5 Things I’ve Learned in my First Two Years Working Full Time
It has been two whole years since I started working at Mom Water. The days feel long (sometimes — okay, especially when it hits 3:00), the weeks feel short, and the years have flown. It feels like once you stop having “semesters” the seasons start to run into each other. One morning, you just wake up and have to buy a new planner.
Yet, I remember my entire experience so clearly.
It is nerve-racking signing off on a full-time job. I remember thinking, “Did I just sign my life away?” 🫠 The answer is no.
I took a 12-day vacation last year with my family to Europe. At the end of it, I found myself missing work. Having something mentally stimulating challenges you and brings you purpose in life.
The key word in that is challenge.
Work is like sports. It is all about performance. How are you going to navigate the playing field? What are you going to do to stand out? It takes time to get good, which brings me to my first point.
1. It Takes 3-6 Months to Know What You’re Doing.
I work for a 3-year-old startup business. When I was hired, there was no HR person and nobody held this position before me. I work from home, so there wasn’t a huge onboarding process. I dove in head first. Let me tell you, I was drowning!
If I am being honest, I feel like that is true no matter where you work. It feels like you can barely keep your head above water for the first 6 months. Not because you can’t handle the workload, but because you won’t understand everything yet, and that is okay!
No matter how experienced you are, you will never come into a position knowing everything. Don’t let that frustrate you; let it motivate you. Absorb everything like a sponge during your first 6 months.
2. Ask questions, but never ask the same question twice.
Don’t let your pride stop you from asking a question due to fear of sounding like you don’t know what you’re doing. Guess what? It is okay to not know what you’re doing. You’re new! Everybody knows you don’t understand everything yet (+ truth be told, you would be annoying if you acted like you did already know everything)!
Speaking from personal experience, I have never been annoyed when my intern asks me a question. Asking questions shows you care enough to do a good job.
On the flip side, if someone takes time to explain something to you or give you the answer you were looking for, don’t ask it again. That shows you didn’t care enough to listen or write it down.
3. Email Isn’t Urgent.
I used to have fears that if I didn’t respond to an email in record time, people would think I was slacking.
With a couple of years’ experience under my belt, I know that nursing your email all day is the definition of distracting.
Email ends up being a ton of micro tasks you can check off your to-do list. So-and-so needs you to check on an order. Your team lead wants to know your lunch order for next week. You RSVP to a meeting.
While those things need to get done, they can distract you from the deep-minded focus work that moves the needle (excuse my corporate lingo).
Give yourself permission to close the email tab. There also is a lovely feature on Google where you can mute notifications for a certain time block. Get it done!
4. Set Time Away From Work.
As distracting as email is during the workday, it is even more distracting after work hours.
I have been with my boyfriend and received an email with feedback about a project I am working on, or a deliverable I have been looking forward to seeing. Immediately, I click on it and am shifted back into my work brain, taking all focus away from my time with my boyfriend. It can wait! This is PR, not the ER!
Apple has a great “Do Not Disturb” feature called “Personal” that can mute notifications from apps like Google and Slack. When you turn the computer off, turn that feature on!
The quote “What you allow will continue” applies in work relationships as much as it does romantic. If you respond to an email late, people think you are available at that time. Set parameters for your time at work not to infiltrate your life. It is this beautiful thing called work-life balance!
5. Dress the Part.
Everyone has seen Danielle Pheloung’s OOTDs on TikTok while working for Goldman Sachs and has been inspired to some degree… except the work-from-home folks. Pajama pants do not pass for productivity. 2020 can not linger on forever.
When I wear loungewear and sit on the couch all day, I am far less confident and motivated than when I dress like I am going into the office and throw some mascara on. Look good, feel good mentality!
I started wearing jeans, linen pants, or dress pants at home paired with a nice shirt and I swear I got more sh*t done. That, and I banned the couch until after 4:00. It’s like a reward, ha!
I am nowhere near figuring out work-life balance and productivity hacks. My coworkers are probably reading this and giggling, to be frank. But I think that’s the point.
As I have gotten older, I realize nobody has figured it out (nope, not even your super-cool boss with a resume that speaks for itself). Fake it til ya make it. Learning how to be the light in the room and phrase your words correctly will get you further than any impressive stat.
I will circle back with you all on this in Q4 2025 and provide a touch base. I will have more bandwidth then, easier to see from 30,000 pt. view.
Best,
Riley
