Black women and protecting your peace in the workplace.

Being a black woman in the workplace, especially in a corporate setting, can be trying and unnecessarily exhausting at times. It can be hard to protect your peace at work when it seems like there are so many factors stacked against you or just plain wearing you down.

Common themes include:

-Feeling alienated for being one of the few, if not only, black woman at the company

-Having co-workers wanting to touch your hair, or judging and discriminating against your natural hair and other protect hairstyles -Also responding negatively to any other noticeable changes to your physical appearance and/or dress attire

-Having to code switch consistently to seem more “professional”

-Your voice not being heard as much as you would like

-Feeling guilty for taking a vacation or using vacation time

-Feeling like you aren’t being compensated enough

-Feeling like you always have to overachieve and overextend

Black women, I see you, I hear you, I feel you. Please don’t burn yourself out. Here are some things you can try throughout the work day to help protect your energy and keep you sane.

-Carry your favorite crystal with you to work and keep it near by…when you start to get frustrated or have anxiety hold it in your hand and image it absorbing all the negative energy inside and around you

-Take time away to do some deep breathing exercises during your breaks

-Never feel guilty about taking vacation time

-Create a mini zen “garden” at your designated work area: get an oil diffuser, small plants, motivational sticky notes with positive affirmations written on them

-Ask for that raise! Make sure to log everything including your individual + team duties and contributions that can positively add to your argument when negotiating

-Educate yourself on company policies and know your rights

-Find a work buddy

-Find your voice, speak up, be concise, be clear

-Don’t be afraid to reach out to HR

-Take passive aggression seriously but not personally – they’re projecting

-Be confident, never let them see you sweat

-Always remember your end goal–stay focused and stay motivated

-Keep those receipts! (Nasty emails, timeline of negative interactions at work, etc.)

Always remember that if a work environment has become so toxic to the point that it effects your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing don’t be afraid to weigh your options. Go where you are valued and where you feel safe. You don’t have to be stuck in one place. Draft up a plan, update your resume, do some light or heavy job searching. You would be surprised.