Back to work. Back to navigating relationships in the workplace.
Going back to the office in September has always felt like a new beginning. Fresh notebooks, new energy, fresh determination to communicate better with the same people!
The truth is, our careers are shaped not just by what we do, but by the relationships we navigate along the way. It is about who we trust, who we learn from, who drains us and, occasionally, who makes us wonder if we should take up pottery instead.
Here are six things worth remembering as we get back into the rhythm.
1. Boundaries are not bad manners
Not everyone at work needs to be your friend. Some are difficult colleagues or frenemies, or even demanding bosses who test your emotional range before 9 am.
Be warm, be professional, and be clear. You do not have to win everyone over, and you certainly do not have to give them unlimited access to your energy or absorb theirs. Good boundaries let you work with people without letting them take over your headspace.
2. Invest in yourself
Your job is only one part of your career. Keep building the part that belongs to you. Keep learning. Build skills. Find people who stretch you. Try the thing that makes you slightly uncomfortable. Your company may change direction, restructure or disappear entirely. Your investment in yourself travels with you.
3. Do not wait for validation
The promotion. The praise. The “well done”. The person finally noticing how much you have been carrying. Of course, recognition matters, but if you make someone else’s approval the measure of your worth, you hand them far too much power. Do not outsource your sense of worth to a manager or a colleague. Know your value by keeping your own scorecard, and do not confuse being overlooked with being unworthy.
4. Embrace change
AI, new responsibilities, shifting teams, new ways of working. Change in workplaces is coming in thick and fast. The thing you were hired to do five years ago may not even exist in the same form today.
That can be unsettling. It can also be an opportunity. Stay curious. Learn the new tools. Ask better questions and be the one willing to evolve before you are forced to.
You do not need to know exactly what comes next but you do need to stay curious. This is the definitely the time that curiosity did not kill the cat!
5. Choose your people
The right colleagues make hard days easier and good days better. Look out for people who share credit, tell you the truth, are generous with knowledge and are genuinely pleased when you succeed.
And be that person for someone else.
6. Keep perspective
It is easy to get caught up in the politics, pressures and personalities of your workplace. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your career is step outside it.
Head to the work section or subscibe to @violas_edit for more career articles, insight, and perspective and to help you think differently about work and what comes next.
Careers are built on more than competence. They are built on trust, reputation, resilience and relationships.
So, as we head back into the emails, meetings, and “quick calls” that somehow take 45 minutes, remember to do good work, protect your energy, keep learning, stay curious, and do not take every office drama home with you.
September is a reset. Use it well.
This article is not personal advice. The information contained in this article has been designed for educational and informational purposes only and not for your specific circumstance. It is provided solely to enable you to make your own choices. No material in this article is a substitute for professional advice.
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