😤 5 Rules to Fuck Up
This week, we put together a list of rules you’ll hear a lot, but are actually useless as shit. They’re often based on a bygone era of Corporate America truth and we’re here to set the record straight. Let’s give these standards the finger and rewrite the rulebook together.
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
❌ “Work is Priority #1”
Work should only take up 25% of your life. Yeah, we said it. Revolutionary? A little, but balancing your obligations with family/friends/hobbies will slash your chances of burnout in half and lead to a consistently positive work output.
❌ “Do Your Job 100% of the Time”
No matter how much you try to ignore the laws of time and space, your time is indeed finite. Your to-do list doesn’t just cover your work product.
Try splitting your day with the 70-10-10-10 Rule:
70% doing your job (ask your manager to help prioritize)
10% writing down what you did (show your receipts!)
10% telling people what you did (advocate for yourself)
10% looking for a new job (prepare an exit strategy)
💡 Note: If you just started a job (congrats!), we recommend allocating the “looking for a job” 10% back to the “doing your job” fraction. The first three months are instead focused on solidifying your new role.
❌ “Sicks Days Are Only for Sickos”
Don’t wait to be on your deathbed to take a sick day! They’re built into your agreement whether you use them or not, so take a sick day for yourself. Get your hair done, run those fun errands, or just chill offline in perfect health. That’s your prerogative.
❌ “You NEED a Certain Degree or Certification”
We don't have degrees directly related to our jobs. You might already possess all the necessary skills for a particular role but let insecurity stand in your way. Relevant experience or a strong professional network may be more valuable than a random master’s degree. Evaluate the time and price tag involved and how they align with your goals.
❌ “Companies Deserve Loyalty”
No they don’t. A business has a bottom line that rarely factors in your “proven passion” when cutting costs. There’s a natural friction: they want the most amount of work for the least amount of money, and you’re aiming for the opposite. It’s up to you to advocate for yourself even if your team feels like a family.
🖤 Your Work Wives know which Corporate America rules to follow, and which ones to fuck up. Share this newsletter with to anyone you know who needs help knowing the difference.
Rules to Fuck Up
Got a question? Ask Your Work Wife!
Email your question to help@askyourworkwife.com. Include your name, your city if you want, and whatever context might be helpful for us to know. And don’t forget to start with “Hey, Work Wives!”
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