My Top 5 life tips for when you start a new job
As many of you know, I recently started a new job as an Art Director at Amazon. It’s an exciting new step for me and one that I’m so thankful to have landed! I completed my first week on the job last week and with that came a lot of reflecting on my goals for the present and future. I decided to compile a list of my Top 5 life tips for when you start a new job – basically, important things to consider when starting (or about to start) a new job/career that I have found keep me organized, creative and ambitious for all that life and my new career has to offer!
1. Take some time off before you start.
I took a week off before I started my new job at Amazon and if you can budget for this and swing it, I highly recommend taking anywhere from 5 days to a week off to reset. Leaving a job can be stressful, upsetting and just plain hard. Give your body and mind that time to relax and refocus on the new and exciting challenges ahead before starting your new gig! Take a vacation, plan a staycation or enjoy some R&R at home. You’ll be amazed at how much clearer your head will feel when you dive into your new role!
2. Address and adjust your finances.
Give yourself the excuse that with a new role comes the chance to address your current budget/financial situation and adjust accordingly. Figure out where you can add a little wiggle room to your budget, where you want to save, how much you want to save and get very nitpicky! I decided to create an Excel spreadsheet that documents my grocery budget, happy hour/going out budget, living expenses, savings, “just in case”/emergency money and more! I also have a Goals financial document with how much I hope to have in savings by ____, how much money I can put toward a trip to ___, etc. Reevaluating your finances when you start a new role is a great way to get organized and hold yourself accountable in your new role.
3. Stick to a routine of weekly meal prepping.
If there’s one thing I noticed at my previous job working downtown Seattle, I was going out A LOT for lunch then I’d go out after work for happy hour with friends. It got pricey. Now that I’m working outside of downtown and farther away from lunch options, I decided to get into the habit of weekly meal prepping for both breakfast and lunch five days a week! I’ve also decided to dust off my Keurig and use it two days a week and treat myself to a latte the other three since I’m now no longer buying coffee, a breakfast and lunch. I’ve designated Sunday as my meal prepping day of the week and it’s a great time to plan fun, easy and healthy meals for the week! I’m already amazed by how much money I’ve saved not to mention, it’s been a far better alternative to prep all my food and opt for healthy ingredients. I highly recommend taking the time to meal prep every week and see how much $ you can save in your budget!
4. Make time for your side hustle(s).
When I landed my new role I got so many questions about how I would be able to maintain my side hustles aka my blog West Coast Aesthetic, curating Seattle Creative Brunch and freelancing for Allison Wagner Design! It’s a lot on top of a job and honestly, I was a bit worried about being able to juggle all of these other parts of my life along with my new job. However, what I soon realized is you have to make time for your side hustles and prioritize them just like you would a job. Granted, the 8+ hours a day you’re at your job, should be about, your job. But that still leaves you with mornings before work starts, evenings when you’re off work and weekends full of potential “side hustle” time! It’s all about prioritizing, learning to say no when you’re feeling overwhelmed (I’m still learning how to do this) and staying organized. I swear you can really can have it all if you figure out how to balance out your time!
5. Buy two planners.
This sounds silly, but do it. Designate one for work and one for personal. I actually own three planners but that’s because I love writing things down and have a stationary/print goods obsession. Having a work planner where you ONLY write about work-related to do’s, tasks, projects, deadlines, etc. is extremely helpful to keep separate from your personal planner which can consist of happy hour dates, birthday parties, vacations, blog shoots, etc. I also use my personal planner as my content planner for my blog. I like keeping my planners separate so I don’t feel like I have to think about work when I’m opening up my personal planner when I’m off work or enjoying the weekend. It keeps you far less stressed and way more focused on the task (work vs. play) at hand.
I hope these tips are helpful and worth considering when you start your new role! I'll also be adding more content sharing my favorite meal prepping recipes for breakfast and lunch as well as more posts sharing how I dress the part as an art director (creative) working in the tech world!