successful women
Despite how much fun Sundays can be, once night hits and the fun is over, I tend to get a case of what I like to call the "Sunday Scaries." If you're unfamiliar with the phrase, the Sunday Scaries are the anxiety that sets in on Sunday nights with the impending return to the office, school, or work.
For many people, Sunday Scaries can disrupt you, impact your productivity and mood, and can cause chaos for the week ahead if you let it get the best of you. It doesn't matter what level you are in your career, or how high up the corporate ladder you are, the Sunday Scaries is a real thing and it's something that many of us experience. Recently, I was able to connect with a few successful women of color and they shared what their Sunday Scaries are and how they overcome them.
The “Never Ending To-Do List” Sunday Scary...
Kristina Willams, Founder & CEO of ZiM
Kristina Williams, Founder & CEO of ZiM
Courtesy of Kristina Williams
What She Said:
"At times I get overwhelmed when I think about all of the tasks I need to complete at once. I've had to learn to compartmentalize and to strategically plan my days in blocks.
"The first part of my day is for self-care, then comes emails. Next, I'm dedicated to completing any tasks my team needs from me before I head into my own daily tasks. I designate certain days of the week for meetings and try my best to stick to this schedule. I am naturally a big-picture thinker so creating visual charts, color coding, and having databases help to keep my brain focused, categorized, and linear.
"I have a tendency to get lost in my work so I've recently adopted the practice of planning for fun throughout my week as well. I aim to have at least one fun outing per week that allows my brain to decompress, build relationships and even gain inspiration from seemingly unrelated experiences. My tip for you would be to remember to design for joy, whether it's the colors you choose for your Post-Its, sharing a non-work-related hello to a team member, or planning your schedule with inserts of breathing time. Use your Sunday to remember you are in control of all of it, as much as it may seem overwhelming. Most importantly, remember to give yourself grace."
Yene Damtew, Salon Owner & Hair Educator
Yene Damtew, Salon Owner & Hair Educator
Courtesy of Yene Damtew
What She Said:
"Typically, my Monday errands make me nervous every Sunday. Being an entrepreneur requires you to wear a lot of hats and the only way to do that is to have structure. I am the queen of what I like to call 'TDL's' which stands for 'To-Do Lists', and I am old school in the fact that I prefer writing it down on paper rather than digitally as I get satisfaction on crossing the task out. I am a woman who likes to have a game plan and stay organized. I write everything down including my personal activities like workouts and self-care routines. It really helps calm my nerves.
"As a salon owner, traveling hairstylist, and educator, Mondays can include social media planning, stocking inventory at the salon, folding salon towels, laundry or repacking a suitcase for an upcoming trip. As long as I have it written down, almost anything seems possible to achieve."
The Sunday Scary That Actually Starts on Saturday
Aria Bell, PR Consultant at AT&T
Aria Bell, PR Consultant at AT&T
Courtesy of Aria Bell
What She Said:
"Honestly, I start getting the 'Sunday Scaries' on Saturdays.
"I tend to think about how the weekend will be ending the next day and hate that we don't have three full days. We all know Fridays don't count since we go into work on that day. Whenever these thoughts consume my mind, I ask myself, 'Why am I getting anxious when I've never failed at making it through every week no matter what?'
"Normally, what makes me anxious is thinking about my outfits for the week, my upcoming workload, and what I'll be eating (I try to be frugal with spending). I've found that picking outfits for the week on Sundays, or at least the night before, helps make my mornings run smoother. It also allows me the option to even stay in the bed an extra 15-20 minutes which is an absolute plus for me.
"As far as my heavy workload, I write out the most important tasks and/or goals I need to accomplish in order from most important to least. This helps me keep things aligned and prioritized throughout the week. Lastly, if there was ever a task that can save you time during the week, it would be meal prepping! Preparing and cooking my meals and snacks for the week effectively eliminates bad spending and eating habits. This task might seem intimidating, but you'll thank yourself during the week and keep some money in your pockets."
The Startup Founder Sunday Scaries...
Kendra James-Anderson, Virtual CFO
Kendra James-Anderson, Virtual CFO
Courtesy of Kendra James-Anderson
What She Said:
"My Sunday Scaries consists of thinking about my growing team and my growing client list. I tackle these Sunday Scaries in two main ways:
(1) I set no more than 1-2 high priority goals for the week.
(2) I dedicate Mondays exclusively to Team Meetings.
"I've found that having only 1-2 high priority goals for the week allows me (and my team) to all be focused on key objectives. Once you have an ever-growing to-do list of 50 random items, things feel overwhelming and impossible. Instead, I simply narrow that down to what really has to be done this week.
"I think about my business's overall monthly and quarterly objectives and create weekly goals based on that. Oftentimes, we include so many to-dos that don't even tie to our main objectives... so I use Sunday to get focused and outline those objectives. And then on Monday, I dedicate my time to holding team meetings. In the team meetings, I disperse those objectives to ensure that we are all on the same page. The Monday meetings really help set the tone for the week, and because I know what our company focus is for the week, I can properly lead my team.
"Sunday doesn't have to be scary if you utilize that time to find your focus for the upcoming week. My advice? Trash the 5-page to-do list and narrow your focus on the key objectives. It really helps your work feel more intentional and efficient and less erratic!"
Ashley Edwards, Founder & CEO of MindRight Health
Ashley Edwards, Founder & CEO of MindRight Health
Courtesy of Ashley Edwards
What She Said:
"My 'Sunday Scaries' are usually finance-related. As a small startup, I want to make sure everyone on our team consistently has all the resources they need to thrive. When I feel overwhelmed, I make a list of major stressors I may have in the week ahead - investor meetings, product deadlines, etc. - and then I make a list of all the things I can actually control. It's easy to feel stressed by all the things out of your control as you run a startup, so for me, it's important to remind myself of what I do have the power to change. I feel good as long as I know that each day I've done the best I could with what I have."
What are some things that give you the Sunday Scaries, and how are you overcoming them? Drop us a note and let us know!
Featured image courtesy of Kendra James-Anderson
Originally published February 10, 2020
This article is in partnership with Visit Charlotte.
Trading the security—hello, regular paychecks and benefits—that come with a 9-to-5 for the unknowns of entrepreneurship requires a big leap of faith. Yet, for the women who dare to start their own venture, and muscle through challenges (particularly those of the last year), the experience is intensely rewarding—doubly so when your business helps bring vitality to your neighborhood, and is supported by your neighbors. But where to start?
These three women, all of whom left successful careers with big corporations to be their own boss, found the welcoming, mid-sized city of Charlotte to be fertile ground for opening up shop. Spoiler alert: They're happier than ever!
Remi Haygood, Charlotte Yarn
Courtesy of Remi Haygood
Remi Haygood learned to knit to deal with the stress of a corporate banking job. As she knit and purled each new skein of yarn, this calming pastime slowly became her passion.
In 2005, Haywood learned that the owner of Charlotte Yarn was looking to sell the store and she decided it was time to leave the corporate world and embark on a new career.
"Even though I had never worked retail, I have never been shy about trying new things," she says. "I liked knowing that I was in control of whether it failed or succeeded."
Haygood admits the learning curve was steep: She'd never used a cash register or run payroll and had no idea about business essentials like applying for tax identification numbers or paying sales tax, all while researching knitting trends, building a local knitting community, and marketing her store to bring in shoppers.
"I thought, 'I'll order yarn and teach people to knit,' but there was a lot of work on the back end to make the business run," she says.
It didn't take long for Haygood to master the basics; she took to entrepreneurship the same way she took to knitting: quickly and passionately. Charlotte Yarn customers embraced the business—and the change in ownership—and cheered Haygood on as she put her own spin on the shop.
The business skills that Haygood developed running Charlotte Yarn were essential for navigating the pandemic. She changed the store hours, introduced beginner knit kits to help people learn the craft during quarantine, promoted one-on-one (socially distanced) knitting lessons and introduced virtual "sit and knit" gatherings. Haygood's now launching corporate team-building events to help others relieve stress through knitting.
"I don't knit as much as I used to and my hobby is now my work," she says. Yet the locals who've supported her from the start are all the better for it. "I find joy in seeing how much knitting has helped other people."
Lindsey Williams, Davidson Wine Co.
Courtesy of Lindsey Williams
After graduating from law school, Lindsey Williams spent a decade working for a big bank. Williams was successful, climbing the corporate ladder and receiving accolades for her work, but she was burned out and looking for new opportunities.
"I started thinking, 'What if I went out on my own? What is something I would want to do?'" she recalls. "I'd always loved wine…and I fostered that love of wine into my next career."
Williams took winemaking classes and participated in an internship with a winemaker in California before opening Davidson Wine Co. in 2019. "As a lawyer, when you have a difficult case, you do a lot of research," she recalls. "I wasn't going to feel comfortable going into wine without knowing a lot about it."
The "urban winery" in Davidson (about a half hour from Charlotte) produces popular wines like merlot, cabernet and chardonnay as well as unique wines like petit verdos and pinotages. As head winemaker, Williams makes all of the wines and offers tastings, wine sales and a bistro menu from the wine bar in bustling downtown Davidson.
Her legal background proved helpful for navigating the federal and state regulations but, Williams admits, "I had no idea all of the hats I'd be wearing: winemaker, retail, marketing, human resources all fall on me."
Opening a wine bar meant trading a (mostly) 9-to-5 career for one that requires working nights and weekends, and the transition to entrepreneurship required several other adjustments. Williams credits local mentors for helping her navigate the challenges and celebrate the successes of being her own boss.
"It's important for women to find other mentors and support," she says. "Having someone to provide a sounding board when I'm having a challenge and leaning on others to help is one of the things that's been really beneficial to me."
Sherry Waters, The Pauline Tea Bar-Apothecary
Courtesy of Sherry Waters
Although Sherry Waters had a background in marketing and public relations, she credits her work as a hospital chaplain for inspiring her to open an herbal tea lounge. "The idea of having a sacred space for the community was planted in my heart," she recalls.
In 2019, Waters opened The Pauline Tea Bar-Apothecary in Charlotte's Camp Greene historic neighborhood district. Customers order steaming mugs of herbal tea, read, meditate, journal or engage in quiet conversation. A grant from the Center City Small Business Innovation Fund allowed Waters to build a labyrinth behind the building in the Camp Greene neighborhood.
"It's quite different from a normal café," she says. "The intention here is to unplug and find respite and solace in a peaceful environment…it's a sanctuary space."
Creating that kind of environment required a great deal of work. Waters studied herbal teas, tapped into community resources, hired staff and maintained long to-do lists to keep things running. In an attempt to do it all, she realized the need to prioritize self-care.
"I've gotten better about learning to say 'no,'" she says. "There have to be boundaries to protect my time."
It's hard to take time off when the demand is so great. The community has embraced the unique space, dropping in for tea and renting the tea bar for special events. During the pandemic, Waters received invitations to sell loose leaf teas and cold brews at two local farmers markets. It added to her schedule but offset COVID-19-related business losses—and brought Waters even closer to her community.
"I've always found Charlotte to be generous, supportive and innovative," she says. "One of the most important skills you can have as a business owner is being part of your community, aware of their needs and able to respond."
Featured image courtesy of Lindsey Williams