Four Minutes With On The Dot

We talk a lot about the wage gap at On The Dot because, girlfriend, it’s 2018 and it’s still a dang issue. Let’s talk about what you can do when you find out Lazy Larry in your office gets paid more than you for the same position. First, do some research about what your position is worth, including benefits and bonuses, and talk to others in your field about their compensation. Yep, that’s right, I’m giving you permission to talk about the big M word—money. Be sure to practice negotiating before asking for that raise, and most of all, believe you are worth it! The post Erica Baker: How to Get Equal Pay appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Have you ever been fired up after seeing someone speak, say at a conference or event? That’s the power of saying something well. In the centuries-old tale Arabian Nights, storyteller Scheherazade avoids execution at the hands of her psycho husband, the king, by spinning engaging tales that end in cliffhangers, thereby enrapturing the king and securing her safety night after night. Talk about an empowered lady! But you don’t have to be Scheherazade or even a TED Talk speaker to impress. The power of storytelling can come in simpler forms. For instance, the next time you’re out with some colleagues, tell a story from your childhood, explain how you landed your job or even how you ended up with that salacious tattoo. They’ll surely be hooked by your storytelling prowess! The post Bobbie Carlton: Improve Your Public-speaking Game appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Today’s On The Dot is hot off the press, except it hasn’t been surrendered to the inner workings of an offset printing press and no preteen newsboy is shouting, “Read all about it!” from the sidewalk. News and publishing look different from a century ago and even a decade or two ago. While fake news is on the rise and there’s constant breaking news via 24/7 digital media that can be somewhat overwhelming, there are also more opportunities for women’s stories and voices to come through. If you’re a woman dipping your toe into the media biz, consider these tips from successful female journalists: Write what you’re passion about; be accessible; gain experience however you can, even if it’s through unpaid internships and volunteer work; and make it your goal to become a fact-checking pro. The post Pamela Galloway-Tabb: Excelling as a Woman in Journalism appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

“These curtains are permanent. They are never coming down!” That’s what my partner said while meeting his match with a drill and stubborn hardware. While I find decorating to be one of life’s treats, you may very well care less about the paint on the kitchen wall or the sconces in the bedroom. That’s totally OK, but I guarantee that curating your space mindfully can increase your good vibes. Today, I present a zero-dollar decorating challenge. Look around a room in your home and remove one item that elicits either apathy or disdain. Surround yourself only with things that bring you joy. I bet you’ll be feeling a little lighter in no time! The post Kate Zaremba: The One Thing You Need to Spruce Up a Room appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

During the weekend, I attended a conference full of educators and innovators. In more than a couple sessions, panelists contended particular careers require lifelong learning. A physician, for example, can’t stick with her 1970s med-school education if she wants to stay relevant and help her patients. This week, get in the learning mindset. (No protractors necessary!) Identify a subject you’d like to know more about then spend some time thinking of the best ways to learn about it—online courses, getting help from a mentor, studying a particular textbook—and set a reasonable deadline for implementing this academic work into your busy life. It might not be as easy as learning your ABCs, but it’s worth it. So, put on your thinking cap, hit the books and embrace your continuing education with an open mind. The post Daphne Koller: How to Get an Education in Your PJs appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Let’s travel to a place where everything’s bigger. We’re talking about Texas, and particularly about its feisty females. From Latin recording artist Selena to comedienne Carol Burnett, many admirable women from the Lone Star State have found remarkable success. But today, let’s channel the qualities of one especially uncompromising Texan woman: Ann Richards. This former governor of Texas once said she didn’t want her tombstone inscribed with how clean she kept her house but how she opened government to everyone. As you navigate life, be inspired by Ann Richards to brazenly fight for a social cause important to you, all while having a little fun with it. After all, as we’re sure Texas’ beloved former governor would attest, when you’re working to get your point across, a little sassiness never hurts! The post Marianne Malina: Raise Hell Like a Texas Woman appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

I walked into my local doughnut shop and the owner recognized me. You know what that means: I’m a regular. I eat enough doughnuts to be memorable. And I am totally fine with that. When it comes to the various aspects of our lives, whether it’s health or relationships or something else altogether, it’s all a balancing act. Every day, we all divvy up what we have to offer. That means sometimes one of life’s buckets might be a little less full of perfection than the others. And that’s OK. We’re only human. And sometimes it just feels so good to eat that dang doughnut. The post Alisa Vitti: Take Control Over Your Hormones appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Think back to your first job. Where did you store your stuff while you were working, you know, like your purse and car keys? In my first job, I stuffed my handbag wherever it fit, like on the floor under my desk, but by my third job, I had my very own locker. Looking back, I see that an 8-by-8-inch metal box with a lock actually had an impact. I felt comfortable in that office and could focus solely on my work without anxiety about whether my personal items were secure. If you’re a manager, give some thought to your employees’ space and consider making improvements to their physical environment. This will enhance employees’ job satisfaction and maybe even their productivity. The post Roshni Shah: Boost Employee Morale and Job Satisfaction appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

As I lay my fifth indoor plant to rest, I am left unsure what happened. Did I water it too much or too little? Did I forget about it for seven days straight? Should I blame my pets or my imperfect nursery or the full moon? Here are some tips I discovered during my melancholic post-plant-death internet search about how to be a better plant lady: Take on only what you can handle (I’m totally guilty of wanting a lush oasis now!), and learn when and how the heck to water each plant. Master caring for basic, virtually no-fail plants first. By adhering to this advice, my thumb may never be green, but maybe I can keep plant funerals to a minimum, and that’s progress, right? The post Sarah Burrows: Crowdfund to Grow Your Startup appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

It only takes a brief time at a job before you’re faced with a Negative Nelly or a Vexed Victor. She’s that colleague who catches you in the restroom for a five-minute complaint fest. He’s that customer who’s steaming mad about an accidental snafu and is just as unhappy with the solution. Chronic criticizers have a way of seizing their way into our inner dialogue. Today, remind yourself that you can’t always adjust someone’s attitude for the better, but you can offer a compassionate ear for a short while. Just make sure to bolster your boundaries too. The post Alexi Venneri: Take These Steps to Build Your ROI appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Have you ever felt like you know your UPS guy better than your own doctor? Many health-care professionals devote as much time as they can to their patients but are often overbooked and overworked. What that means is you’ve got to find your voice and not be afraid to speak up with your doctors, nurses and other health-care workers to ensure your concerns are addressed. When you’re sitting pretty much buck naked in a backless cotton gown, you just want to be done with the whole thing. Instead of rushing through your doctors’ appointments, be an empowered patient. Enter the room with a written list of questions or even a full statement for your doctor. You’ll feel more confident and won’t mince words. If the doctor responds dismissively, reiterate your concerns. Just like that dreaded backless gown, you’ll totally rock it, girl! The post Anjali Kataria: Become an Empowered Patient appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

My friend’s hubby recently spent a day communicating with her via emojis. That’s right, only emojis. When added to a statement, an emoji can deliver extra sass or sadness or, heck, even sexiness. But if you want to feel like you’re back in first grade learning to read for the first time, try understanding a particularly emoji-laden message. After a while, my friend got the hang of it. The images from her husband created a new kind of language, a visual lingo. It got me thinking about how regardless of where we come from or where we’re headed, there’s no reason why we can’t genuinely communicate with each other, even if it’s with emotional icons rather than words. The post Mursal Hedayat: Enhance Your Community By Learning a New Language appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

As I stood in line to check out at the grocery story, the cashier asked the pregnant woman in front of me, “Is it a boy or a girl?” “Boy,” she replied. The cashier, a middle-aged man, responded with a chuckle, “Good! Women are taking over the world!” Before a child even enters this crazy, mixed-up existence, so many expectations are thrust upon him or her. While I could spend all day detailing the sexist stereotypes we each face from day one of life, I’ll settle for paraphrasing this sage quote from the always sharp-witted Oprah Winfrey: Excellence is the best deterrent to sexism. The post Zaniya Lewis: Overcoming Obstacles While Pursuing Your Education appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

One of my friends on social media posted an article about what it’s like to be pregnant while also mothering a toddler. Having experienced this herself, my friend said she could’ve written the article. In the piece, writer Crystal Bowman talks about envying first-time moms, who can nap whenever the urge strikes them, whereas her reality involves dealing with a clingy toddler and being tired as all get-out all the dang time. If you’re struggling with an aspect of parenting, communicate with your other mama friends. Browse some articles written by real-life parents. Seek out help and advice, and commiserate with others experiencing similar parenting challenges. The post Daisy Wademan Dowling: Achieving Balance as a Working Parent appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

Have you watched the movie or read the book The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? The premise is magical. Four teenage besties spend their first summer apart, but first, they go shopping and come across a pair of jeans that somehow fits all of them. Each girl stays connected to the others by wearing and then shipping the pants off to the next girl. While the idea of finding a pair of jeans that fit perfectly is a dream in and of itself, the true value of the story comes from their sisterhood. It’s a great reminder that no matter where you are or what you’re going through, take time to stay connected to your best friends, your kindred spirits, your tribe. The post Adrienne Herbert: Get to Know the Keys to Successful Entrepreneurship appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

One time when I was a kid, I stood on a stool in my babysitter’s kitchen while helping her make brownies. This wasn’t my first baking rodeo, OK? I may have only been 7 or 8, but I knew one thing for sure: Those mixer beaters were all mine. As she scraped the bowl, transferring the chocolatey goodness into the pan for baking, I grabbed a beater and stuck my tongue out. Only centimeters away from my mouth, she grabbed it out of my hand and rebuked me. I was fuming! No brownie batter for me? What gives? From then on, I vowed that never again would anyone keep me from devouring such tantalizing—albeit raw—sweet goo, whatever the consequences. The post Rana Lustyan: Identifying Your Recipe for Success appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

You know when those funny late-night shows have their intrepid reporters hit the streets and ask average people to find a state or country on a map? We all laugh as they typically miss the right location by, like, a lot. But let’s face it: Most of us would likely instantly fail our middle-school geography test these days. Today, we’re talking about Kenya, a country situated on the equator on Africa’s East Coast. Its history is centuries old and Kenya is the source of some of the evidence of our earliest ancestors. While Kenya won independence from Britain in the 1960s and is ethnically diverse, its 48.5 million citizens still face a variety of notable challenges each and every day. The post Tina Hagen: How to Empower African Girls appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

When Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was interviewed by New York magazine in 2017, many readers were flabbergasted by her real-talk candor. She’s been an outspoken female politician, inspiring women and girls to speak up for what they believe is right. To me, she took down the convoluted image of politics, simply stating what it means to be elected to office: “We’re here to help people, and if we’re not helping people, we should go the [bleep] home.” She also empowers voters to employ a simple principle when choosing which politicians to vote for: “If they suck,” she says, vote against them; “if they’re worthy,” vote for them. It doesn’t get any more straightforward than that. Today, we’re pulling a Gillibrand move and suppressing the fear behind politics. The post Erin Loos Cutraro: How to Become a Politician appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

I’ve got a question for you and suggest you take a few moments to mull over your answer: What makes a house a home? Here’s a follow-up question: Has your idea of home changed since you were a kid? When you were younger, maybe getting dropped off by the school bus, popping some Bagel Bites into the microwave and arguing with your brother felt like home. Now, maybe home is more about parking in your very own garage, removing your bra immediately upon entering your house, slipping on some PJs and dancing alone to The Weeknd. Whatever it means to you, it seems like Dorothy’s sentiment from The Wizard of Oz remains true: There’s no place like home. The post Nora Apsel: Use Tech to Easily Secure a Mortgage appeared first on On The Dot Woman.

I’ll be the first to admit that when my good friend announced her pregnancy, I was bummed. There goes our friendship, I thought. No martinis with the mama-to-be for nine months. I bet our post-baby girls’ brunch plans will fizzle because Baby’s sick or doesn’t have a sitter. Her social-media pages will suddenly look like a Buy Buy Baby catalog. Whether the thought of kids brings the word “icky” to mind or you’re one fulfilled mama, we can all agree it takes a dang village to raise a human being. So, today, have a little patience with your pregnant friends as they navigate the most important change in their lives. And it never hurts to offer to be a surrogate martini drinker in the meantime! The post Lynn Perkins: Find a Trusted Babysitter in Your Community appeared first on On The Dot Woman.