AT THIS YEAR’S HER WORLD YOUNG WOMAN ACHIEVER FORUM (YWAF), OUR SEVEN POWER PANELLISTS DISHED OUT CAREER-BOOSTING SECRETS. MISSED OUT? WE SUM UP THEIR BEST WORK-LIFE HACKS HERE.
"AT THIS YEAR’S HER WORLD YOUNG WOMAN ACHIEVER FORUM (YWAF), OUR SEVEN POWER PANELLISTS DISHED OUT CAREER-BOOSTING SECRETS. MISSED OUT? WE SUM UP THEIR BEST WORK-LIFE HACKS HERE."
YWAF AT A GLANCE
WHERE: The Projector, at Golden Mile Tower
WHEN: March 19, 2016
WHO CAME: More than 200 women… and a few husbands and boyfriends too!
WHAT HAPPENED: With the theme “What does it mean for a woman to have it all?”, this third instalment of our annual forum featured seven successful women from the corporate and business worlds. Guests were treated to two panel discussions: The first explored the challenges women face in the working world, while the second focused on the issues involved in running your own business. The event was sponsored by the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS), Belif and Acuvue. It was supported by event planner Party Mojo and Angel Florist.
“One of my ex-bosses told me this on my first day at work: ‘Prepare your farewell speech today.’ Essentially, he was telling me to set my goals and figure out how to get there. Otherwise, I would have nothing to say on my last day because I wouldn’t have achieved anything.” – Zuraidah Abdullah, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, Singapore Police Force, and Her World Woman of the Year 2015
“When I am stressed, I cry! I feel a lot ‘lighter’ after releasing the pent-up pressure and frustration, and can better focus on the problem. I also talk to trusted people to get a clearer perspective of the issue at hand.” – Rachel Lim, co-founder of fashion e-tailer Love, Bonito
“Learn to say no to avoid burnout. When I first started my business, I worked long hours and didn’t want to ‘waste’ my free time, so I packed those moments with gatherings with friends and family, even though I was exhausted. I didn’t enjoy myself as much as I should have, and ended up bringing everyone else’s mood down. I realised it’s okay to be selfish sometimes, and to have some quiet time.” – Cheryl Ou, founder of The Nail Social
“I had just started my business incubator, Crib, and was thinking about how to have a good work-life balance when I got this piece of advice from Jennie Chua [Singapore’s non-resident Ambassador to the United Mexican States]. She said: ‘Don’t try to have it all or be perfect because you’ll never be happy. Being “good enough” good enough.’”– Tjin Lee, managing director and founder of Mercury Group
“You need to define what balance means to you. Priorities are different for every person, and they constantly evolve. If you know you’ve done something right – whether it’s spending time with family or giving up work for the moment – it’s okay.” – Dr Yeo Sze Ling, research scientist at A*Star, and Her World Young Woman Achiever 2013
“There is no work-life ‘balance’ – it’s not 50-50 on a daily basis. It’s better to think of work-life integration, where we make work ‘work’ for us. Instead of taking a few hours off each week to run errands or pursue hobbies, I condense my breaks into one large chunk of time, enough to head home to India for a few days and spend time with my family there.” – Simrat Sawhney, industry lead for travel, South-east Asia, at Facebook
“Plan your life in 72-hour slots instead of 24-hour ones – it’s less stressful and gives more room for flexibility. After allocating at least six hours a day for sleep, I fit in my ‘must-dos’, the ‘good-to-dos’, and a 20 per cent buff er for unexpected emergencies. The less crucial tasks can always be dropped.” – Lim Kexin, senior tax manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
