Life & Work Skills

We all send and receive so many emails every day that it’s easy to forget that email is a tool—a tool most of us were never taught how to use. Knowing how to create and send effective emails, while also making the most of an organized inbox, can save you a lot of time, improve your email communications, and boost your productivity.
Successful women understand the power of leveraging email to their advantage, so let’s break down seven email tips, tricks, and hacks that successful women utilize daily to be at the top of their email a-game.

7 Game-Changing Email Secrets Successful Women Know

1. They know the power of a strong subject line
Successful women know that first impressions matter and that a well-crafted subject line can make or break an email’s impact. They opt for concise, specific subject lines that summarize the main purpose or request of the message. By captivating the recipient’s attention with a compelling subject line, you increase the likelihood of the recipient opening and responding to your email promptly.
For example, instead of writing “Meeting Request” they might opt for “Meeting on Project X Due Friday”. This subject line clearly communicates the intention and urgency of the email, capturing the recipient’s attention from the start. Or instead of using a subject like “Project Update”, they would write “X Project Update: Milestone Achievement and Next Steps Discussion”.

2. They use confident and authoritative phrasing
Phrasing plays a crucial role in conveying messages effectively. Successful women choose their words carefully, ensuring their emails are clear, concise, and free from unnecessary jargon. They aim to get their point across without overwhelming the recipient with lengthy explanations. By mastering the art of phrasing, they make their messages more digestible and easier to respond to.
Successful women also avoid excessive apologies or self-deprecating language, as it can undermine their confidence and authority. They choose words that convey professionalism, respect, and assertiveness, while still maintaining a friendly tone.
Here are a few phrases that you can benefit from learning to avoid including in your upcoming emails:

Sorry: While apologies have their place, overusing the word “sorry” can undermine confidence and unnecessarily take responsibility. Instead, focus on addressing any mistakes or issues directly and offer solutions or alternatives when necessary.
Just or only: These words can downplay your confidence and diminish the importance of your message. For example, saying “I just wanted to check” or “I only have a quick question” may make you appear unsure or less credible. Be direct and assertive in your communication.
Actually: This word can accidentally come across as condescending or corrective. Instead, strive to provide information or clarify points without using language that may appear dismissive.
I think or I feel: While it’s important to express your opinions, using phrases like “I think” or “I feel” can weaken your message. Instead, state your viewpoint confidently as a fact without hedging or apologizing for your perspective.
Abbreviations or text-speak: In a professional setting, it’s best to avoid abbreviations or text-speak like “OMG” or “LOL.” Opt for complete and proper sentences to maintain a polished and respectful tone.

3. They tailor salutations and signoffs
The salutation and signoff set and enforce the tone for an email. Successful women tailor their salutations based on the level of familiarity with the recipient. They use “dear” for formal or unfamiliar contacts and “hi” or “hello” for more informal relationships. Similarly, they select signoffs like “best regards” or “sincerely” for formal correspondence and “thanks” or “warm regards” for more casual or friendly interactions. Paying attention to these details showcases professionalism and respect and can help you maintain healthy business relationships.

4. They have templates for everything
To save time and maintain consistency, successful women create email templates for commonly used messages. Templates act as a starting point, allowing them to customize the content as needed. Whether it’s a follow-up email, a request for information, or a meeting invitation, templates streamline the email composition process, ensuring efficiency without compromising personalization.
Templates are especially helpful for any email communications you send out repeatedly with detailed instructions. For example, if you onboard a lot of contract workers as a part of your role, you’ll want to have an email template ready to go with clear onboarding instructions. That way, you can skip repeatedly writing tedious emails while also making sure no important details slip through the cracks.

5. They organize their inbox with filters and folders
An organized inbox greatly benefits successful women. To help stay on top of things, successful women implement strategies such as creating folders or labels to categorize emails, prioritizing messages based on urgency or importance, and utilizing filters to automatically sort incoming emails. By keeping their inboxes clutter-free, they can locate important messages quickly and efficiently and respond to critical matters that could easily get lost in the inbox abyss.
For instance, they might set up filters for things like “Clients”, “Projects”, “Personal”, or “Newsletters” to easily sort and locate emails based on their respective categories. In addition to using folders, successful women prioritize their messages based on urgency or importance. They may create folders like “Urgent”, “To-Do”, or “Follow-Up” to highlight emails that require immediate attention or actions. By adopting this approach, they can swiftly identify critical matters and ensure that nothing important falls through the cracks.

6. They know how to manage their email time
Successful women have a lot to get done in a day. This is why they understand better than anyone the need to set boundaries and manage their email time effectively. They allocate specific time slots for checking and responding to emails, avoiding constant interruptions throughout the day. By establishing designated email windows, they maintain focus on their core tasks and prevent email overload from derailing their productivity.
So—when do successful women tackle their inboxes? A good rule of thumb is to check your inbox when you first start your work day to see if any urgent matters came up and right before signing off for the day to make sure no one’s waiting on an important response. In between those times, successful women use small pockets of time between meetings when deep work isn’t possible or when they’re experiencing an afternoon slump to catch up on emails.

7. They use AI to make their lives easier
AI tools like Chat GPT and Grammarly are invaluable for successful women seeking to improve their professional email writing. Stumped for words? ChatGPT can help you figure out how to phrase your email effectively. Just tell the AI chat tool all of the details you want to cover and it will give you a clear response. You can then experiment with different suggestions to refine your email drafts. Once you craft an email, you can turn to Grammarly or Hemingway for a quick grammar and spell check. Typos aren’t professional, so going the extra mile to avoid them counts.

The Takeaway
Mastering the art of email communication is essential for professional success and successful women have honed their skills in this area, enhancing their productivity, making lasting impressions, and navigating their inboxes with ease. Eventually, with enough practice, these tips will run naturally in the background of your mind, and you’ll be able to make the most of your email every day.

7 Career Habits Successful Women Practice More

I love working from home. I’ve been doing it since before it became cool (read, necessary) in 2020. Working remotely allows me to do my job without leaving the comforts of my home. It gives me more time in the day for myself and my family and less time behind the wheel commuting. And while it may not be for everyone, it’s my jam. But as stellar as the pros of working from home are, I’ve also experienced my fair share of cons, like lack of social interaction and collaboration, deafening silence and loss of focus, and time management and productivity challenges.
Over the years of working remotely, I’ve learned a thing or two about how to stay productive and focused. Not every day is perfect, but with these ten practical and effective strategies, you too can level up your work-at-home game to make it more healthy, productive, and, dare I say, fun.

10 Tips For Leveling Up Your Work-At-Home Game
Leveling up your work-at-home game can be easier than you think. By making simple but effective tweaks to your day, you can become the best remote worker for yourself, your productivity, and your sanity.

Create a Morning Routine
How your work day goes often depends on how you start it, so make the time to establish a morning routine that allows you to begin your day on the right foot. Getting in a workout, showering, meditating, or eating a healthy breakfast are a few of the ways you can start your day off right. Find what works best for you. What you’re trying to avoid is waking up, rolling out of bed, and immediately logging onto your computer to work. And please, change out of your pajamas. (If you need some work from home style inspiration, we have plenty of work at home outfits to help you up your game). 

Maintain Consistent Working Hours
If you were working in an office, you’d set a consistent work schedule. The same rule applies to working from home. You need to create a schedule and a routine you can structure your life around (because life isn’t just about work). Determine what hours you need to be or are expected to be available and make a plan to stick to them as best you can.

Keep a Dedicated Office Space
Just like it’s essential to maintain consistent working hours to help separate your working time from your personal time, it’s critical to keep a dedicated office space. This doesn’t have to be a separate home office (although that’s great if you have one!). It can be a dedicated corner of a room with a flat surface, a coworking space, or a quiet spot in your home. The goal of a dedicated office space is that at the end of the day, you can close your laptop and walk away, signaling to yourself and your brain that the workday is over.

Set Ground Rules
Working from home is a skill that, like anything, takes practice. As you become more established working remotely, you’ll want to set some ground rules. Setting a baseline for how you want to operate during the day when there is the possibility of so many distractions is essential to staying productive and focused. Think about how you want to use your phone, if you want to weave in personal tasks like laundry, and how you plan to take a lunch break. Get clear on your expectations for yourself and how to operate to set yourself up for success.

Schedule Breaks
When you’re working in an office, think about how many times you take breaks throughout the day. From walks to the water cooler to bathroom breaks to a quick chat with team members, real-time breaks are built into your day. These built-in breaks become less frequent while working from home, so it’s important to schedule breaks in your day. Plan to get up and stand at least once an hour, take a walk break on your lunch, or savor a few minutes by making a new cup of coffee. The longer we sit in front of a computer uninterrupted, the more unproductive we become. Breaks are essential to an efficient workday.

Work From Away
If you find yourself growing bored or uninspired by your workspace and your company is supportive, change up your scenery. Working remotely doesn’t always have to mean working from home. It can mean working from a coffee shop or at a vacation rental on a beach, or at a coworking space with friends. While routine is important, when you’ve been working from home for an extended period of time, switching up your working location is a great option to reinvigorate and energize your work.

Invest in the Right-For-You WFH Tools
To do great work, you need the right tools. In addition to productivity tools and project management software, it’s important that your space is set up to make you feel you’re most productive. Think about what would be valuable to you, and if your budget allows, make an investment. Some work-from-home tools that could really level up your space include items like a standing desk, a walking pad, an essential oil diffuser, a charging station, a second computer screen, or a printer. 

Take Time Off
Work is a big part of our lives, but it’s not the only part. While working remotely in comfy clothes might feel more leisurely than commuting to an office, it’s still imperative for your well-being to take time away from work. Utilize your vacation time. Take a sick day if you’re sick instead of trying to push through. To be well at work, we need to rest and charge. Working from home isn’t a vacation, so take advantage of the time off you’re given.

Stay Social
While working from home often still involves team collaboration and video conferencing, it’s not the same as being surrounded by an office full of people. It can feel isolating at times to be an office of one, so it’s necessary to proactively make an effort to stay social. Schedule time with friends or family outside of work to stay connected or book a workout class prior to your work day. We’re innately social creatures, so finding ways to get out of the house and surround yourself with people that energize you is important.

Make Time for You
For me, a big benefit of working from home is the extra time it gives me back in my day. Without commuting and extra time spent getting ready and preparing a lunch, I can spend more time doing things I enjoy. Don’t forget, the point of working remotely isn’t to work more, it’s to provide you with a better way to integrate your work and life. Throughout the work week, take time to do things you love. Read a book in the morning, get in a yoga class, play with your children, go for a walk, listen to a podcast, or spruce up your house. Take advantage of the extra time you have in your schedule and do the things that light you up.

Best WFH Tools
There are a lot of helpful resources available to level up your work-from-home game. I’ve identified five types of tools you might find valuable to improve your productivity, so pick what works for you and set you up for your best work day.

Planner
Call me traditional, but I love a good planner. There’s something about actually writing down your tasks and goals and crossing them out that motivates me. Planners (or even blank notebooks!) are a great, inexpensive way to keep you on track and productive while working remotely. The Everygirl has some awesome options available at Target.

The Everygirl x Day Designer

The Everygirl x Day Designer

Project Management Tool
Whether you’re solo or working on a team, a project management tool is an effective way to collaborate with others, especially across different time zones. They’re essential for time management and task efficiency. Many tools are cloud-based, have mobile apps, and offer free plan options to help make collaboration even easier. A few of my favorite tools include Asana, ClickUp, Monday.com, and Trello. 

Communications Tool
Communication is key when you’re working away from your direct team and those you cross-collaborate with at your company. Identifying a communication tool that works for you is crucial to your productivity. Your company may equip you with tools to help you chat and video call with others, like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, or the Google Suite. Find what fits your needs and allows you to work efficiently with your team to accomplish your goals.

Digital Calendar
Keeping a digital calendar is essential for me. It helps me manage my day and stay on task. Digital calendars allow you to time block your day to help you focus on tasks and avoid distributions. There is no right or wrong calendar to use. The best one is whichever one you’ll stick with managing. Staple tools like Microsoft Outlook and Google Calendar are great places to start. The Google Suite is a useful option because it allows you to utilize other tools like Google Meet, Google Drives, and Google Tasks, which will automatically add any tasks you make to your Google Calendar to really help you organize your day.

Comfort Items
This work-from-home tool is a personal-to-you option. One of the perks of working within your own four walls is that you’re afforded the freedom of comfort. You can opt for leggings instead of hard pants. You can wear slippers instead of heels. You can play soundscapes instead of listening to coworkers chatting a few cubicles down. You can light a candle and enjoy the relaxing scent. Take advantage of what makes you feel good and allows you to do your best work. Obviously, if you need to be camera ready for a video call, ensure you’re presenting yourself professionally. But if you’re doing focused work, comfort is key.

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7 Productivity Habits Successful Women Practice More

It’s time to talk about a major life hack that can make a huge difference in your career, personal relationships, finances, and health. Boundaries. They aren’t easy to set or enforce, but the hard work you put in upfront when you establish clear boundaries can create a ripple effect throughout your entire life. That’s why so many successful women consistently practice setting boundaries every single day. It’s no secret that women are all too often expected to balance a lot, but it isn’t our job to rise to the expectations that other people set for us. Finding success in all areas of your life takes focus and by setting boundaries with everyone in your life, you can free up a lot of time and energy to devote to building your dream life.
Let’s take a look at some of the boundaries that successful women practice every day so you can start to think about how you could change your day-to-day life for the better.

1. Saying No
Two small letters can lead to a whole lot of progress. Will you drive me to the airport? Will you clean up the break room? Will you tutor my child after work? Will you…You get the gist. There’s nothing wrong with someone asking you for a favor, but there’s also nothing wrong with saying no to that favor if it’s something you don’t feel you can accommodate. Saying yes to everything that comes your way is the shortest route to burnout. 
Successful women know how to prioritize their work and say “no” to nonessential requests. Saying “no” should be a guilt-free answer. If a request makes you feel uncomfortable, say no. If a request will make it hard for you to prioritize your wellness like a full night’s sleep, working out, or eating three meals a day, say no. If a request means you’ll work overtime instead of focusing on your personal life, you can say no. 
Saying no applies to fun things too. You don’t have to go to every party or family brunch. Once you get over the initial awkwardness, you’ll feel great, we promise. 

2. Turning On ‘Do Not Disturb’
Having technology readily available at our fingertips does not mean you owe everyone you know constant access to you. Continuous interruptions throughout the day can be immensely distracting which can make it harder to accomplish your goals in a timely manner—whether that be finishing a work project or finally getting through your book club read. Successful women set communication boundaries by turning off notifications and responding to emails, texts, and calls at a time that works best for them. This simple boundary helps reduce stress and distraction, thus improving productivity and making it easier to manage tasks efficiently. 

3. Delegating and Outsourcing
You don’t only need to set boundaries with other people, you also need to set them with yourself. One major boundary worth implementing is letting go and being able to delegate and outsource. Successful women know there are only so many hours in the day (please don’t compare yourself to Beyoncé) and that the secret to getting more done effectively is to delegate or outsource certain tasks. 
Whether you pass off work to an assistant or team member, hire someone to put together your new furniture, or simply pick up a gorgeous cake at Whole Foods instead of making it yourself before your BFF’s birthday party, delegating and outsourcing can help you find success and balance in one fell swoop. 

4. Protecting Their Financial Interests
Other people love to tell you how to spend your money, even though they may not realize that’s what they’re doing. Successful women know that a huge element of reaching their personal, career, and financial goals is to be strategic with their money. That can mean saving, paying down debt, or investing. When a friend is pushing you to go all out for a night on the town or your parents really want you to travel across the country for that third cousin’s wedding, you can set boundaries that protect your financial interests. 
It’s important to remember that your financial well-being is your priority. If you’re feeling pressured to go out to expensive dinners or travel to far-flung destinations, you can simply shut down that pressure by saying no. If you have an intimate relationship with the person, you may choose to clue them into your financial goals and how they impact your spending decisions, but you also don’t have to share anything about your finances if you don’t want to. By setting clear boundaries and communicating openly with those around you, you can build stronger, more sustainable relationships while also setting yourself up for a brighter financial future.

5. Refusing To Give Excuses
When we refuse a request or say no to someone, we don’t have to justify or apologize for our decision. One major boundary you can set is not owing anyone an explanation. You don’t have to justify any answers you give when you’re trying to set boundaries that work for your schedule or comfort level. 
There’s no need to give elaborate excuses because that implies you owe the other person a worthy reason for not complying with their request. Only you need to be comfortable with your reason for saying no. Successful women don’t need to devote any time or energy to coming up with “good” excuses when that brain space can go towards much more important things.  
Can’t attend that family function? Don’t have time to work on that extra project at work? Want to skip the overpriced bachelorette weekend for a friend you aren’t that close to? Stop giving excuses. A vague, “I’m sorry, I won’t be able to make it” or a quick “My workload is too heavy to take on that project right now” will do the trick. 

7 Productivity Habits Successful Women Practice More

There’s no way around it: we have to master workplace communication if we want to succeed in our careers. What makes the task all the more complicated is trying to find the perfect thing to say and way to say it in order to communicate clearly and be taken seriously. Unfortunately, even simple phrases can be perceived in a negative way. If I say, “Sorry about that!” my colleagues may believe I’m weak. If I say, “Friendly reminder…” my coworkers may assume I’m being passive-aggressive. So, we’re left frequently trying to strike the perfect balance in every interaction.
It’s easy to get caught up in overanalyzing every tiny detail. Does this sound okay? Am I being too nice? Did I use too many exclamation points? The list truly does go on. While we’re still trying to figure out the exact perfect amount of exclamation points, there are a few phrases successful women have in their back pockets to ensure they’re communicating effectively. Here they are:

1. “I don’t see it this way, and here’s why.”
Stating your opinion—especially when it’s different from other viewpoints in the room—can feel intimidating and nerve-wracking. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t held back from sharing at times. 
But here’s the truth: your opinion is as important and relevant as everyone else’s, and you deserve to share it! It’s not rude to disagree with what others are saying, and you don’t have to apologize for having a different opinion, either. When sharing your opinion, it’s essential to consider the timing and your justification to back up your argument. 
For example, if you’re in a meeting and your colleague asks if anyone has a different point of view, share yours while it’s relevant, don’t wait until after the fact. And to back up your reasoning for seeing things differently, make sure you have some concrete examples or references to share. You could say, “I don’t see us needing to return to the office five days per week, and here’s why. My team’s productivity has not declined. I want to continue supporting our team members with the flexibility to meet their at-home responsibilities because they provide better output with this freedom.”  

2. “I have more thoughts to share.”
We’ve all been there: when you finally worked up the courage to share your perspective, and before you can finish your thoughts, a coworker interrupts and steals your thunder. 
It happens all the time, and even though it can feel discouraging, it’s okay to jump back into the conversation and continue sharing your thoughts. If you’re sitting in a meeting and a coworker interrupts or speaks over you, try to find a natural pause in the conversation to say, “I have more thoughts to share. Thank you for your input, but I’d like to finish where I left off before we move on further.” Asserting yourself helps ensure your ideas are heard and gives you a well-deserved seat at the table. 
This phrase also works well when a meeting gets cut short, and you don’t have the opportunity to finish providing your perspective. You can follow up via email and let your team members know you have more thoughts to share and outline them in the email or schedule a follow-up meeting to continue the discussion.

3. “My workload is full right now. What if we ask X?”
There’s a big difference between being a team player and getting taken advantage of, but successful women aren’t afraid to draw boundaries between the two. Women get asked to take on responsibilities outside their job descriptions all the time—be it planning an event or taking notes during a meeting. 
Extra tasks add up quickly and can lead to burnout and frustration. So, the next time you get asked to take on extra work outside of your role (without additional compensation or recognition), don’t be afraid to clarify what does and does not fit into your workload, especially if the tasks aren’t part of your job description. But instead of leaving your team member hanging, try offering an alternative solution to avoid being a bottleneck. 
If you aren’t sure where to start with this phrase, try using it the next time you get asked to take on a project you really don’t have time for that’s also outside of your normal workflow. You can say something like, “My workload is full right now, but I know X is really passionate about this subject and might be able to take this on.”

4. “I deserve a raise.”
The gender pay gap continues to exist. Confident and strong women know their worth and aren’t afraid to ask for what they deserve, even when it’s anxiety-inducing. 
Even though we all wish we could simply state that we deserve a raise and receive one, there’s some additional work involved that will help strengthen your argument. Do your research to understand a fair rate for your role and create a compelling list of reasons that support why you deserve a raise, including your most recent achievements and contributions. Consider preparing your argument for your mid-year or end-of-year performance review, or find another time to talk with your manager (when you feel ready). 
Being direct and confident about deserving a raise conveys to your manager that you know your worth and will fight for it (as you should). Add this phrase to your vocabulary to get what you want and deserve. 

5. “I’m proud of my effort on this project.”
We don’t give ourselves enough credit. In a world where we’re taught to downplay our accomplishments and avoid taking up too much space, pausing to recognize our efforts can feel unnecessarily boastful. 
Hear me loud and clear: you have every right to celebrate your success and achievements, and being proud of yourself is an incredible feeling. And you don’t have to celebrate in silence, either. 
1:1s with your manager, performance reviews, and team meetings are great opportunities to draw attention to your wins and effort. Don’t be afraid to give yourself a pat on the back, especially in team meetings where your teammates might not realize how much effort truly went into a project. 

6. “I won’t be able to make the meeting. Can you provide me with a recap afterward?”
Successful women know they must ruthlessly prioritize their schedule, and sometimes that includes turning down meeting invitations and removing themselves from projects where they know their team can cover the work without them.
Speaking from experience, I often feel guilty when I turn down a meeting (who gave me the authority to do such a thing?), but the reality is that sometimes it’s necessary. Other priorities (including responsibilities outside of work) may be at the top of the list, and that’s perfectly acceptable. Letting your teammates know you can’t make a meeting but would like a recap afterward conveys that you still care about the topics being discussed without needing to be directly involved.

7. “I appreciate you taking the time to chat today.”
It’s tempting to apologize for asking coworkers for their time, especially when calendars are jam-packed. You might feel guilty for claiming an open time slot between meetings, but if it’s for a good reason, there’s no need to feel bad about it. 
Using the phrase, “I appreciate you taking the time to chat today,” lets others know that you value their time without being overly apologetic. Thanking others for their time is a polite way to claim time for an important and necessary conversation that’s relevant to your workload.

8. “Thanks for your patience!” 
Unless it’s explicitly written in your company policies or you have an agreement with your team, there technically aren’t any requirements around when you must respond to an email or chat. So what you might consider a late reply might not be late. And perhaps the other items on your to-do list took precedence.
No matter the circumstances, using the phrase, “Thanks for your patience!” is a great way to remove the self-penalization of late responses. This is an easy and quick swap for the oh-so-popular “Sorry for the delay!” note we’ve all sent.

9. “Reach out if you have any questions or concerns.”
You don’t have to explain or ask if your ideas make sense. We all have great ideas to share. Rather than worrying about whether the way you verbalized your thoughts made sense, encouraging questions opens up a two-way discussion between you and your colleagues. 
Share your points (either verbally or in written format) and end with the phrase, “Reach out if you have any questions or concerns,” to wrap up the conversation and signal that you’re done sharing. 
Successful women in the workplace stand confidently behind their ideas while offering an opportunity to provide additional context if needed—no more overthinking, overexplaining, or self-doubting. 

10. “I appreciate your feedback, and I’ll consider it.”
Feedback helps us grow and evolve, and the most successful businesswomen seek feedback, consider it, and implement change where necessary. That said, not all pieces of feedback are worthy of action, and sometimes it requires time to digest and absorb that information.
Maybe your teammate reaches out to let you know that you’ve come across as passive-aggressive in a couple of emails lately. In a situation like this, it can be easy to get defensive. Instead, take the feedback in and respond with the phrase, “I appreciate your feedback, and I’ll consider how I might phrase things differently.”
Listen actively even when feedback is hard to hear, and show appreciation for the person who gave the feedback. Commit to reflecting on it even if you decide no further action is needed.

7 Productivity Habits Successful Women Practice More

You win some, you lose some. And if you’re here with me now, I am going to go ahead and assume that you’ve found yourself in what TikTok likes to call “a flop era,” which essentially refers to a period of time in which someone experiences a failure—whether it’s epically large or only small enough for you to notice. While the size of the flop doesn’t matter all that much, the way it can make you feel, no matter how big or small, can take a toll on you and make figuring out how the hell to bounce back from failure feel like a colossal undertaking.
But hey, without failure every now and then, how are we ever going to learn and grow? It’s a natural, albeit annoying, part of life that we all have been through and will inevitably go through again. Luckily, there are practical steps you can take to bounce back from failure and become stronger than before, and we’re sharing them in a step-by-step guide ahead.

How To Bounce Back From Failure: A Step-by-Step Guide

Give yourself a break
First things first: Take a deep breath and give yourself grace. Failing doesn’t mean that you’re a failure. Read that again. If you failed at achieving your goals, don’t let that lead you to a fear of not being good enough to reach them. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your circumstances or you’re disappointed, that is OK, but don’t beat yourself up for it. Take this time to relax and reflect so you can come back stronger than ever.

Find the lessons
I know that the last thing you want to do is spend time finding the light in a less-than-ideal situation, but the truth is that there really always is a silver lining; there is always a lesson (or two or three) that you can take away from a crap situation. Whether you know you did things that led you to where you are now or you believe that what happened had nothing to do with you, I urge you to use this as an opportunity to learn from it. And don’t be afraid to dig deep and get uncomfortable in doing so. Maybe this means you’re learning more about yourself, someone else, your career, or something else altogether. Either way, the lessons you learn now will help you (excuse me for sounding like a professor who uses too many cliches) find success in the future.

Develop a plan for moving forward
Nothing changes if nothing changes. Harsh, I know, but once you’ve spent time reflecting on what happened and what you can learn from it, there’s no sense in wallowing in the past. Instead, start developing a plan.
To start, ask yourself the following questions: How will I approach my goals differently knowing what I know now? What kind of support do I need that I didn’t have before? How can I avoid the things that interrupted my progress the first time around? Next, think about ways that you can hold yourself accountable: scheduling check-ins with yourself on your calendar, telling a friend about your plan, or keeping a log.
Now, write down your new plan, including as much or as little detail as you need. This could look like a written step-by-step plan with check-in points, a refreshed vision board, or an intention stuck to your mirror to remind yourself what you need to do every day for your goals. It doesn’t really matter if it’s written down or in your head. All that matters is that you do what works best for you—otherwise, you will find yourself in the same situation as before.

Take small steps toward your goal
You might feel like you’re behind because you’re starting over on your goals or pivoting your plans altogether. That is normal, but the reality is that you’re not behind and you don’t need to rush; everything happens in its own time. So don’t go overscheduling yourself to death trying to “catch up”, and instead, set your eyes on the small steps you need to take in order to yield big results.
For example, if you wanted to start working out more but “fell off the wagon,” it doesn’t do you any good to go to the gym twice a day for two hours each to make up for the lost time. Start small and commit to 2-3 days a week for 30 minutes, and when you can stick to that, then you can adjust your workout routine. Going in too hard too fast can lead to burnout, and that is what we want to avoid if we are trying to make long-term changes for the better and avoid failure.

5 Things Successful Women Do on Fridays So Monday Isn’t a Nightmare More

A short, four-month stint living in Washington D.C. taught me one thing: none of the guys I seemed to match with on Hinge had any hobbies. In fact, the concept of carving out time for something you chose actively not to monetize or share on your resume was completely foreign to them. Wait… so you *choose* to read? You’re knitting just for… fun? I stared back and responded with a flat “yes”—that’s kind of the point.
I don’t blame them. In our world that emphasizes productivity above all else, we’ve all been fed the idea that maximizing our hours is the ultimate goal. Boredom? Impossible—I could be growing my audience on TikTok! But in recent years, we’ve collectively turned away from this inclination toward toxic productivity (the #girlboss is dead, after all). Thankfully, this has inspired a new perspective on personal development, one that pursues growth for growth’s sake alone. Professional and personal gratification, after all, rarely come from the external measures of success—stats, peer approval, etc.—that we believe will make us feel like enough. Fulfillment is an inside job.
Of course, we can sharpen our skills and go after growth to support our careers—this isn’t a bad thing. It’s only when we prioritize our to-do lists and tasks above all else (or in an effort to avoid ourselves), that concern arises. As I mentioned a few times to the aforementioned political and finance bros: the ever-elusive quest for balance is the key. That’s right, I’m a fun first date.
So, to uplevel my career, dive deeper into my hobbies, and satisfy my ever-curious mind, I’ve been making the most of my Skillshare account. Keep reading for the classes I’ve favorited and am plowing through. Growth awaits. 

What is Skillshare?
Back to the beginning. Similar to platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, and Khan Academy, Skillshare is an online learning community that allows users to access educational video content. And as you’ll see from the classes I’ve been taking, that content runs the gamut. You can enroll in everything from illustration to UI/UX design to video production to making your own furniture. Whatever you want to learn, there’s a course for it.
To start, you can enroll in a free month-long trial. After that, you can select from either a monthly membership ($32/month) or an annual subscription ($168/year, broken down to roughly $14/month).

My Favorite Skillshare Classes
With 35,000+ classes, it can be easy to get overwhelmed when starting Skillshare. However, as a member, I’ve found that the user experience allows me to sort through and explore classes easily, helping me find the exact specific niche I’m looking for (clay miniature sandwiches, anyone?). And, once you start using it for a little while, the algorithm begins serving you up classes that end up being exactly what you’re looking for. With the basics established, let’s get into the Skillshare classes I’m obsessing over:

Sewing Basics: Make Your Own Clothing
I’ve been wanting to learn how to sew for years. Based on friends’ creations and all the inspo I’ve taken from social media, it’s clear that when you know how to sew, the sartorial possibilities are endless. After being gifted a sewing machine for my birthday (the Brother CS7000X, as recommended by Wirecutter), I set out to find the perfect beginner course.
“Sewing Basics,” taught by designer and patternmaker Denise Bayron, is a two-hour, beginner-level course that takes you through sewing fundamentals to set you up for any clothing project. In it, you’ll learn:

How to set up your sewing workspace (including how to actually work your machine!)
Essential techniques like sewing straight lines, corners, and various seam styles
Tips on how to shop for fabrics

This is the perfect course to begin your sewing journey. Not only is the class organized with an intuitive progression, building on the skills you learn within each video, but Denise’s instruction is world-class. She speaks clearly, patiently, and with an obvious enthusiasm that makes every video engaging. What’s more, the overhead camera angles give you a close-up visual of the techniques and skills as she describes and teaches them.

Start Your Creative Career: Build a Sharp, Smart Online Presence
If entrepreneurship is calling, start this course asap. While social media is awash with countless creators and business owners living the dream as their own boss, it can be hard to know how to go out on your own. As the course’s instructor, entrepreneur Sonja Rasula, explains, she isn’t teaching rocket science. However, the skills shared in this course comprise the essential business training to help you establish your brand and grow your presence online and on social media.
Oftentimes, creative professionals aren’t equipped with the nitty-gritty information to get their business off the ground. Sonja covers everything from creating a brand bible to building a website to utilizing social media effectively. In this course, you can expect to learn:

How to interpret website and social media analytics to uplevel your content and drive conversions
How to build a brand bible to effectively convey who you are and what you offer
Tips for designing your website to create a streamlined user experience

If you’re an artist, designer, writer, small business owner, or anyone who wants to build a creative career, this course sets you up with tools to effectively communicate your brand online. Not only does it include fundamental information, but I was surprised to discover in each video small, but game-changing tips that have ultimately transformed how I share my work and content.

Content Marketing: Blogging for Growth
Blogging has been around for even longer than many of us have been alive. And while some may assume that blogging requires less thought and effort than other forms of writing, effective blog posts are the result of strategic planning and intention. There’s so much that goes into blogging—from brainstorming a topic to outlining your draft to finishing things off with a headline that draws readers in—writing for the web requires countless more skills than you might initially think.
This course is basically Content Marketing 101, taking you through the basics of what constitutes an effective blog post. And though it discusses mostly fundamentals, I found that it’s both great for beginners as well as marketers who want to improve their content production skills (hi, it’s me!). In it, you’ll learn:

How to build your audience as a blogger/content writer
An effective approach to writing a blog post start to finish (including how to brainstorm your topic, outline your post, and incorporate research)
Next steps for building consistency with blogging (how to create an effective editorial calendar)

I will preface that the instructor, Eric Siu, founder of the growth marketing agency Single Grain, isn’t quite as personable as other teachers. In taking the course, I found it more difficult to engage with what he was saying. However, the content and information he provides is top-notch. Personally, as someone who has built her career writing online, the most valuable lesson I took from this course was how to write a captivating headline—after all, how many articles have you only read the headline of? Probably a few many more than the entire blog post itself.

Build Your Site & Shop: Beginner’s Guide to Shopify & Website Design
If you want to establish an online presence—whether for yourself or your online business—having a beautiful and user-friendly website is key. But… you might be intimidated believing that you have to have extensive coding knowledge or pay thousands of dollars to build a website. This course makes it clear: you don’t need either to design a website that works for you.
A disclaimer: this isn’t a course that’ll teach you all the backend ins and outs of building a website. Instead, if you want to create a website for yourself as a freelancer, small business owner, or a portfolio, I’d suggest enrolling. This course focuses on utilizing Shopify—taking you through all the steps of using the platform, tips for designing your site, and how to determine if you should use free versus paid templates. Some key things you’ll learn:

A complete and thorough overview of Shopify (how to add products, build collections, and track inventory)
An effective template for designing your Shopify site plan
Bonus: how to build a portfolio on Adobe portfolio (great for designers and copywriters)

As you can tell, this course will be great for you if you’re already considering using Shopify and aren’t sure where to start. While it does touch upon skills and teachings that can apply to other programs and platforms, I would only recommend taking this course if you’ll be hosting your work and product offerings on Shopify.

Intro to UX: Designing with a User-Centered Approach
For me, “Intro to UX” was more of a passion project/I’m-curious-about-this-topic course. While my day-to-day tasks don’t specifically require UX/UI knowledge, I do work adjacent to these designers. One day, after a meeting where I realized I had no idea what my co-workers were talking about when they referenced the “user flow” of our site, I decided to dive in. From taking this course, I realized there was a whole discipline of web design that I knew absolutely nothing about—and only wanted to dive into all the deeper.
Clearly, this isn’t your course if you’re already working within user experience. However, this class is great if you have a casual curiosity about it like myself or if you’re a marketer or creative professional whose own work often coincides with this discipline (again, like myself). A few key things you’ll learn from “Intro to UX”:

How to understand the user’s end-to-end journey
How to improve your final product through testing and iterating
How to identify your audience and prioritize their needs

Beyond discussing the basics of user experience, the teacher, Cinthya Mohr, Sr. UX Manager at Google, does an incredible job of communicating the philosophy behind UX. Personally, as I began learning about the topic, all of it felt relatively abstract and hard to grasp. But Cinthya uses real-world examples and case studies to convey how user experience shows up in our everyday lives. 
This is a relatively short, 45-minute class that sets you up with all the basics answering the what and the why behind user design. Definitely recommend pressing play.

Interior Design Basics: Simple Steps to Your Perfect Space
Like many of us, I’m home-design obsessed. The viral audio confirms: there’s one thing I get money’s worth from—I’m always at home. Lauren Cox, Design Program Manager for the online interior design brand Havenly, created this course to share the ins and outs of interior design. Yes, how we arrange and style our living spaces depends largely on personal taste and aesthetic. However, there are key principles—rules, if you will—that’ll help you uplevel your home. Expect to walk away from this course knowing the following:

How to define your personal style and express it consistently throughout your home
How to style according to specific aesthetics (i.e., Modern Farmhouse and Preppy Coastal)
The ins and outs of the four key principles every interior designer utilizes: Color, Balance, Scale and Proportion, and Rhythm and Repetition

I loved this course because Lauren gave concrete, tangible shape to the elements of home design I didn’t know how to describe. Everything from creating a sense of rhythm and balance within your space to developing a process for selecting pieces you’ll love for a lifetime—it’s all here. What’s more, Lauren’s tips apply to any budget and any home size. (PSA: Equipped with the knowledge Lauren provides in this course, you don’t have to be a millionaire to design a space you love.) 

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I don’t know about you, but the mere idea of going to my boss, hat in hand, and asking for more money is enough to get my heart rate up. After all, discussing finances is awkward at best and uncomfortable at worst, but meeting with your manager face-to-face at least gives you the opportunity to use your personality, charm, and list of accomplishments to win them over, and asking for a raise via email erases that completely.
That being said, while requesting a pay raise via email can feel impersonal and unprofessional, it certainly has its upsides. It gives your manager time to consider your request without feeling put on the spot and can remove some anxiety and increase your confidence. And since WFH and digital communications are now commonplace, asking for a salary increase over email is more acceptable than ever.
If you’re curious about how to ask for a raise via email, you’ve come to the right place. With these tips and tricks, you can confidently craft the perfect message to your employer and get the raise you deserve. Keep scrolling to learn more.

How To Ask For a Raise Via Email

1. Know your audience
Before you begin the process of asking for a raise via email, you should consider all of the different external factors that might impact your request. Has your company just had a round of layoffs? Have they cut department budgets due to the impending recession? Situations like these might affect whether or not your request for a raise is approved.
On the flip side, have your company’s end-of-quarter meetings revealed skyrocketing profits? Is your team or role expanding? If so, now might be the perfect time for you to send that email.
The size of the company you work for can also come into play here. Larger corporations might be able to keep up with inflation while smaller ones can’t. If the latter is true of your company, waiting for the upswing is more likely to get you the answer you’re looking for.
In the end, knowing your audience is key in this process. So consider the current climate of your company and industry when requesting a raise. After all, you want a yes here, so biding your time may be worth it in the long run.

2. Make a clear request
You’re busy, your boss is busy, their boss is busy—the whole world is busy, so it’s a good idea to get right to the point. In both the subject line and opening paragraph of your email, make it clear that you’d like to talk about a pay increase. A subject line along the lines of “Salary Increase Request” or “Formal Request for Pay Raise” will be enough to get your boss’s attention. Then, reiterate what your subject line says in the first or second sentence of your opening paragraph so there’s no confusion about what you’re emailing them about.

3. Back up your request
Simply telling your manager you work hard won’t be enough, so before you request a raise, take the time to review your major accomplishments and key contributions to the company. You can use a recent performance review, additional responsibilities you’ve undertaken, or data that demonstrates how much your work and efforts have benefited the company. Having specific examples that back up your request will not only make you feel more confident about asking for a raise, it’ll also show your boss why you deserve one as well.
It’s also a good idea to conduct plenty of salary research before you send an email asking for more money. To do this, use a free online salary calculator, platforms like LinkedIn, or an employee resource group if that’s available to you. In addition to knowing what you’ve given to the company already, knowing where your salary falls in line with today’s current job market will help ensure you’re not underselling or overselling yourself when it comes time to make the ask. Location can also play a big factor in salary ranges so make sure you’re cross-referencing your findings to ensure your request is in line with the area your employer is in. 

4. Be reasonable
Much like the best salary expectations question is open-ended, the best raise request is too. The average annual raise is about 3%, but it’s always good to ask for more than you want. You never know; you may be surprised with an above-average pay increase. Instead of throwing out a specific number, consider asking for a raise of 7-10%, but you can aim higher if you’re trying to battle sky-high inflation or have taken on additional responsibilities and feel like you’re in a position to ask for more.

5. Schedule a meeting
A raise is a big deal, and chances are, your boss will need plenty of time to mull over what you’re asking. So before signing off, make sure they know that you’re open to scheduling a meeting to discuss this proposition further. This will give you both more time to prepare and dive deeper into the request, and will also give you extra time to talk through your ask, get clear on what you’re looking for, and prepare for possible negotiations.

6. Be polite and gracious
Above all else, keep the tone of your email polite and gracious. Thank your boss for their time at the end of the email and show appreciation for them and your current position in the company. This will help you stay professional and look good to the higher-ups, which can definitely work in your favor.

Raise Request Email Template
Template 1
Hi [Manager’s Name],
I hope you’re doing well. I’m reaching out today because I believe now would be a good time to discuss my compensation for my role as [job title].
I have made significant contributions to the company over the last X years, including [insert accomplishments]. I have also taken on additional responsibility in X ways over the past year, which shows my commitment to the team beyond my job description.
Given all of this, as well as what people with my experience make in my position, I would like to ask for a salary increase of X%, and would love to set up a meeting with you to discuss this further.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Best,
[Your Name]

Template 2
Hi [Manager’s Name],
Now that I’ve been at [Company Name] for X years, I wanted to reach out and see if we could schedule a time to talk about an increased compensation of X%. Based on my contributions of X, along with the current job market and rising inflation, I believe this is a reasonable ask. 
I’m very proud of the work I’ve done and am excited to continue growing my role alongside the team. I’d like to discuss this more with you, so let me know if we can schedule a time to chat after you’ve had the chance to consider my request.
Thank you so much!
Best,
[Your Name]

Template 3
Hi [Manager’s Name],
I’m reaching out today to discuss my compensation.
Since my salary was established, I have shown commitment to my role and demonstrated my abilities as a team player and trustworthy employee. In addition to my day-to-day duties, I’ve also made contributions that have greatly benefited the company, including:

[insert accomplishment here]
[insert accomplishment here]
[insert accomplishment here]

My current salary is $XX,XXX, which is X% lower than the average salary of someone in my position with my skill set. Based on this information, along with my skill set and work performance, I would like to request a salary increase of X%.
Please let me know if we can set up a time to discuss this further. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Best,
[Your Name]

What To Do if You’re Told “No”
What happens if you send that email, have a meeting with your manager, and are ultimately told “no”? Whether your manager provided you with feedback that will help you get to where you want to be or your company just doesn’t currently have the budget (despite the fact you’re qualified), that answer is tough to hear. Sit with your feelings for a moment and then take one of these next steps:
If you’ve been given constructive feedback, reflect on this conversation and then meet with your manager to discuss next steps. Ask them what they’d need to see from you in order for you to earn that raise. Then, in your subsequent check-ins with them, demonstrate the ways in which you are working towards that place. If you check everything off their list, that raise will be yours in no time. 
On the other hand, be prepared for a no if your company is not financially in a place to give you a raise. Chances are they see how hard you work, want to give you the raise you deserve, but can’t at this time. Ask your manager when a good time to circle back would be and mark that date on your calendar. In the meantime, keep being the kickass employee you are so when the time comes, you might be able to receive an even bigger bump than you originally asked for.

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