Putting on Your Business Face

Throughout the years I have heard a woman getting ready for something referred to as putting on her face. In today's world, this phrase can be utilized in many ways. Depending upon with whom we are speaking the face that we wear can range from that of a capable and caring mother giving hugs to a sick child to that of a successful businesswoman taking charge in a meeting. However, often we forget that while we wear many faces throughout the day there is little room for them to overlap. For instance, how would a coworker react if you tried to cut their food up at a business lunch? How would your child react if you gave them a job appraisal the next time they asked for a raise in their allowance? While it is impossible for any woman to draw a concrete line between the areas of work and home, I have found that keeping a balance is easily achieved when I look at both my work and home lives as something I must prepare for.

I begin the process of putting on my business face by going over mentally all the things I needed to accomplish at home, and where I am with each of these things when I awake. If I didn't accomplish something I needed to in the hours before bed, I either take care of it right then or decide when it will be handled. By taking this few minutes in the morning to make sure everything is in order at home for my family, I insure that I can concentrate on business for the rest of the day when I leave the house.

On my ride in, I begin mentally reviewing everything that I need to accomplish at work for the day. This often encompasses everything from client meetings to last minute reports that have to be sent out. I set up mental deadlines for everything I have planned throughout the day, that way as my day gets more hectic I can mentally check at any point and see where I am compared with the "ideal" schedule I had set for myself.

One of the most important factors in putting on my business face is that during my ride in I switch off my built in mommy mode. I remind myself throughout the day, that the people I work with are there for the same reason that I am, to do a job. While we can be friends and have a good time while working, ultimately our responsibility is to the company. When I am at home an emotional response is perfectly acceptable, at work it is not. Part of putting on your business face each morning has to be recognizing the fact that your job is not where your heartstrings need to be tied. Your job gives you the means to support those who hold your heartstrings. With this in mind, if you get a negative remark about a project or someone criticizes something you are working on, remember your business face. Rather than taking the critical remark to heart, ask the person for their suggestions for improvement, and listen with an open mind. This switching off of emotional thinking is the most important factor for any woman in putting on her business face.

At the end of every day, I reverse my process on the way home. The taking off of my business face is as important as putting it on. The interaction I have with my family and friends outside of work should not be complicated with my mind constantly wandering back to my desk. So, I leave my business face in the car with my briefcase and enjoy whatever time remains before I go back to work.
Being a multi-tasker is not optional for today's woman. Unlike in decades past, most of us do not have the option of doing only one job every day. We learn to be all things to all people, and from the bedroom to the boardroom we want to be not just sufficient but spectacular. In order to do this we must learn to compartmentalize and organize our day into home times and family times and take the time to prepare for each. Remember, putting on your face can be as difficult or as simple as you make it, and don't forget when you are applying the face that you choose to finish it off with a smile.