealing with a toxic person or somebody that's just so miserable that they want to drag you down with them, too, it's just a reflection of their internal world, and a lot of the times it has nothing to do with you. You just happen to be a character that's passing by them at this time and this place, and I think it's important to not stoop down to their level and to not engage by dishing it back, but to just, you know, I feel like in my most difficult jobs, I leaned into God more and kind of really thought about who do I want to be coming out of these, these difficult situations? How can I act in a way that after this job is all said and done, I'm happy with the way that I carried myself?”
— Grace

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” — Often attributed to Steven Covey or Viktor E. Frankl

“There's such a power in that pause. When you give yourself. That five to ten seconds, whatever it is, when you're in a position of being triggered, that pause can be really powerful in helping you to respond the way that your later self would have wanted you to really respond.”
— Liz

“For a fuller life, I think we should be having points of connection in all areas of our life. Energy that makes us feel good. And so if you're going to work, Avoiding people and only just going to get the work done. That's like eight to 10 hours of your life that you're hiding from other people. That you're not showing up authentically. That you're not receiving love and kindness and caring because you're holding it back and everybody else is holding it back. We're just here to be professional and then we clock out.” — Fatima

“If you seek first to understand and then to be understood, you actually increase your circle of influence when you do that. Because people, after they've exhausted what they need to say, I feel like then they listen.” — Grace on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

”I think ultimately work doesn't have to suck. No matter what type of job you're in or what type of environment you're in for your work, you can make it what you want it to be. And you can enjoy the process, even if it is a temporary role. You can enjoy the process with the people you're working with, but it starts with you. And, you know, how are you showing up? You could be the one that's inviting people to an event or an activity, whatever it might be. I feel like putting yourself out there to attend those things and, um, be a little uncomfortable. I feel like it can transform your experience of, of the workplace.” — Grace