The 3 boundaries I can't live without 🙅‍♀️

Hey there! ‘Tis the season for gifting, and what better gift to give than the ultimate tool to level-up their career?

From mastering PowerPoint to excelling in Excel, from navigating OneNote to crushing AI, there are are tons of Miss Excel courses available you can gift to your loved ones. And for a limited time, all courses are 50% with the code GIFT50!

If you want to give a gift that says: “2024 will be your best professional year yet,” trust me: This is it!

P.S. – This is a great gifting option for you last-minute holiday shoppers. Best part? No need to deal with the holiday frenzy or long lines from visiting a store IRL. 😉

Fix Your Formatting in Seconds 

Isn’t it the worst when you receive an Excel file from a co-worker or a client and the formatting is a mess? Maybe there are different fonts, colors, or so much white space you don’t even know what you’re looking at. 

Sure, you could update each cell individually. But it would take hours (and probably end with you wanting to throw the entire computer away). 🙃

Luckily, I have a tip for you that’ll fix your formatting problems instantly. Ready? Let’s go! 

If you want to see this tip in action, I’ve got you: Here’s my video teaching you how to do this in under 30 seconds. 

The Three Boundaries I Set in My Professional Life 

In 2020, I started doing inner healing (i.e., meditation, reflection, dismantling limiting beliefs, etc) and realized how powerful our energy is. It impacts our motivation, focus, creativity, etc. 

So when we agree to things that drain us—AKA deplete our energy source—we lose opportunities for professional growth. 

Enter: Boundaries.

Boundaries help you channel your energy where it’s most needed. Almost four years ago, I started setting boundaries at my 9-5 (we do spend ⅓ of our lives at work, after all!) and I still abide by these boundaries today: 

1. Time Boundary ➜ I used to accept every single meeting request at my consulting job. Then I got the courage to ask my boss: Could this be an email? How can this be more productive? 

By prodding into every meeting’s purpose (instead of just blindly accepting the invite), I not only reduced meeting time: I became 10X more efficient. I’d breeze through my to-dos, feel more focused, and get to leave work early. 😉

Today, I don’t accept calls for Miss Excel unless they’re absolutely necessary! 

2. Conversation Boundary ➜ I got strict about what I would and would not chat about with co-workers. While I don’t technically have co-workers today, this applies to my career as a content creator: I ignore any negative comments on my videos. 

By refusing to engage with low-vibrational people, I can better preserve my sanity, mental health, and you guessed it…energy! 

3. Bandwidth Boundary ➜ Back in my consulting days, I always took on additional work (even if I was drowning in projects). The result? I'd end up exhausted and burnt out. 

I’ve since learned to say “no” when my plate is full. My go-to phrase at the office was: 

• “What’s the priority level of this additional assignment? My bandwidth is limited, so it would be great to know which projects you’d like to see done first.” 

“That’s cool Kat, but…how do I figure out my professional boundaries?” 

I got you! Start by reflecting on your work routine: What feels off-key? Ending days too late? Too much on your plate? Boss requesting to follow you on Instagram? From there, “tune” those areas in your life by setting the appropriate boundary. 

It’s not easy to put your foot down. But whenever you feel discomfort bubble up, just remember this quote by author (and absolute icon) Brené Brown: 

“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves even when we risk disappointing others.” 

Work boundaries don’t just make you a better professional: They show that you respect—and ultimately love—yourself. ❣️

• How to reverse your Excel data in 15 seconds (feat. Taylor Swift 🎶) 

• We’re all about goal-setting for 2024. But don’t forget to review your 2023, too. 

• Three research-backed ways to overcome that dreaded 3 PM slump (IYKYK). 

• Have you heard of micro-schedling? It’s when you plan your day by 15-minute increments–and apparently, it works wonders.

Thank you for being here! I’m currently cooking up something ✨ extra ✨ special for you next week in celebration of the holidays. You’ll want to star this one—it’s packed with Excel tips you’ll refer to time and time again. 

Stay Exceling,

Kat