How To Check In With Yourself While Growing Your Career

Navigating college or building a career isn’t easy. As a Latinx person, you’re not only navigating new experiences, you’re also trying to figure out how to bring along your culture and the family who sacrificed so much for you. The pressure coming from more than one side makes it difficult to remember that the only way you’re going to be able to keep building is by making sure your own cup is full first. 

Self-care isn’t a habit that’s taught when growing up, but it’s a necessary tool in your toolkit while you’re building your career. 

The best place to start when you’re looking to form a self-care routine is by asking yourself: “what is on my plate?”, “when or how do I ask for help?”, and “do I know when I need to take a break and do I know how?”. 

After asking yourself those questions and jotting down your answers, use the prompts below to create a plan on how you’ll check in with yourself regularly.  

Don’t wait for stressful times to check-in

You want to make it a habit to check in with yourself on a regular basis — this includes during times when you’re happy and feel in control. Notice the factors that helped give you that peaceful state this way when stressful moments happen, you know what to turn to in order to bring yourself back to center. 

Add a calendar invite to your career

Committing to check in with yourself has to be more than just an intention, you have to block off this time with yourself the way you would time with your best friend. Instead of jotting it in the margins of your notebook, add a recurring calendar event into your calendar. Here are two ways to do that. First, set a weekly calendar event where you agree to do something fun or peace-giving for yourself. Second, set aside a 5-10 minute (or longer if you’re inclined) block of time in your day and ask yourself how you’re doing, if you’re feeling anxious,  or if you’re feeling relaxed. Use this as a time to remind yourself of positive affirmations. 

Check-in regularly with a friend who is on a similar path as you 

I am a few years into my career and I still make sure to check in with friends who are on similar paths as me. These check-in calls help to remind me that we’re all just trying our best and navigating scenarios where we sometimes embrace a “fake it til you make it” mentality. Don’t be afraid to use these calls for some peer mentoring or to help remind yourself that your community understands you even in moments when your family maybe doesn’t. 

Keep a journal or note on your phone 

Keeping a record of how you’re learning to check in with yourself can help you the next time you need a plan of action or it can also serve as a reminder of how successful you’re being in self-caring for yourself. If you’re not the journal type, adding a note to your phone’s notes section will definitely help you cover your bases.